The Dangers of Mindfulness: Another Myth?
Mindfulness December 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-021-01682-w (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that criticism of mindfulness must be reasonable and fact-based, and that claims of intrinsic danger are influenced by Daniel Ingram's unreasonable assertions, which some scholars accept due to lack of knowledge of Buddhist doctrine and insight meditation. |
Abstract
AbstractCriticism of potential drawbacks of mindfulness is crucial for the field to move forward and remain grounded in reality rather than become carried away by the mindfulness hype. At the same time, however, such criticism needs to be reasonable and based on actual facts rather than subjective imagination. The allegation that mindfulness is intrinsically dangerous appears to have been influenced by unreasonable claims made by Daniel Ingram, which have been taken seriously due to an apparent lack of acquaintance of some scholars with Buddhist doctrine and with genuine forms of insight meditation.
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 3
- A Framework for the Empirical Investigation of Mindfulness Meditative Development Mindfulness April 13, 2023
- An 18-month meditation training selectively improves psychological well-being in older adults: A secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. PLoS One 2023
- Brain criticality and advanced meditation “cessation” events: An intensively sampled electroencephalography case study IBRO Neuroscience Reports August 1, 2026
Cites 8
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
- Mindfulness in cultural context Transcultural Psychiatry August 1, 2015
- Sitting with the Demons – Mindfulness, Suffering, and Existential Transformation Asian Studies August 10, 2016
- Progress or Pathology? Differential Diagnosis and Intervention Criteria for Meditation-Related Challenges: Perspectives From Buddhist Meditation Teachers and Practitioners Frontiers in Psychology July 29, 2020
and 3 more in the library