An Exploratory Study on the Healing Potential of Vedanā for Alleviating Anxiety in Modern Society: Focusing on Goenka Vipassanā, the Mahāsī Tradition, and Body Scan Meditation
Journal of Eastern-Asia Buddhism and Culture October 31, 2025 M. Park, Dae-yong Park
Anxiety arises from bodily sensations that precede emotional experience; observing those sensations at the stage of vedanā (feeling) can prevent anxiety from escalating and support emotional regulation. This paper explores the healing potential of vedanā, defined as the physical response and perception arising from sensory contact (the combination of sense organ, object, and consciousness). It reviews traditional and modern interpretations of vedanā, surveys the prevalence of anxiety disorders in South Korea, and examines the neuroscience of anxiety to argue that body-focused practices—such as feeling-observation meditation in the Goenka tradition, Mahasi-style vipassanā, and body scans—can effectively alleviate anxiety and promote psychosomatic healing.