The Dark Side of Dharma: Why Have Adverse Effects of Meditation Been Ignored in Contemporary Western Secular Contexts?
Journal for the Academic Study of Religion February 5, 2019 DOI: 10.1558/jasr.37053 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that Western secular meditation overlooks adverse effects because its goal has shifted from enlightenment to symptom relief and personal transformation, fostering the assumption that meditation is harmless and good for everyone. Notes that while thousands of studies suggest benefits, a small but growing literature indicates possible adverse effects acknowledged in Eastern traditions but largely ignored in secular contexts. |
Abstract
In contemporary Western society, meditation techniques that were previously taught within the context of Eastern religious traditions are now increasingly being practiced in secular settings. While the boundary between the secular and the religious is blurred, popular meditation techniques such as Transcendental Meditation, vipassana, and mindfulness are generally promoted as being derived from Eastern religions, but inherently non-religious, aligned with Western psychology, and suitable for a general audience. Over approximately forty years, thousands of research studies suggest that there are many psychological and physiological benefits associated with these forms of meditation; however, a small but growing literature indicates there could also be adverse effects. In Eastern religious traditions, difficulties associated with meditation are acknowledged, and are usually understood to be milestones on the path to enlightenment, the result of improper practice, or due to individual differences. However, in a Western secular context, negative effects associated with meditation have largely been overlooked. This article argues that this is in part due to the fact that in contemporary Western society the goal of meditation has shifted from enlightenment to symptom relief and personal transformation, leading to the assumption that meditation is harmless and 'good for everyone'.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Leveraging meditation research for the study of psychedelic-related adverse effects. International Review of Psychiatry December 1, 2024
- Beyond serenity: Adverse effects of meditation and mindfulness in clinical practice. Current Opinion in Psychology February 1, 2026
- Role of Mindfulness in the Effects of Organizational Culture on Depression in Korean Physical Therapists. Safety and health at work December 1, 2024
- Experience of compassion-based practice in mindfulness for health for individuals with persistent pain. British Journal of Pain February 23, 2024
- Mindful control vs. mindful acceptance : an experimental evaluation of the acute impact of intentions guiding mindfulness practice on psychological and emotional experiences 2023
and 2 more in the library