The Dark Underbelly of the Meditation Industry.
Post meditative trauma is a reality that should be discussed
It’s been a minute.
As the pandemic's restrictive veil lifts, face-to-face discussions have once again become possible, allowing me to bridge distances created by the pandemic. Amid this renewed wave of dialogue from these visitations, a recurring concern has surfaced—the potentially harmful aftermath of practices like Vipassana and other forms of meditation.
This growing discussion has shifted from hushed corners to centre stage today. It reveals a disconcerting disconnect between the serene promise peddled by meditation advocates and the troubling realities encountered by many practitioners. The contrast is stark, exposing a need for careful scrutiny.
Many of those I've spoken to in the aftermath of their immersion in Vipassana and other meditative techniques recount an unexpected reaction of sorts, a manifestation of trauma that appears paradoxical to the peace and harmony these practices are purported to foster.
This is not new to me and in fact, this phenomenon is far more common than is admitted by the belly-gazing industry.
I've named this predicament 'sorrowful bliss'. It's a quiet epidemic affecting countless devotees, seldom brought into the light. Regrettably, there are quite a few extreme cases where individuals have dedicated decades to Ashrams, only to be rescued by concerned family members when they can no longer afford the stay. The challenge then is to find someone who can help reintroduce normality to these profoundly affected individuals. In most of these cases, only structured institutional support can offer the necessary assistance.
Why, then, does this happen? What is going on? Or, pointedly not going on?