Hi
I was wondering if somebody could offer some advice.
My spiritual practice started back in February 2009. I made a move to the USA from the UK in August 2009 and spend a lot of time on my own in a new country. In September 2009 I experienced my first wave of, I don’t know how to describe it so I’ll just call it this, energy. This energy resulted in me suddenly gasping as if waking up from a nightmare and tears flooding out of my eyes.
The floods of tears never last that long. I allowed them and really felt them. This has happened about six times now, all in different situations. Each time it starts the same way, that “nightmare” gasp and then the tears.
I started meditating in August 2010. First I did just the deep meditation for 20 minutes, then about a month later I added the spinal breathing pranayama for 5 minutes prior to the deep meditation. I meditate once per day, immediately after I awake.
Since starting the meditation, the tears have become more intense. So much so that I was in a bar last weekend and something triggered it to happen. I spontaneously started having floods of tears, yet I felt quite happy and was not “crying” in the traditional sense. In fact, this was the most intense it has ever been, lasting about 50 minutes in total in total from the bar, the car journey home and sitting outside my apartment among all the trees and plants (where it reached maximum intensity).
I have searched the boards to understand what this is, or what could be causing it, and I do not know.
I am a little concerned as, to the person that does not practice spiritual matters (or maybe to that person too), it looks strange. It was quite embarrassing when it happened in public.
Does anybody have any ideas about what could be happening and/or how I should proceed from here?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
dear hyperion
i also experience sudden tears…for more than one year now…but as you said " I felt quite happy and was not “crying” in the traditional sense"
sometimes it happens in public space…it happens to me whem i am at office…but i am not embarrassed about that at all…i just whip my tears and continue…work collegues and people in general dont notice …
what is happening is emotional cleaning …heart opening…it is very good to get rid of that “dirt”
u dont have to do anything about it…just let it be…let it all come out…dont worry
all the best 
I also get this reaction, it is so cleansing. It does sometimes happen in public, a couple of times at Guild meetings (which are definitely not spiritual)and while I get a funny look now and then I simply say that sometimes I think of God and the others not only accept this, they have become supportive. This has led me to the belief that many people wish they could cry like this, for joy, for sadness, for the pure cleansing act that it is, they just do not know how. It feels good to cry, it cleanses my spirit, it brings me closer to Truth and so I surrender to it and let it go, let all of it go.
I think it is purification and what Yogani calls “scenery” along the path. There are so many variations with different people. I get a truly crying feeling, usually from thought of a helpless being struggling, but often for no reason at all, no thought at all. fortunately I have learned to recognize it coming on, and am able to stop it when I’m in a meeting. never have experienced it for very long though.
But with all scenery, there is nothing to do but watch.
very well said etherfish…“for no reason at all, no thought at all.”
and wooddragon so true lots of people dont know how to cry…some repress the crying thinking wrongly that it is a sign of weakness…so this repressed crying usually reflects in the form of physical sickness…let it all come…welcome…welcome…bring it on…tell the tears:my dear children what do u want? tell your story:))
Thank you all for your responses. I was not sure whether it was “scenery” as Yogani described it. I did feel that it was a purifying process. As a result, I was a little scared. After reading your posts, I am not any more.
I was going to stop the spinal breathing and just perform the deep meditation to see if the crying eased off. However, if it is a good sign, perhaps doing that would be a step back?
Thank you again.
Its time to turn your tears of water into tears of fire!
It’s not a step back. It is like lifting weights. You can see the results, you can feel the difference, and good things are happening. But if your muscles are sore or strained and you continue lifting weights the exact same way as you always have, then you may hurt yourself. So you self pace, do a lighter routine till you feel the muscles have healed, and then go back to your regular routine. The soreness is a good sign, and yet not stepping back till the muscles are healed is not a smart move. Does this make sense?
Hi Shanti
That does absolutely make sense. It is probably wise to scale back the spinal breathing until the tears subside or get less. I remember the spontaneous tears also came when I saw the beauty of the rain drops on the tree outside my apartment only a couple of weeks prior to my last experience a week and a half ago. I am going to stop the spinal breathing for two months and see if there is a recurrence. If there is not, I’ll slowly bring it back into my practice.
Thanks to everyone for their help with this.
If you learn to stop it at will, then it doesn’t matter how often it happens, right? It’s been happening to me for years, and also anger and other emotions, and I just stop them when inappropriate, which is rare. Not sure how i do it, seems like shifting my consciousness higher in my head or something. Try experimenting with this.
I take it all as a good thing in general, just sometimes not good timing.
i cry when simetimes something is so beautiful…or when i feel an overwhelming connection or attraction to the Self
it is always very positive thing
Tears happen to me all the time too. During the divine Liturgy, while listening to beautiful music or watching a film, during prayer or meditation. Not very “manly” for sure, but it feels good, and who cares what anybody can think about it. Repressing emotions is not a good idea !
Paul
during last night sitthing and this morning…tears came back…as if they disappear for long time lolllz…but today i felt like sharing…
i remembered this song… the lyrics remember me of …kundalini
www.soundtracklyrics.net/song-lyrics/the-parent-trap/there-she-goes.htm
oooops it seems the link onl provides the lyrics…here is another link where u find the track being sung
www.last.fm/music/The+La’s/_/There+She+Goes
Nice song!
I have experienced tears and crying like hyperion described. I’ve felt like I was being reunited with a long lost part of myself, and the tears are because I missed that part so very much. It’s like finding a loved one that you have longed for.
that is it! …so true…i did not know how to express it…txs dear
today was doing hatha yoga…was completely thoughtless and focused during the session…then when i reached Pashimottanasana a thought came out …“it is Him that i miss”… tears started to roll down on my checks for a minute…
then continued the class…
crying is awesome.
i am learning to cry again, it is powerful healing, one day it will be like laughing yoga only you cry
i was praying the anabecho’ach prayer the other day and i just burst into tears, everytime i went back to the prayer i just broke down again, i didn’t even understand the words of the prayer.
i guess it’s the deep longing for God that makes us cry sometimes.
i’m almost in tears now just thinking about it.
bhakti baby 
Joe