According to NPR, in the recently launched investigative podcast series “Untold: The Retreat,” Madison Mariage reports on a popular meditation technique called Vipassana, and more specifically on meditation retreats hosted by the Goenka Network.
While many participants say Goenka’s retreats have positively changed their lives, “The Retreat” is one of the best ways to improve your mental health after a 10-day retreat, or in some cases after attending multiple 10-day retreats. The focus is on the experiences of people who have experienced a decline in Go to NPR.
Marriage told NPR: “(The problem is) the overreach of this particular habit. … And I think that’s what drives people to very extreme outcomes.”
What are the benefits of meditation?
Meditation has multiple health benefits, depending on how you incorporate it into your life.
Here are some typical benefits for the average person.
1. Stress relief
Stress is a natural and normal response to reduce procrastination and keep you away from danger, but stress can also occur when you don’t need it. According to Verywell Mind, prolonged periods of unnecessary stress can be damaging to you and your body.
Meditation puts your body into a calm state, promoting relaxation and repair. According to Very Well Mind, participating in a mindfulness meditation program can also help you learn how to refocus your thoughts during times of stress.
According to a study published by ScienceDirect, mindfulness meditation programs are effective in reducing stress.
A review published by ScienceDirect found that people who participated in a mindfulness meditation program responded with positive, uplifting thoughts during times of stress, rather than the other way around.
2. Healthy body
The Mayo Clinic has found that meditation can help manage medical conditions, especially those whose problems are exacerbated by stress. Research shows that meditation can reduce the following symptoms:
- anxiety.
- asthma.
- cancer.
- Chronic pain.
- depression.
- Heart disease.
- High blood pressure.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- sleep problems.
- Tension-type headache.
These conditions include both physical and mental problems.
A review published by the New York Academy of Sciences found that meditation can strengthen your immune system and help you recover faster from colds.
When is meditation dangerous?
According to Mariage’s discussions with NPR, practicing meditation for hours on end is dangerous and can lead to mental or physical distress, even if the meditator has no history of such problems. There is.
A review published by the Wiley Online Library found that approximately 8% of people who meditate experience an increase in anxiety, depression, stress, and even psychosis, including pain and hallucinations.
Miguel Faris, co-author of the review, spoke about it on BBC Science Focus. He said meditation practices can be harmful if not done properly and the mind becomes “unstable, restless, or confused.”
According to BBC Science Focus, Faris suggested that intensive meditation practices, particularly those that require long meditations or that require individuals to reflect on negative events, can cause these negative effects.
So if you want to meditate, how do you know if it’s safe?
According to Headspace, an app that specializes in providing mindfulness tools such as meditation, “If[meditation]feels like it’s taking too much time, it probably is. Just like anything else in life,… It’s best to approach meditation, start small…for some this sweet spot is 10 minutes, for others it’s 60 minutes.”
Overall, each person has a different form and length of meditation that works best for them. If you want to try meditation, look for reliable sources like videos or teachers, and stop if it doesn’t feel right.
