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I found a very interesting video: It’s about method actors. A method actor is someone who goes to extreme lengths in order to fully immerse themselves into a role (it is explained more thoroughly at the beginning of the video). Interestingly, one of the most mentally intense forms of method acting involves not breaking character even off-set during the entire duration of a film’s production. The actors discussed in this video experience a kind of identity loss, where they struggle to reconnect with their former selves. Aside from being a unique and immersive artistic practice, it’s also fascinating from a spiritual standpoint. One actor featured in the video is Jim Carrey. Many people on this forum will know that he has a prominent association with nihilistic thought. In Patrick Cc:'s video, he presents the narrative that Carrey experienced an identity crisis as a result of method acting, which led him to develop a nihilistic worldview. From our perspective on this forum, we understand that similar realizations can arise through spiritual education and practice. This would make sense in Carrey’s case, as it’s known that he read Eckhart Tolle. I also remember him mentioning Hindu deities like Krishna, which further suggests that he explored a significant amount of spiritual literature. As far as I know, he speaks about his experiences openly. To me, it seems most plausible that his method acting experience triggered what is known as the "dark night of the soul”, leading him to seek spiritual guidance. What’s really significant is that this form of dissociation—through embodying another person—appears to be a fairly consistent method for inducing an experience of the non-self. So consistent, in fact, that Patrick references a study on the phenomenon: Becoming a Character: Dissociation in Conservatory Acting Students (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31592713/) The kinds of psychological struggles these actors face remind me of the traumatic experiences some people encounter during intense meditation retreats, or through the misuse of psychedelics and other powerful substances. It seems that many actors do not affirm or understand the concept of non-self and are caught off guard—mildly put. I find the parallels between this and serious meditation practice fascinating. To me, it seems that monks don’t do anything wildly different in monasteries. The main difference is that it’s more controlled, and instead of embodying a character, they embody the no-self over long periods. Thoughts?

Contemplating something external is usually not stressful. If you do experience stress in such moments, it was likely already present—you’re just becoming aware of it because the stillness has brought it to your attention. In that case, I would go with Leo’s advice. However, stress triggered by deep existential fear—as a direct result of contemplating the self or engaging in open, objectless awareness—is something I’ve personally felt and witnessed in others. It surprises me that Leo hasn’t experienced this. For me, it helps explain why people can go insane while meditating. I have a theory that psychosis and personality disorders are rooted in the sense of self. After all, when you deeply contemplate the self, your very sense of being can shift drastically. It can feel like the ground is falling out from beneath you. One random association I had during meditation was that it felt like being snapped away by Thanos—like I was witnessing myself disappear. I believe that overcoming and affirming that sense of death is one of the cornerstones of spiritual growth. Since the fear of death can be seen as the root of all fear, liberation arises as a result of facing it. You should be cautious when experiencing stress during meditation. At worst, it could be dangerous or lead to an aversion to the practice. On the other hand, stress and anxiety during meditation can be signs of genuine progress—evidence that you're actively confronting your own death. When this happens, try to observe changes in your breath. Since learning about and practicing Buteyko, I’ve come to believe that all forms of stress manifest as increased breath volume. The brain induces the stress response through the breath by increasing the volume of exhaled air, thereby lowering CO₂ levels in the body. The goal, then, is to counteract this by acively calming and reducing your breath.