RETRACTED ARTICLE: A Review on Meditation: History, Transcendental Dimensions and Application in Psychology and Psychotherapy
E. Christopoulou, V. Pavlopoulos
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy February 6, 2025 Retracted DOI: 10.1007/s10879-025-09663-z (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 2 |
| Post-publication review | 1 comment on PubPeer (opens in new tab) · last active November 2025 |
| Key points | Argues that meditation has prehistoric roots and historical continuity across Indian philosophy and various global systems, and that its secular use in psychology and psychotherapy opens a holistic perspective. |
Abstract
Meditation is a widely used and long-researched psychological tool worldwide. Despite numerous descriptions, the necessary and sufficient criteria for defining and understanding it have not been adequately established. Instead, we are witnessing an alternative use of meditation and mindfulness, along with ambiguity regarding its history and origins. While meditation is often linked to Buddhist origin, it actually has prehistoric roots and historical continuity. It originates in Indian philosophy, traverses various philosophical and religious systems worldwide, and has acquired a completely secular dimension, particularly in psychology and psychotherapy. This intersection of scientificity and transcedence opens a holistic perspective. The main purpose of this article is to critically reflect on the study and application of meditation in psychology and psychotherapy.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Transcendental communication and cultural sustainability: rethinking spiritual responsibility at the Bali Spirit Festival Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change August 31, 2026
- Defining Bhāvanā through the PAL framework: grounded theory insights from long-term IAM®-35 practitioners Humanities and Social Sciences Communications September 25, 2025
Cites 13
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology December 11, 2018
- Effects of Mindfulness Training on Body Awareness to Sexual Stimuli Psychosomatic Medicine November 1, 2011
- What Is Meditation? Proposing an Empirically Derived Classification System Frontiers in Psychology October 15, 2019
and 8 more in the library