Meditation Retreat Question I have been following your (yuttadhammo) videos for some time. I had a question that I wanted to ask to someone who is experienced and familiar with meditation and Buddhism. I went to a 60 day meditation retreat in Myanmar last year. I had a great experience there and so as a result I am planning to go back again for 4 months at the end of this year. I have had some experiences during my last trip which puzzled and scared me a bit. I was disturbed on a couple of occasions by beings from other world at night. These were scary experiences that scared me to the core during the retreat. It was difficult for me to meditate and to fall asleep at night as my mind would always stay in that defense mode where it wouldn't relax and fall asleep. I talked to the teachers about it and they said to practice metta meditation and to ask these beings to not disturb my meditation. They also asked me to not be afraid and simply watch the fear. It did that and it did work for the time being but the fear overpowered me during the entire retreat although I am glad that I was able to make some good progress. I want to be better prepared this time around when I am going back again. My question is what can I do better this time so I can be well prepared and so the fear of being  disturbed again does not overwhelms me? I would like to practice meditation this time by leaving fear behind. Thank you for reading this.
I talked to the teachers about it and they said to practice metta
meditation and to ask these beings to not disturb my meditation.

If these are real external disturbances (rather than internal delusions):
(i) they are not beings from another world;
(ii) they are merely minds with psychic powers, as described in the Pali suttas; and
(iii) these minds are engaged in transgressions of the Buddhist Vinaya, as follows:

Displaying psychic powers. A related rule at Cv.V.8.2 states that to display psychic powers to lay people is a dukkata. (page 266)

(iv) this type of activity is cult activity; trying to engage in mind control.
(v) in the Pali suttas, being &quot;captured by non-humans (devas)&quot; is one of many reasons for not reaching the ocean of Nibbana, as follows:

The Lord Buddha continued,
If that log is not caught on the near bank, it will reach the ocean.
If it is not caught on the far bank, it will reach the ocean.
If it is not submerged under the water, it will reach the ocean.
If it does not land on a small island in the middle of the river, it will reach the ocean.
If it is not taken away by a human being, it will reach the ocean.
If it is not taken away by a deity, it will reach the ocean.
If it does not sink into a whirlpool, it will reach the ocean.
If it does not become rotten, it will reach the ocean.
Parable of the Log




They also asked me to not be afraid and simply watch the fear. It did that and it did work for the time being but the fear overpowered me
during the entire retreat although I am glad that I was able to make
some good progress.

The fear overwhelms the mind because what is occurring is psychologically intrusive. It is worse than physical abuse because it is very difficult for the nervous system to control the psychic power sense contact; which causes loss of sleep; because psychic power is external mental energy entered into the nervous system. Because the mental energy is not created by the afflicted mind, the afflicted cannot control the energy; unless the mind is highly developed.
It is ideal to view the sense contact as 'nama-rupa' or 'a sound' (rather than as a &quot;being&quot;). The Buddha taught external objects are merely mind &amp; matter (nama-rupa) and not-self (anatta). Refer to SN 12.19, which is properly translated as:

Bhikkhus, for the wise man, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, this group (of five aggregates) has thereby originated. So there is this group and
external mentality-and-materiality: thus this dyad.

What is experienced is not &quot;beings&quot; but mere &quot;mentality&quot;.



I want to be better prepared this time around when I am going back
again. My question is what can I do better this time so I can be well
prepared and so the fear of being disturbed again does not overwhelms
me? I would like to practice meditation this time by leaving fear
behind. Thank you for reading this.

Personally, I would not return to this place because, to me, it sounds like an immoral cult that does not follow the Vinaya of Buddhism.