Is mindfulness bad for you? Trendy meditation practice favoured by Harry Styles, Raheem Sterling and Oprah Winfrey could cause ‘unpleasant’ out-of-body experiences, study warns

• Mindfulness is the practice of meditation as part of an attempt to be fully present and aware.
• Research warns that this can lead to unpleasant feelings of disembodiment.

This is a health fad that has taken the health industry by storm.

But experts warn that mindfulness training can lead to unpleasant feelings of disembodiment.

The popular process involves using meditation to feel “fully present” and aware of each moment, and is touted as a way to reduce stress and address depression and anxiety.

Dance has grown into a billion-dollar industry, beloved by the likes of Harry Styles, Raheem Sterling and Oprah Winfrey, and 15% of British adults now study some form of dance.

Now, some research suggests that mindfulness training may help people experience altered states of consciousness.

While some of these experiences have been extremely positive, scientists warn that this is not always the case.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge conducted a trial to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness training as a way to cope with exam stress.

The team followed up with the participants a year later to see if they experienced any altered states of consciousness.

Subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire exploring 11 “dimensions,” including spiritual experiences, bliss states, out-of-body experiences and oneness.

When we experience oneness, boundaries disappear and we experience the sense that we are all part of a larger, interconnected whole.

However, out-of-body experiences are often accompanied by a feeling of floating and the disappearance of bodily boundaries, meaning that a person may feel disconnected from their body and mind.

In total, 670 people took part in the study, and analysis revealed that those who had received mindfulness training were twice as likely to experience feelings of belonging and disembodiment compared to the control group.

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Of those who reported experiencing altered states of consciousness, 43% reported a sense of unity, 47% reported a state of bliss, and 29% reported an out-of-body experience.

Dr Julieta Galante, the psychiatrist who led the trial, said it was important for teachers and students to recognise that uncomfortable feelings may arise and to talk openly about them.

“The most common and intense experiences tend to be those that don’t have any inherently unpleasant characteristics,” she said.

“Experiences such as bliss may feel very pleasurable. However, experiences such as a sense of out-of-bodyness or a change in sense of self may feel uncomfortable, surprising, or even disturbing, especially if unexpected.”

“It’s important to let people who are being encouraged to practice mindfulness know that they may encounter these experiences.

“That way, if you do experience it, you won’t be embarrassed. The experience itself may not be a problem, but you should consider talking to a mindfulness teacher or even a doctor if the experience is negative.”

The findings were published in the journal Plos One.