[largonioulurI]

Hello Khalil Bodhi.

Even if you were speaking from personal experience, it could be difficult to distinguish between a malevolent (or weird) entity and a fabrication of the mind. For hearing about experience in non-Buddhist meditation, it's even more difficult to know what really was observed.

There's nothing in the namo tassa or in the Refuges that refers to protection. I do not believe there is any need for protection before meditation as we have nothing to fear. Fear itself is a mental construct.

I'll be unable to offer you any concrete evidence, I'm sorry. On meeting a malevolent entity, it would be wonderful to be sufficiently settled to offer it a welcome and metta. I would love the opportunity, though I suspect I would panic.