People report all kinds of different sensations and visions during meditation. But these are not really the goals or main benefits of meditation. They are, on the whole, just interesting phenomena that you encounter on the way. See them essentially as distractions and remember the ultimate aim of meditation: ‘no mind’.

At first, meditation tends to make you more aware of your body as a complete working organism, with blood flowing through your veins, oxygen being exchanged in your lungs and your internal organs working and shifting. This can lead to some odd sensations both internally and on your skin. You may experience tingling and numbness, feel warm and then cold in different parts or all over.

You may feel as if you have ants crawling over your skin. You may get a sensation of fullness in different parts of your body. You may feel throbbing. All this is good, you are becoming more aware. Eventually, you will feel as if you have no body at all.

More advanced meditators (who may be referred to as a master of meditation) may start to have visions. At first these may just be colors and light displays on the insides of your eyelids. You may see fireworks, flowers or clouds. Some people see whole landscapes, mansions or temples. All these visions are good; they show that you are deeply in the present moment, which is the essence of meditation. But you should not be seduced by them - they are not the main aim of meditation. So when you have the visions, return your focus to meditating.

If you have a vision of a single ball of light, then, according to most meditation trainers, you have come through to a high level of meditation. You are close to achieving real bliss. This vision is something on which you can focus. Allow yourself to meld with it.