Monitoring emotion through body sensation: a review of awareness in Goenka's Vipassana.
Xianglong Zeng, Tian P S Oei, Xiangping Liu
Journal of Religion and Health December 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-013-9754-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Vipassana meditation enhances sensitivity to bodily sensations, but further study is required to assess its effect on awareness of psychological processes. |
Abstract
Awareness is one of the two most important abilities cultivated in Goenka's Vipassana meditation, which refers to sensitivity to subtle bodily sensations and the associated psychological processes. This sensitivity and its derived function of monitoring emotion are not of notable concern in modern mindfulness-based psychotherapies. Evidence supports that Vipassana meditation truly enhances sensitivity to bodily sensations, but further study is required to assess the awareness of psychological processes. The value of monitoring mental processing has been widely accepted in psychology, as has enhanced sensitivity along with the potential dangers to mental health. Implications for practice and future studies are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Intrinsic neural timescales exhibit different lengths in distinct meditation techniques. Neuroimage August 15, 2024
- Different Patterns of Sleep-Dependent Procedural Memory Consolidation in Vipassana Meditation Practitioners and Non-meditating Controls. Frontiers in Psychology January 23, 2020
- Impact of Buddhist Meditation and Mindfulness on Cognitive Ability of Students SMC Journal Shadananda Multiple Campus May 13, 2025
- The mind’s abyss: Exploring the adverse effects of distinct forms of meditation Academia Mental Health and Well-Being April 14, 2025
- A Focused Approach to Mindful Attention Awareness and Emotion Regulation: Vipassana Meditation Mind and Society February 9, 2023
and 7 more in the library
Cites 24
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- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
and 19 more in the library