The long term process of meditation: a case study
Gary Nixon
cIRcle (University of British Columbia) 2010 DOI: 10.14288/1.0053756 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One Western long-term meditator (co-researcher) with twelve years of meditation experience |
| Duration | Twelve years of meditation experience |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The co-researcher's account highlighted problems in long-term meditation, including obsessive striving for enlightenment, spiritual materialism, isolation and withdrawal in relationships, psychological blind spots, and intense kundalini awakening. The study suggests these issues may affect different meditation paths. |
Abstract
A single case study research format was used to understand what happens when Western people are involved in meditation over a long period of time. This research examines what problems are faced in integrating meditation into a modern Western style of living. In this single case study of the long term process of meditation, the co-researcher was interviewed for his account of his twelve year experience of meditation. Additional data was obtained from friends and family members as well as from the co-researcher's lifeline. The co-researcher's account of his involvement in meditation highlighted several problems. The problem of obsessively trying to become enlightened and spiritual materialism was illustrated by the co-researcher's experience. Other problems illuminated were the problems of isolation and withdrawal in relationship, developing psychological blind spots in spiritual practice and dealing with intense kundalini awakening phenomenon. The vulnerability of different paths of meditation to these problems was considered.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |