Meditation is the most misunderstood topic especially for new spiritual seekers. All of us know about its numerous benefits that affect us positively on all levels of our being.

But can meditation be harmful to us? In some cases, yes.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Therefore, it is advised to read all about meditation or hire a teacher/guide/guru before starting with it so that you can be fully equipped to handle the problems arising due to it.

Benefits Of Meditation:

Here are some benefits that I have experienced and those shared by other people. Although mind and body are not different, the benefits are categorized for the ease of reading as below:

On The Mind:

• Reduces stress

• Helps lift the mood

• Reduces anxiety

• Helps cope with everyday life

• Increases academic performance

• Increases awareness of self

• Enhances emotional health

• Enhances self-esteem and confidence

• Increases memory (sometimes recovers lost memories)

• Develops loving kindness and other positive virtues

• Improves relaxation and sleep

• Increases attention span

• Boosts productivity

• Channels creative ideas

• Sometimes a solution to a problem just appears – better decision making and problem-solving

On The Body:

• Heals the body Improves energy levels

• Helps decrease chronic pain – e.g. In arthritis, fibromyalgia and other chronic problems.

• Controls blood pressure

• Prevents heart disease and stroke

• Increases immunity

• Helps manage auto-immune disorders

• Decreases inflammatory disorders

• Heals at the cellular level

• Help get rid of addictions and dealing with withdrawal effects

• Helps ease menstrual cramps, Pre Menstrual Syndrome and Menopausal syndrome.

• Increases longevity

On The Spirit:

• Increases awareness of oneness with the universe

• Increases positive energy

• Heals and cleans the aura

• Helps manifestation of desires

• Balances chakras

• Develops psychic abilities

• Develops intuition

• Helps lightworkers

• Develops inner silence and stability

• Helps discover the purpose of life

• Uncovers past lives/ mental imagery having significance for healing the mind, body, and spirit

• Helps connect with spiritual guides and receive appropriate guidance

• Helps access Akashic records

Risks Associated With Meditation:

Of course, they are so many benefits of meditation that we often forget that it is a crucial procedure we are subjecting our brain to. There are actual chemical changes happening when we progress in meditation. Moreover, there are changes involved in both the physical and the ethereal dimensions.

Meditation can be dangerous for certain people, with certain techniques involved or with the wrong approach, just like medicine. Though the rate of incidence is extremely low, it is still there.

Therefore, before starting with meditation it is crucial that we have a look at all the risks and be aware of some negative changes that can occur:

• Sometimes a certain type of meditation doesn’t suit us. We either don’t get results or see negative ones. For example, some people cannot follow with group meditation, they need individual focus and time. On the other hand, some people find group meditations to be more effective than individual ones because of motivation, company and collective energies.

  • Suggestion: Find out the problem you’re facing and choose the type you prefer. Try many different styles and change your routine if you get bored.

• Meditation brings your emotional baggage to the surface and disperses it by making you feel it completely. You might find yourself shedding tears, getting angry or facing other repressed emotions. One must be aware of these effects and be able to express and disperse them in a constructive manner.

  • Suggestion: Know that this is the purpose of meditation - to bring out the energies that require healing, and seek help to handle it properly. This can require additional psychological guidance or therapy.

• You might become even more aware of all the rights and wrongs happening around you. As a result, you are bound to feel certain emotions. The resolution of emotions and an increase in awareness with meditation follows certain stages. This is the first stage. Some people might act wrongly upon these temporary emotions.

  • Suggestion: Take care to cross this stage constructively and reach the next stage of mental peace, of accepting that right and wrong are a part of life on earth.

• By meditating, we may realize that we have been on the receiving end of many things, and the world is wrong, we have a sense of moral superiority. This can lead to a kind of superiority complex related to thinking that we’re always morally right since the world has always wronged us. As a result, one becomes rigid. This creates problems in social settings. One may find their relationships, which were previously harmonious, not getting along with them.

  • Suggestion: Take a deep breath, return to your original being of love and light. Learn to accept the faults in others and yourself. Acceptance is an important thing on our spiritual journey.

• Disappointment in not experiencing what you hoped for.

  • Suggestion: Let go of unhealthy attachment to specific goals, milestones, and outcomes. Enjoy the journey.

• Experiencing non-attachment: Just now I “preached” non-attachment and now I’m listing the same as a problem? In the 3D world and social settings, non-attachment is definitely a problem.

  • Suggestion: You can be non-attached internally but be loving and caring at the same time. If you’re in touch with your family, you have to fulfill certain roles in order to live in harmony. Non-attachment doesn’t mean abandoning your family. It simply changes the quality of your relationships in life. It allows you to make conscious and peaceful choices, because you relate to people, events and yourself, in a non-attached manner.

• Addiction to spiritual adventures: At some point in time, you are bound to have spiritual experiences. For some people, this comes early while for others, it can take years. Spiritual experiences are crucial for one’s spiritual development. However, please take care to not become addicted to them and not stray from the actual purpose of meditation.

  • Suggestion: Spiritual adventures come hand in hand with development. Stay focused on why you began meditating and if your goals have changed/dissolved.

• Back pain after/during meditation:

  • Suggestion: Please check with your doctor before continuing. Please make sure you maintain good posture. Back and core strengthening exercises help with this.

• Headache during/after meditation: You may be trying too hard to concentrate. Or you might be just tired or dehydrated. A certain type of meditation might not be good for you at this moment.

  • Suggestion: Be gentle to yourself. You don’t have to concentrate on anything. There is a difference between meditating and concentrating. Meditation is relaxation, it should not be tiring. Stay hydrated and get enough rest. If this happens regularly, it is advised to get a thorough medical check-up. Change the type of meditation for today.

• Wrong meditation course: You might have joined too advanced a course that your mind and body may not be ready for.

  • Suggestion: Please choose your retreat wisely and be informed. Advance your technique gradually and carefully. Do not perform complex techniques without guidance.

• Psychosis: Although this is rare, some people with emotional problems might face some kind of psychosis.

  • Suggestion: Take a pause for the time being and please go for appropriate therapy first.

To be honest, most of these are not actually “the harms of meditation” but just stages which need to be crossed and handled properly in order to proceed productively. Some issues might be subjective and need to be dealt in other ways first.

The risks can be minimized if you practice meditation with proper guidance and knowledge. Here’s wishing you good luck on your path of meditation. Let’s be informed and reap the most benefits!