No, meditation it's not this magic remedy that it has been painted to be by the mindfulness industry.
Over the past few years there has been a wave of awareness about mindfulness and relaxation techniques for stress and anxiety reduction.
One of such techniques that is often recommended to people searching for inner peace and stress relief is meditation.
But, as an experienced professional in Yoga and Meditation, with over 20 years experience and thousands of hours of practice, I've come to learn that, while meditation can be a very beneficial practice, it can also have it's risks, especially when unguided.
What is meditation?
Meditation is the practice of training the mind to focus and redirect thoughts. It has been practiced for millennia, by a number of different traditions.
There are many different types of meditation techniques, including:
Mindfulness meditation: Focusing on the passing thoughts, the breath, or on the body sensations, without judgment.
Mantra meditation: Repeating a word or phrase for a period of time for a specific purpose.
Guided meditation: Directing your thoughts through a narrative according to the guidance of another person.
Visualisation meditation: Creating mental images to direct your attention for a specific purpose.
What meditation isn't
Just like physical exercise, meditation is an exercise for the mind that can increase its strength, flexibility, and the ability to focus.
And while can bring great benefits, such as increased clarity and ability to focus, it's important to emphasise that is not a cure for mental health issues, and should be approached with caution.
In fact, I would say that meditation can be even harmful for some people.
For some, it is normal to experience the following, during or after meditation:
Increased anxiety or stress: For those struggling with anxiety, focusing on internal sensations during meditation can sometimes intensify these feelings.
Emotional instability: Meditation can bring up suppressed emotions, which might be overwhelming for people who are not ready to face their internal world unfiltered.
Dissociation or depersonalisation: In some cases, excessive meditation practice can lead to feelings of detachment from oneself or the world.
After having practiced meditation daily for years, I started experiencing persistent feelings of depersonalisation. At that point, I realised it was time to put a stop to my practice, as it was leading me to feel disconnected from myself and the world around me.
Why people seek meditation
In my experience as an instructor, I've noticed many people will feel attracted to the practices that make them stay comfortable. For example, people who are very active and upbeat will generally seek the more physically challenging yoga practices, while people who have quiet or introspective tendencies will look for mellow paced classes and meditation practice.
People who are experiencing persistent feelings of stress and anxiety will generally seek meditation when they are looking for a remedy for these feelings, and will either feel frustrated that the practice is not delivering quick results -- and give up saying that they "can't meditate"--, or become addicted to the numbing effects that they can get with the practice, to the point of overdoing it and becoming dissociated from themselves and their feelings.
And this is why I don't recommend meditation for everyone, especially when they can be so easily found on YouTube or the numerous apps available. Whoever recommends meditation to everyone as a one-size-fits-all solution for mental health issues either doesn't have sufficient knowledge or experience with it to know of its potential drawbacks.
We humans have a tendency to look for things that make us stay comfortable, but comfort doesn't lead to growth, and neither does unguided discomfort. Pre-recorded meditations don't take into account your unique needs as an individual, and can even cause you harm.
People who struggle with depression, for example, should approach certain types of meditation with extreme caution, as these practices can increase the individual's freeze response, intensifying the experience of depression.
Bottomline: Meditation is not a remedy for mental health issues, and should be approached with caution
It's essential to approach meditation with caution and realistic expectations. Just because it's a mind practice, it doesn't mean it's safe to "just do it" on your own.
If you were looking to start lifting weights and never went to the gym, you wouldn't go to the squat rack on your first day and pick a 20kg olympic bar on your own, would you? It's the same with meditation.
If you want to start meditating, start small and be careful with your expectations. Ideally, look for a qualified instructor from a reputable tradition, that will be able to guide you to a practice that is suitable to your unique needs.
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