Jumping in Zazen.

[Kenku]

Sometimes when I sit before I go to bed and I’m tired, I have the experience that my body suddenly jumps or convulses. It is when my mind begins to wander off into thought fantasy narrative mode and I know that means I’m falling asleep but it isn’t the jerk upright that happens if I’m falling over. It happens when I’m still sitting upright and it is quite an unnecessarily big thing. Also, isn’t it a paradox that when my mind is clear, open, aware I can sit for a long time even if I’m tired but as soon as thought narrative creeps in, I fall asleep?

Gassho,

Kenkū

sat & lah

[Amelia]

I had a similar experience while sitting at SFZC. I was pretty sleep deprived and it was a long sit time. I remember staring at the window pane, knowing that I was awake, but like you mentioned every time my mind wandered I would jerk awake. I think this is simply the brain doing what it naturally does to recharge, it wants to go into rambling imagery mode, it wants to sleep, it does not want to be awake and aware. Nothing to worry about, and if it is bothersome, I will blink my eyes quickly, which I remember reading in a magazine article about falling asleep while sitting. If that doesn't help, I will stand up and kinhin. If not that, it may simply be time to stop and sleep.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Kenku]

[Ryumon]

These are called hypnagogic jerks, or hypnic jerks, a form of myoclonus, which is a type of muscle spasms. They are quite common when falling asleep, and if you're sitting zazen and falling asleep, they're probably not uncommon. I have these occasionally when I take naps, though less often when I go to sleep at night.

Gassho,

Ryūmon

sat

[Jundo]

These are called hypnagogic jerks, or hypnic jerks, a form of myoclonus, which is a type of muscle spasms. They are quite common when falling asleep, and if you're sitting zazen and falling asleep, they're probably not uncommon. I have these occasionally when I take naps, though less often when I go to sleep at night.

Gassho,

Ryūmon

sat

Alas, my wife says that I have kicked her more than once in bed, and once side-slapped the guy next to me on an airplane ...

The settling of Zazen can place us easily into that relaxed state we encounter in the twilight state on the border between waking and falling asleep, with like brainwave patterns and like physical phenomena such as this. I would not be overly concerned unless it is such a frequent event that it becomes a real issue.

Gassho, Jundo
STLah

[Sekishi]

Sometimes when I sit before I go to bed and I’m tired, I have the experience that my body suddenly jumps or convulses. It is when my mind begins to wander off into thought fantasy narrative mode and I know that means I’m falling asleep but it isn’t the jerk upright that happens if I’m falling over. It happens when I’m still sitting upright and it is quite an unnecessarily big thing.

I definitely experience this on the cushion when the mind is dull or sleepy. This is OK, the body-mind doing as it does. A kinhin later (or not), conditions change and it dissipates like the morning mist (or not!).

These are called hypnagogic jerks, or hypnic jerks

Coincidentally, The Hypnagogic Jerks is the name of my all merengue-synthwave Dead Kennedys cover band! (kidding)

Deep bows,
Sekishi

[Ryumon]

Coincidentally, The Hypnagogic Jerks is the name of my all merengue-synthwave Dead Kennedys cover band! (kidding)

My thought is that would be a better name for a Devo cover band.

:-)

Gassho,

Ryūmon

sat