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In light of the fact that many in the U.S. have been taking up meditation in the last 40 years or so, you may wonder if it does bring peace of mind without any complications or if there is danger in this practice. So, I thought I would bring up this subject first by offering Mary Garden's article from the Humanist Magazine. Then by bringing up more research on the subject.
Interesting article about it. I have never heard some of the "cons" about it.
As a Christian, I am not interested in that type of meditation. Maybe this sounds ridiculous to some, but I'm gonna say it anyway I think that this type of meditation could possible open someone to the demonic realm.
That was an unexpected article from a source like the humanist.org. I'm really not sure what to make of it. I suspect that there are a few individuals who are going to go off the deep end no matter what they become involved with and the suicide that was described could be an example. I'd like to hear what June thinks about this article. I went to a few meditation classes in my thirties but I didn't really get into it. I have a hard time believing that meditation could be bad for you and I'm thinking that this is just an aberration that occurs in very few individuals.
In light of the fact that many in the U.S. have been taking up meditation in the last 40 years or so, you may wonder if it does bring peace of mind without any complications or if there is danger in this practice. So, I thought I would bring up this subject first by offering Mary Garden's article from the Humanist Magazine. Then by bringing up more research on the subject.
overreliance for me is a mistake. i like zen and i am a christian whose sect believes in healing thru prayer. the zen helps my japanese brush painting
and my japanese painting teacher encourages me in this direction but i see suzuki, zen guru of san francisco was dead of cancer at 66 in 1971.
so zen i think has its limitations. lots of folks healed of cancer in my church and we got some great medical tech now to deal with this stuff.
so i think meditation and mind manipulation can take you only so far.
good clarity and focus practice but we need to get outside the box too.
not intended to step on anybodies beliefs just my own take.
overreliance for me is a mistake. i like zen and i am a christian whose sect believes in healing thru prayer. the zen helps my japanese brush painting
and my japanese painting teacher encourages me in this direction but i see suzuki, zen guru of san francisco was dead of cancer at 66 in 1971.
so zen i think has its limitations. lots of folks healed of cancer in my church and we got some great medical tech now to deal with this stuff.
so i think meditation and mind manipulation can take you only so far.
good clarity and focus practice but we need to get outside the box too.
not intended to step on anybodies beliefs just my own take.
This makes no sense to me.
You say meditation can be bad because it didn't save a zen guru from cancer and also because lots of people in your church beat cancer?
Huh?
In my religion communication with God can take many forms, including prayer and meditation. There is a form of prayer known as contemplative prayer that is practiced by monks and mystics like St John of the Cross, and St Theresa of Avila. They both discovered the need for spiritual direction in order to discern the intent and message of the spirits.
It is common knowledge among those that practice these deep forms of prayer that there is a danger of being fooled by the angel of light, the father of lies, who is very cunning and can decieve the stongest souls.
That is why spiritual direction is highly recommended.
Last edited by Oakback; 11-01-2007 at 08:49 PM..
Reason: grammar
First off, I feel that the benefits of meditation out weigh the potential for possible down sides...Most people find it extremely difficult to just sit and either concentrate on their breathing, or to get to a point where the mind is absolutely still, or eventually empty.
What I found interesting about the article is that it didn't seem to mention the fact that one of the reasons why some undergo very, very frightening and even traumatic experiences is due to the fact that when the mind becomes that settled, it's not uncommon for "stuff" to bubble up out of people's unconscious minds. I suspect that the unconscious process that emerges (for some) when in a meditative state catches people off guard. That, in turn, would account for much that would be unsettling for someone in meditation.
As a "therapeutic" tool, I'm rather up in the air on that one...I've watched others try and teach meditation to psychotics, and it's not an easy task. As well, many people who are depressed find it requires too much energy. For others who are too emotional vulnerable or fragile, it becomes too difficult to just "sit" with "your self."
However, for those who are able to acquire the discipline required for meditation, the benefits are wonderful.
In the U.S. it is touted as being a cure for depression and for making you feel peaceful. That happens mostly in the beginning stages. If you read the articles that are posted on the following links, you will read of the various stages that one has to go through, and some of the later stages actually sound hellish to me, and you would be lucky to come out on the other side with your mind in tact as far as I can tell.
There is are a few women psychologists that dealt with this subject. Dr. Margaret Singer was a psychologist in Berkeley that had 50 years of research into meditation and had many case studies, and then Dr. VanderKooi, who is also a psychologist and a Buddhist wrote her dissertation on Meditation-Related Psychosis.
Here is a website on their findings as well as some others:
There is also a book out that I believe is published by a Hindu titled, Hidden Dangers of Meditation and Yoga, but while I have tried to order it, it is out of stock in the U.S. and the price for it coming from India makes it expensive. Hopefully, it will someday be in stock again, but who knows?
Last edited by Mattie Jo; 11-01-2007 at 09:24 PM..
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I think that this type of meditation could possible open someone to the demonic realm.
The article
