"Is mindfulness making us ill?"

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I don't believe that there is anything in the world that is good for every single person. Some people will have an adverse reaction to meditation. This person does seem to be in the minority though.

It is interesting to see such a negative reaction to meditation and mindfulness. What about just sitting and doing nothing causes such a panic? There's something there that might warrant further examination by people much smarter than myself.

It would be one thing to simply feel as though they gained nothing from it, but it's odd to me that it caused that much of a reaction.

"One size fits all" I've always disliked that term lol. Usually anything attached to it goes awry. Different things for different people. I'm glad to hear though that I'm not the only person who doesn't do mindful meditation well haha. I wish we would teach more techniques in the IP.

Goken wrote: I don't believe that there is anything in the world that is good for every single person. Some people will have an adverse reaction to meditation. This person does seem to be in the minority though.

It is interesting to see such a negative reaction to meditation and mindfulness. What about just sitting and doing nothing causes such a panic? There's something there that might warrant further examination by people much smarter than myself.

I have this kind of issue too. I've never hit a panic attack, I've usually just stopped but for me, it's a combination of information overload and overthinking the breathing. ADHD and general anxiety to begin with don't help I use any kind of visualization meditation over this kind of mindfulness ones instead. They play to my strengths and weaknesses better.

Kamizu wrote: "One size fits all" I've always disliked that term lol. Usually anything attached to it goes awry. Different things for different people. I'm glad to hear though that I'm not the only person who doesn't do mindful meditation well haha. I wish we would teach more techniques in the IP.

I've seen several discussions on meditation in the forum and in chat since I've been here. Different types of meditation always come up. I think adding other techniques to explore is not a bad idea.

Goken wrote: I don't believe that there is anything in the world that is good for every single person. Some people will have an adverse reaction to meditation. This person does seem to be in the minority though.

It is interesting to see such a negative reaction to meditation and mindfulness. What about just sitting and doing nothing causes such a panic? There's something there that might warrant further examination by people much smarter than myself.

It would be one thing to simply feel as though they gained nothing from it, but it's odd to me that it caused that much of a reaction.

The article talks later on about some reasons why people may be having negative reactions, ranging from anything such as unknown bipolar tendencies to possibly triggering PTSD episodes.

What I didn't see a full acknowledgment of, though I think it touched it briefly, was the level of high stress Western society in particular happens to have, and when you tell someone to sit down and be "mindful" about their feelings, you're bringing to the surface those extreme stressors. Again, in someone who may have an undiagonosed issue such as anxiety disorders or ADHD or what have you, bringing those stressors up to the surface like that when they're traditional suppressed (because let's be honest, that's what our society teaches us to do) then it makes sense to me that some people would have such negative reactions.

Gwinn wrote:

Kamizu wrote: "One size fits all" I've always disliked that term lol. Usually anything attached to it goes awry. Different things for different people. I'm glad to hear though that I'm not the only person who doesn't do mindful meditation well haha. I wish we would teach more techniques in the IP.

I've seen several discussions on meditation in the forum and in chat since I've been here. Different types of meditation always come up. I think adding other techniques to explore is not a bad idea.

It might be helpful. I will admit that when I heard the word 'meditation', the mindfulness meditation was the only one to come to mind. I'm sure I'm not the only one with that assumption. But there's SO MANY more out there, and even techniques without the 'meditation' word attached to them can fill in too. My primary go-to is shamanic journeys. I've seen a few articles that note that the adult coloring books give people similar results to meditation. "To each hunter, his prey". There's something out there for everyone. Juts gotta find what works

An odd sort of Mindfulness Meditation.... Not how I learned how to do it.

As I always tell people. "Meditation" isn't meant to be a step by step program that everyone follows. Think another person...Kamzu? In this thread mentioned the "One Size Fits All" theory.....I always used snow flakes haha "No one snowflake is the same."

Anyways...

It sounds to me that A: This person did it wrong and B: This person didn't expand her field of knowledge to encompass a wider range of practice that could better suite her unique personality.

