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This is so true, but we are also warned of the dangers. People that learn to drive are told of the hazzards of driving, and so they learn to be caucious. People that learn to meditate are seldom told of the dangers; instead they are told only of the value of meditation. That is what needs to be changed.
If it's rare, why bother.
How about preaching about the hazards of drinking water, fwiw. (as noted above).
If it's such a rarity, why approach it with such intensity? The sky is not falling.
What's your plan: billboards, sky writing, posting on an internet forum?
My first 10-day retreat was possibly the most important holiday in my life.
You'll not get me supporting this fear mongering.
You have no control over what other people choose to do/not do.
Any way you can provide some statistics? Anecdotes do not equal data.
It can be "dangerous" when a so called guru tells you that you are "meditating with the wrong method" and that only his/her way is the real way. People like that give me a reason to run the other way.
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.
Depends what you focus on. For example, pseudo-religions like 'Masterpath' suggest you focus on a picture of the 'living master' himself, Gary Olsen:
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.
Referencing the article, one, or even several, incidences is not indicative of a systemic problem.
It can be "dangerous" when a so called guru tells you that you are "meditating with the wrong method" and that only his/her way is the real way. People like that give me a reason to run the other way.
And a normal person would run.
Otherwise, they've got big problems to begin with.
Ever see the bumper sticker, "I Think Therefore I'm Dangerous"?
Anyone who has quieted their mind sufficiently and gotten "outside" of it and recognized the folly of that crazy monkey mind and recognized the extent to which he/she is ruled by it, would not be propagating the notion that mediation is dangerous.
It's so silly.
There are yogic practices (for example) that are potentially problematic in that they can imbalance the system if one doesn't have adequate understanding, awareness, guidance, etc. but that's a different story.
And if a person gives power / trust to a "false guru" there are all sorts of possible negative ramifications but that's a different story also.
And, the spiritual path may involve various challenges (sometimes intense and frightening) as the "false center" ... false constructs, conditioned persona, etc., etc., begin to lose power and grip on the system.
There can be something of a breakdown which ideally leads to a breakthrough.
Transformation necessarily involves some kind of upset / upheaval as the old system(s) that one identifies with (within and without) and that have provided some kind of coherent context (albeit a "false" one) begin to come apart.
If meditation is a part of ones spiritual path and one doesn't have discernment, one could mistake the discomfort of upheaval and change for danger.
So, actually, yes, meditation is potentially dangerous to the constructed / socially conditioned persona and if one is overly identified with that "false self" and one doesn't have any sense of Being (call it Beingness, call it Essence, call it Spirit, call it God, call it Source, call it your Angel, call it your "higher self", call it your Christed self, call it your Buddha nature, call it whatever) that is not that, one could feel quite threatened and perceive oneself to be in danger.
But dangerous as has been presented .... no.
If it's rare, why bother.
How about preaching about the hazards of drinking water, fwiw. (as noted above).
If it's such a rarity, why approach it with such intensity? The sky is not falling.
What's your plan: billboards, sky writing, posting on an internet forum?
My first 10-day retreat was possibly the most important holiday in my life.
You'll not get me supporting this fear mongering.
You have no control over what other people choose to do/not do.
Any way you can provide some statistics? Anecdotes do not equal data.
It is only psychosis that is rare. There are other serious psychological problems with meditation that has caused even India to add doctors and psychologists to their staff at embassies to deal with those that come to India to learn meditation and who have been sent to them as a result of what has happened to them.
The websites that I offered does provide statistics.
There is even a book on it: A1Books India - HIDDEN DANGERS OF MEDITATION AND YOGA: ISBN: 8179925668 (http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?itemCode=8179925668 - broken link)
The dangers are even written down in Hindu texts, such as Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras.
76% of long-term meditators experience psychological disorders -- including 26% nervous breakdowns
63% experience serious physical complaints
70% recorded a worsening ability to concentrate
Researchers found a startling drop in honesty among long-term meditators
onwww.net/trancenet.org/research/
onwww.net/trancenet.org/r...html#4.6.4
Down The Crooked Path: Meditation-Related Psychosis by Lois Vanderkooi (http://jessaka-downthecrookedpath.blogspot.com/2009/07/meditation-related-psychosis-by-lois.html - broken link)
The Buddhist perspective:
Quote:
As to people who do not have prior psychiatric history, teachers were less sure about how to assess vulnerability. One, who is also a mental health professional, wrote a guide about psychiatric states for the meditation instructors in his organization. He believes that many Western students are fragile to some extent and that instructors vary in their understanding of psychology.
I am glad that your 10 day retreat went well and that it meant so much to you.
Last edited by Mattie Jo; 07-28-2009 at 07:48 PM..
It is only psychosis that is rare. There are other serious psychological problems with meditation that has caused even India to add doctors and psychologists to their staff at embassies to deal with those that come to India to learn meditation and who have been sent to them as a result of what has happened to them.
The websites that I offered does provide statistics.
There is even a book on it: A1Books India - HIDDEN DANGERS OF MEDITATION AND YOGA: ISBN: 8179925668 (http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?itemCode=8179925668 - broken link)
The dangers are even written down in Hindu texts, such as Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras.
76% of long-term meditators experience psychological disorders -- including 26% nervous breakdowns
63% experience serious physical complaints
70% recorded a worsening ability to concentrate
Researchers found a startling drop in honesty among long-term meditators
onwww.net/trancenet.org/research/
onwww.net/trancenet.org/r...html#4.6.4
I am glad that your 10 day retreat went well and that it meant so much to you.
I have grave concerns about the methodology used in these "clinical studies", and the possible agenda of the researchers themselves.
Are there, in fact, any peer review process involvesd with these studies?
The Otis study especially seems suspect. It wasn't conducted long term, and merely mentions "that 70 percent of subjects recorded mental disorders of one degree or another" without outlining any criteria. What constituted a "mental disorder" for example. Was their a control group? Was the subject pool taken from one demographic, or several? Were their psycotropics inolved, or users of such substances?
I would need to see the original clinical studies, and their results, before I would even consider taking this seriously
John M. Knapp, owner and proprieter of Knapp Family Counseling also appears VERY suspicious to me as well. It may be that Knapp is misrepresenting studies to further his own career, and wallet.
Considering that TM has been around for millenia, and that there are, in fact, hundreds of clinical trials and tests that show a benifit of Tm, with no adverse side effects, I do believe Mr. Knapp to be a charleton himself, using his limited time as a TM himself to gain enough knowledge to start his "cult recovery" business.
Found some experts of the Otis Study. A "real" clinical trial this was.
Otis was conducting a study to prove that TM had "negative side effects".
This "clinical trial" consisted of mailing a surve to every twentieth person on the "Students International Meditation Society". Otis sent 1,900 surveys out to a member list containing over 40,000. 47% of those 1,900 people responded.
Otis made some very broad claims based on a clearly biased survey.
This is NOT science, this 1971 study wacan ahrdly be called even psuedoscience.
Meditation can be good. I compare it to running a fine toothed comb through my hair. As my thoughts become more coherent, I become less judgemental toward myself. Meditation can be bad if we use it as a condemnation. I have enough to contend with. My inner critic will be heard, but not allowed to take charge. I need all the "friendlies" that I can get, sometimes.
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