I wanted to mention something that happened during my meditation last night:

I did a three-part meditation using three different tools – my mala (prayer beads), my baoding chime balls, and the labyrinth stone my mom gave me. I also have a Buddha that holds a tealight, which I light during the meditation. I sit in darkness and watch the flame while I meditate.

I prayed for everyone affected by the earthquake in Japan, as well as all natural disasters while using the mala. Then when I switched to the baoding balls, I began to speak, "This is for everyone who has died–", and meant to continue with the words "from the earthquake" or "from natural disasters", but I was cut off by a bizarre event – my candle flickered violently, which it never does unless I breathe on it, and also I felt my body surge and react strangely.

I am a fan of Ghost Adventures, and after seeing that this kind of an event may mean that a ghost or a spirit is present, I took it very seriously that someone may have been thanking me or had been there with me at that moment. I turned and petted Brandy as soon as it happened since dogs are supposedly able to detect ghosts when they appear, but she didn't really respond (she was asleep on my bed).

Anyway, I continued the meditation and didn't have any other reactions, but I thought it was very strange that it happened immediately after I said "This is for everyone who has died". I try not to be very superstitious but I do believe in ghosts. I never felt in any danger or that the energy was negative in any way – in fact, I felt a little startled but strangely comforted when it happened. Who knows?

Anyway, just wanted to share that with you.