Challenging and Adverse Meditation Experiences

Abstract

<p>Challenging meditation experiences have been documented in Buddhist literature, in psychological research, and in a recent qualitative study by the authors. Some of the central questions in the investigation of this topic are: How are meditation-related challenges to be interpreted or appraised? Through which processes are experiences determined to be expected or “normative” aspects of contemplative development versus undesirable “adverse effects” or psychopathology? And is it possible to differentiate or disambiguate the two? A review of available research suggests that distinguishing between experiences that are religious or mystical and those that indicate psychopathology depends on detailed knowledge of the specific contexts in which these experiences occur. Furthermore, research that specifically examines meditation-related challenges shows that interpretations, causal explanations, and recommended responses are often negotiated between practitioners and other people in their practice settings and larger social communities. This chapter considers some of the social dynamics of these appraisal processes and explores some of the consequences of adopting different appraisals. However, because there can be a lack of consensus around how experiences should be interpreted or appraised, a more useful question may be: What type of support does this particular experience require? Systematic attention to social context can both inform research on meditation-related challenges and provide guidance on the issues surrounding their appraisal and management in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.</p>

Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation‐based therapies: a systematic review

“…And what is the role of cultural-religious context and individual appraisal in framing meditation experiences either as harmful or constructive events? Lindahl et al (116) have suggested that a person-centred approach is the most adequate way of understanding the variety of unusual experiences stimulated by meditation practices. This type of approach relies less on formal diagnosis and more on the practitioner's agency and autonomy in deciding when meditation distressing experiences require additional support through social, psychological or medical interventions.…”

Unpleasant meditation-related experiences in regular meditators: Prevalence, predictors, and conceptual considerations

“…Importantly, future longitudinal research could offer important insights on whether (and when) unpleasant meditation-related experiences result in positive transformations, in long-term adverse outcomes or in no effects at all. Relatedly, recent discussions have begun to consider how the social dynamics operating within a given practice context might influence the appraisal of “challenging and adverse meditation experiences” and their consequences [77].…”

Progress or Pathology? Differential Diagnosis and Intervention Criteria for Meditation-Related Challenges: Perspectives From Buddhist Meditation Teachers and Practitioners

“…Many types of difficult experiences are recognized in Buddhist textual and oral teachings ( Lindahl et al, 2019 ). Practitioners and teachers alike made reference to tradition-specific notions of difficult stages of progress or meditation-related side effects, such as the progress of insight ( Sayadaw, 1965 ; Buddhaghosa, 1991 ), makyō ( Sogen, 2001 ), and nyams ( Gyatso, 1999 ; Lingpa, 2015 ).…”

“…Making sense of the individual’s experience also requires systematic attention to the social and political contexts in which it occurs. A truly person-centered differential diagnosis would take seriously the criteria that the meditator would use or want used, even if this conflicts with the personal views of the meditation teacher or the religious tradition ( Lindahl et al, 2019 ). However, challenges to the person-centered approach arise when considering more extreme cases, such as may occur with psychotic delusions or mania, in which practitioners may not be able to evaluate the degree to which an experience is in their best interest or aligned with their values.…”

“…Investigating Buddhist meditation on this topic is revealing, as there are many challenging experiences that are often considered “part of the path” or normative stages of contemplative development by practitioners and teachers in these communities. However, contrary to the dominant narrative extolling the positive impacts of meditation, there are also challenging experiences that are in some cases considered unwanted adverse effects ( Lindahl et al, 2019 ). The purpose of this paper is to identify the specific criteria that contemporary Buddhist meditation teachers and practitioners in the West use in order to differentiate expected, intended, or religiously significant experiences from potentially concerning forms of psychopathology.…”