I've been meditating for the past few months on my own. Lot's of crazy stuff going on in my life and I finally figured out that it isn't the stuff, but how I'm reacting to it that causes me the most stress.

Recently, I started going to a local Zen group, and although I generally meditate between 15-30 minutes a day, I started attending to see what longer periods would be like. The times I'm there, I meditate with them for three 25 minute sessions in two hours, interspersed with some walking meditation. So far, that has worked out fine for me. I started to notice more of a sense of space for myself as I go about my day, and it's been very nice.

A few weeks ago, I decided to attend a day long meditation with the Zen group. I was a bit apprehensive about it. The morning was okay, but in the afternoon I just couldn't wait to get out. Afterward, I went home and took a nap, and noticed the strangest thing when I woke up -- I wasn't thinking. I was just observing. It was a very freaky feeling as I'm a guy who tends to live in his head. I walked around my apartment just seeing with no real sense of myself. It was very nice, and unexpected.

The next day, I went off with some friends to a lake and I noticed something very cool also. There was this goopy, mossy thing growing in the lake with long translucent strands coming from it. It's the sort of thing that you see in lakes around where I live and frankly, it is kind of gross. It's the sort of thing that, when I see it, I sort of shiver because I can imagine touching those strands and, well, it seems gross. That day, however, I saw that thing in the lake and I was just seeing it. No sense of what it was, or myself in relation to it, just appreciating its shape and beautiful colors in the sunlight. Very interesting experience.

I'm trying not to get attached to the memory of those experiences of lucidity, but they were very enjoyable. I really didn't expect to have them. They were a very nice surprise.

I guess there are no guarantees in life, but the thing I want to say is if you've just started with meditation, stick with it. There can be some very interesting experiences along the way.