Isolation, mental health and meditation in times of Covid-19
To stop the new coronavirus from spreading, many countries have gone from social distancing to full-on lockdowns. The focus of the whole...
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THE DARK SIDE OF MEDITATION
Discussing the challenges that meditation can bring,
and the paths that lead beyond them
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The project “The Dark Side of Meditation” aims to understand the risks and side effects of contemplative techniques from a variety of traditions and also looks at if and how they can be overcome.
Meditation is a powerful tool to change the way we think, feel and act. It has the potential to bring peace to those who are stressed, to centre meditators in the here and now, to help practitioners to become kinder to themselves and others and even to help prevent recurring depression and anxiety. The research and discussions about the dark sides of meditation do not aim to diminish any of these positive possibilities. However, there has not yet been enough discussion and research about the difficult and challenging aspects of meditation that people might encounter during and after their practice. Instead of having to feel alone and without help in such a situation, our study collects case studies, research and advice from teachers that can help to make sense of and work through these difficult times.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The project “The Dark Side of Meditation” aims to understand the risks and side effects of contemplative techniques from a variety of traditions and also looks at if and how they can be overcome.
Meditation is a powerful tool to change the way we think, feel and act. It has the potential to bring peace to those who are stressed, to centre meditators in the here and now, to help practitioners to become kinder to themselves and others and even to help prevent recurring depression and anxiety. By looking at the dark sides of meditation we do not aim to diminish any of these positive possibilities. However, there has not yet been enough discussion and research about the difficult and challenging aspects of meditation that people might encounter during and after their practice. Instead of having to feel alone and without help in such a situation, our study collects case studies, researches traditional and contemporary and seeks advice from teachers that can help to make sense of and work through these difficult times.
RESEARCH BLOG
DR CHRISTINE KUPFER
Independent Researcher
Christine Kupfer is the researcher who is carrying out this project on the Dark Side of Meditation. Christine's background is in medical anthropology and education. Her previous research and publications are about Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy and education, about Ayurveda in Germany and about child psychiatry in India.
GET IN TOUCH
Have you had an experience you'd like to share?
Are you working on related research?
Are you interested in talks and workshops about the topic?
We’d love to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to reach out today.
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