New Scientist Article on Mindfulness & your experience with it

[Musty]

New Scientist (British Popular Science magazine for those not familiar with it) have recently published an article in their magazine that aims to highlight the negative consequences of meditation. Unfortunately there is a pay wall so I've not been able to read the article and I'm not inclined to purchase a copy of New Scientist given the decline in editorial quality over the years (I read Scientific America now, much better!).

After a bit of digging it appears the article written by Miguel Farias and Catherine Wikholm is promoting their new book The Buddha Pill: Can meditation change you? It seems to have sparked something of a backlash against mindfulness meditation and I was wondering what your thoughts were in regards to the possible negative side effects of a engaging with a Mindfulness or Buddhist practice.

In my own reading the general message I've come across is that if you're suffering from any kind of mental health issue or a traumatic event in your life that you should seek support from a medical professional and not rely solely on self help. Additionally most also suggest that even if you're otherwise mentally sound that your practice be supported by a experienced teacher/practitioner who can guide you.

From my own experience when I first took an interest in Buddhist meditation during a particularly stressful period of time at work I experienced increased feelings of anxiety and emotional sensitivity. As such I stopped meditating. My elevated anxiety and emotional sensitivity abated and I forgot about meditation for a while.

More recently I had a renewed interest in it but this time I decided to do some studying first and expected there to be a period of increased anxiety and sensitivity but also knew to be mindfully aware of it rather than letting it cause me additional stress. I seem to have moved through that stage now and am much more settled. I think the lesson I've learned about Mindfulness is that it's important to do your research first so you have some idea what to expect. I think my next step is to find a group to sit with.

It seems to be that you need to prepare yourself before engaging in the practice but that there isn't any particularly wrong with the practice, only wrong with the approach that some people (Myself included) when they assume you can just jump into the deep end without proper preparation. No doubt some people have do so with no ill effects

What are your thoughts?

 

[Laika]

I think mindfulness and meditation are worthwhile pursuits, but I would guess there has been a flourishing of the shallow "self-help" imitations of mindfulness that tries to take the effort out of it. If this book criticised the latter I can perfectly understand that as it's more about selling spirituality rather than practicing it.

[opps, I didn't see this was in the Buddhist DIR].

 

[Rick O'Shez]

It seems to be that you need to prepare yourself before engaging in the practice but that there isn't any particularly wrong with the practice, only wrong with the approach that some people (Myself included) when they assume you can just jump into the deep end without proper preparation. No doubt some people have do so with no ill effects
What are your thoughts?

I think there are strong arguments for having the support of a sangha when doing these practices, and contact with more experienced practitioners. Mindfulness can be challenging at times, making us more aware of underlying difficulties. Working with unskillful mental states isn't always straightforward, and there are different approaches. It's also important to observe that mindfulness isn't intended as a stand-alone practice, it works with other path factors.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I think mindfulness and meditation are worthwhile pursuits, but I would guess there has been a flourishing of the shallow "self-help" imitations of mindfulness that tries to take the effort out of it. If this book criticised the latter I can perfectly understand that as it's more about selling spirituality rather than practicing it.

[opps, I didn't see this was in the Buddhist DIR].

He he... I won't tell.

Bty....

That was absolutely an excellent reply, and couldn't agree more with what you said.

 

[Windwalker]

There can be risks for those who suffer with psychological disorders or severe depression, getting wrong messages or interpreting things badly. They should check with a mental health professional before attempting meditation. As far as having a spotter, that's not a bad idea. A lot of stuff comes up in meditation and to have someone to help spot and or run things by them helps.

As far as anxiety arising when you tried mindfulness, are you sure that's not just a response to seeing how much chatter is going on in the mind once you actually try to suspend or quite it? That initial realization can freak people out a little. Plus, the first time you try to get the mind to be quite, it tends to freak out and start racing. After all, you are asking it to do something opposite of what you ask it to do all the time! I overcame that first hurdle by talking to my mind as more or less telling it I'm not asking it to stop thinking, but just temporarily set all that aside and we can get back to that later. In other words, I asked for its cooperation, as opposed to trying grab it around the throat and control it. Doing that would make it twist and wrap around like holding a snake around its neck. You are after all learning how to work with your mind, not crush it underfoot.

 

[Twilight Hue]

To the op in regards to the negative experiences involving meditation is if you attempt to excise the negativity, your not engauged in Buddhist meditation.

Negativity belongs with the practice of meditation as much as any other nuance by which you experience each session as well as life itself.

Sometimes things get convoluted and goes in directions by which a teachers guidance is good advice if your not prepared or informed on aspects of meditation that can be overwhelming and confusing on how it's received.

One thing for certain is if it comes with headphones and an ez passport with pretty letters on the cover promising to deliver nirvana in a can, you would be best off by getting an actual can of nirvana and drinking it.

 

[Musty]

Thank you for your responses, and apologies for the delay in responding.

I'm actually taking a step back and am doing some reading into Buddhist (Four Noble Truth's etc...) before getting back into meditation seriously. Additionally I'm shifting away from MBSR given that is feels like it lacking the depth of the Buddhist teachings, depth that gives some real context to the practice and helps with understanding what I'm experiencing and how to deal with it. I'm sure MBSR works for some people but I find myself prefering the guided Buddhist meditations to the MBSR ones.

Fortunately I don't really freak out or anything dramatic like that, just become a bit more emotionally sensitive (Though not cripplingly so). This isn't necessarily a bad thing and encourages me to consider other peoples feelings more which I may not have done as much as I have should have do in the past.

All in all I'm seeing this as a good experience. Just need to find the time to fit in a sitting group with my exercise regime!