--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > "Not all effects of the practice of meditation are beneficial. Shapiro > (1992) found that 62.9% of the subjects reported adverse effects > during and after transcendental meditation and 7.4% experienced > profoundly adverse effects. The length of practice (from 16 to 105 > months) did not make any difference to the quality and frequency of > adverse effects. These adverse effects were relaxation-induced anxiety > and panic; paradoxical increases in tension; less motivation in life; > boredom; pain; impaired reality testing; confusion and disorientation; > feeling 'spaced out'; depression; increased negativity; being more > judgmental; and, ironically, feeling addicted to meditation. (Perez- > De-Abeniz, Alberto and Holmes, Jeremy. Meditation: Concepts, Effects > and Uses in Therapy. International Journal of Psychotherapy, March > 2000, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p49, 10p. ) > > "Other adverse effects described (Craven, 1989) are uncomfortable > kinesthetic sensations, mild dissociation, feelings of guilt and, via > anxiety-provoking phenomena, psychosis-like symptoms, grandiosity, > elation, destructive behaviour and suicidal feelings. Kutz et al. > (1985a,b) described feelings of defenselessness, which in turn produce > unpleasant affective experiences, such as fear, anger, apprehension > and despair." >
Pity, isn't it, that the few respected, peer reviewed studies of TM showed negative effects. But why do a real, cogent study on TM when you can just throw together a few subjects and publish a gleeful study in some hack journal? Even such prestigious newspapers like the International Herald Tribune (The Associated Press Monday, February 11, 2008) will print the propaganda that "He gained medical respectability for meditation, with scores of studies showing that meditation reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and improves concentration." TM does work. But few have bothered to create a valid study that proves it.
