- Importance of consistent meditation: Leo asserts that consistent daily meditation is necessary to understand consciousness and his teachings on Actualized.org.
- Occurrence of unusual phenomena during advanced stages of meditation: Leo discusses how those who have been meditating consistently for at least six months to a year may begin to experience unexpected negative and alien-like phenomena.
- Precautions about negative side effects of meditation: Leo warns that while the listed potential effects won't necessarily occur for everyone, they should be aware that these negative episodes may show up unexpectedly and can seem persisting.
- The list of potential side effects: These side effects can include hyper annoyance, crankiness, hyper judgmentalism, mood swings, feelings of loneliness, depression, anger, possible interference with your work and relationships, and even suicidal thoughts.
- How to handle these side effects: Leo advises his audience not to react impulsively to these experiences, as they are byproducts of subconscious purification and part of the meditative process.
- Impact of negative side effects on career and relationships: He warns that meditation can make one question the purpose of their work or relationships. However, these feelings are temporary and should not trigger rash actions.
- Need for time and patience during spiritual progress: Meditation brings about inner transformations in time. It cycles through stages of emotional release and spiritual growth, which can feel like regression, but are part of the journey towards higher consciousness.
- Importance of not taking suicidal thoughts seriously: Leo highlights that suicidal thoughts may arise during meditation but should neither be taken seriously nor be acted upon. Remembering that these thoughts are simple illusions can prevent any harmful consequences.
- Conclusion on the dark side of meditation: Leo's advice revolves around being prepared for the negative side effects of meditation. He emphasizes that these temporary phases are part of the spiritual growth process and are not to be feared.
- Ego Backlash during meditation: Leo mentions that during intense periods of meditation, practitioners may experience what he describes as an 'ego backlash', where one's ego, after being dissolved over time, returns with stronger force. This could lead to a regression into old, unhealthy habits such as overeating, substance abuse, and toxic behaviors despite progress one had previously made. This may feel demoralizing, but it's important to remember that it is a temporary phase that eventually passes, resulting in a healthier and stronger mindset.
- Temporary Negative Effects of Meditation: Strong emotional reactions like increased sexual desire, recalling repressed memories, mental turbulence, self-doubt, nightmares, or even a state of spiritual arrogance may be experienced as a result of meditation. These can be confusing or challenging, but are normal and temporary aspects of the journey towards long-term spiritual growth.
- Purging and Rearrangement of the Mind: The process of meditation is described as a defragmentation and rearrangement of the mind, similar to therapy, but occurring unconsciously. This process can unearth repressed feelings and thoughts that bubble up as emotional swings, mood changes and other reactions. This 'purging' is a necessary aspect of meditation that helps to eliminate old patterns and beliefs and leads to heightened consciousness and spiritual growth.
- The Role of Meditation in Personal Growth: Meditation is a process of breaking down and rebuilding thought patterns, beliefs and behaviors. While this process can bring forward difficult emotions and experiences, it is crucial to remember that it is a necessary part of the journey towards personal and spiritual growth.
- Spiritual Purification Process: The journey of meditation involves purging and purifying one's toxic thoughts and emotions. This process can take several weeks or even months and usually comes with significant obstacles to overcome. These may lead to emotional outbursts and mood swings. Once these obstacles are overcome, one can work at a higher level of consciousness. This cycle can continue for years as part of the meditation journey.
- Bizarre Side Effects of Meditation: Meditation can lead to a plethora of strange experiences, including physical sensations (tingling, shaking), seeing lights and auras, experiencing lifelike sexual fantasies, behaving like an animal, or hearing voices. These experiences could be vivid and lifelike. Paranormal phenomena are also to be expected, which may include reliving past lives, out-of-body experiences, encounters with spiritual entities, or going into different realms.
- Samadhi States and Kundalini Awakening: During meditation, individuals might merge with objects around them, leading to Samadhi states that are generally positive but can also be shocking. Another potent event one might experience is Kundalini awakening, a phenomenon of intensified energy in the body that travels up the spine and bursts from the head, which can be accompanied by feelings of losing sanity and control over one's own body.
- Potential Experiences of Reality Shift: Deep meditation can lead to experiencing a total blackout or void, referred to in Buddhism as "neither perception nor non-perception." This state involves the disappearance of physical reality and the sense of self, potentially feeling like the void or experiencing an ego death, wherein one stops existing as an individual body, culminating in a shattering and expansion of reality.
- Dark Night of the Soul: In the meditation journey, one might encounter a phase called the "dark night of the soul", which can be severely challenging and depressing. It involves realizing the meaninglessness and purposelessness of reality and deconstructing one's beliefs and delusions about reality.
- The Dark Night of the Soul: Leo explains that as people progress in their meditation practice, they could experience a period of extreme depression and potential depersonalization - a condition where you feel detached from your body and thoughts, known as the "dark night of the soul". This can interfere with personal relationships, careers, and one's sense of self. However, this isn't a common occurrence and usually happens in extreme cases.
- Dealing with Negative Experiences and Emotions: It's advised to relax and understand that these experiences, no matter how unusual or troubling, are normal and part of the meditation journey. They hold no different meaning than everyday phenomena and require no special response. Recognize it as part of the ego's resistance to change and a side effect of the brain trying to maintain homeostasis.
- Continuous Practice and Coping Strategies: The best course of action in such situations is to continue practicing meditation, maintain a relaxed attitude, and not allow yourself to be distracted from your ultimate goal by these negative emotions. Minimize self-judgment and treat yourself with compassion during the meditation journey, it's all part of genuine growth which can be challenging.
- Taking Breaks and Maintaining Balance: If meditation seems to be severely disrupting your life, it is okay to take a short, calculated break with the intention to resume. It's essential not to allow these intricacies to completely discourage you from the practice of meditation.
- Reading Spiritual Books: Finally, Leo recommends turning to spiritual books written by people with years of meditation experience to stay motivated, recognize possible pitfalls, and learn how to navigate them. A reliable resource especially when faced with situations like the "dark night of the soul".
- Purification and Higher Consciousness: Despite its potential difficulties, consistent meditation practice leads to a spiritual purification process that is immensely beneficial in the long run. It raises your consciousness to a level beyond imagination. The key is not to become disheartened by the difficult phases but to stay committed and view these as temporary stages in the journey.
- A Note on the Future: Leo mentions he'll release new, more advanced content every week that would help in realizing higher levels of growth and consciousness. He promises that these would be impactful and encourages viewers to continue with their practice and stay tuned for his updates.