Mindful Apocalypse: Contemplative Anthropology Investigating Experiences of World-Loss in Deep Meditation
Religions July 21, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/rel14070941 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnographic inquiry Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Contemplation Aesthetics Psychotherapist Epistemology Theology |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Personal crisis in meditation should be understood as a meaningful phenomenon, with contemporary mindfulness practices experiencing a 'crisis of presence' while traditional Buddhist meditation aims for the dissolution of subject-object distinction in samādhi. |
Abstract
This article investigates the challenge of personal crisis during deep meditation, as observed in an ethnographic inquiry into mindfulness and traditional contemplative practices. The study distinguishes between the “crisis of presence” in contemporary mindfulness practices, and the dissolution of the subject-object distinction in traditional Buddhist meditation. By analyzing Ernesto De Martino’s concepts of crisis and presence, the article highlights the significance of understanding this phenomenon in meditation rather than perceiving it negatively. The research explores the contemporary evolution of mindfulness and its detachment from original Buddhist contemplative practices, leading to an approach criticized for reinforcing neoliberal and capitalist modes of cognition. In contrast, traditional Buddhist meditation aims for the state of samādhi, where boundaries between self and the world dissolve, signifying a serene “end of the world”. The study underscores the need for mindfulness researchers to explore this aspect of meditation to derive immense benefits from comprehensive contemplative practice.