When I practiced/was taught Mindfulness Meditation, there was two methods. The first is similar to the Last Samurai scene when the wind came across the rice field and everyone stopped to feel/listen/breathe and be mindful of that moment. Except that ours was a computerized Gong that rang every hour in which, for three minuets, we had to stop whatever it was we were doing to just....be mindful. Didn't even have to meditate...just had to be mindful of everything going on around you at that time. (Which, in itself...is a form of meditation)

The Other was a eatting practice. I always did so in the company and prescience of others while holding a lively conversation and eating food (Ramen surprisingly) - The goal, was simply to be mindful of what it was we were eatting, the spices, the texture, the flavors, the temperature......

Find what works for you and run with it! Never practice something that makes you "Ill"

It seems like too much too soon especially if she has an unresolved issue flaring up during mediation. Sounds like anxiety to me? The mind can be a dangerous place for the unprepared. She might be bettered served with an experienced person guiding her one on one.

Rickie wrote: It seems like too much too soon especially if she has an unresolved issue flaring up during mediation. Sounds like anxiety to me? The mind can be a dangerous place for the unprepared. She might be bettered served with an experienced person guiding her one on one.

The article did go one to talk about other people who have had issues too, for varying reasons, many of whom were under a guided scenario and not on their own.

The general point though is that something can't be purely beneficial for everyone... at least in my opinion, that's what I took away from it. I know I personally find myself feeling anxious when I try to do these "mindfulness meditation" things because it forces a build up of ... energy I guess for lack of better word, and then it turns into a battle against trying to get calm, and not being calm and. . . .Well yeah, you get the point.

Kami's right. It would be nice if that particular lesson of the IP covered more than one technique.

I've found that being too mindful definitely has negative effects for me. Though I've never had such an extreme reaction as the author of the article I don't like being too mindful. My problems are more to do with being over-analytical. Focusing too much on each moment can cause this.

I've never had a problem with mindfulness meditation, though I have not used that method a great many times.

Thanks for sharing this one!

We end up conflating a few ideas here. It's a muddle.

The article describes a phenomenon known as McMindfulness. It's mostly about compliance and relaxation skills. Yes, it's a real term. Look it up.

People also confuse Mindfulness with Relaxation. They are not the same. Relaxation is not, strictly speaking, a meditation skill.

If you are practicing Mindfulness for pleasure or as a method if feeling better, you're barking up the wrong tree. That's not what it's for.

From personal experience, I have never found "mindfulness" to be bad or harmful. Quite the opposite.

So does this mean that perhaps it works for me and not for others? Could...

But I offer a different line of thought. :ohmy:
Many people busy about in their day to day lives with not much notice to their inner well being. We spend a great deal of time looking at our physical well being, the well being of our relationships, accounts, jobs, homes, families; but ourselves... we tend to operate under the false assumption that as long as I feel well I am well. Please, at that last comment, do not spur into hypochondriac fits.

But if we do not really pay attention to ourselves, or what our bodies are telling us, or even know what it would sound like if we were distressed; then doesn't it stand to reason there is a possibility that the first time we are calm, at peace and mindful we see or recognize a tension and stress that we unknowingly carry every day?

To me, this says that the author has probably been in touch with the stress they cling to daily and that they might want to reconsider their priorities if for no other reason than their health.

But, that is just what I got from it.

"i started paying attention to what i was doing and it made me sick"
lolz

OB1Shinobi wrote: "i started paying attention to what i was doing and it made me sick"
lolz

This happened to me once. I was experimenting with different tasks that I could do while being mindful. The dishes was a bad idea. :sick: :laugh:

OB1Shinobi wrote: "i started paying attention to what i was doing and it made me sick"
lolz

^^^^

Ding ding ding!

I've seen things like that described as 'signs of progress' mentioned in some Eastern traditions, but they probably should use a softer approach for corporate relaxation retreats, as physical pain and emotional disturbances might need to be approached and worked through in a more sympathetic framework then a weekend retreat or once a week sessions on a couch.


Sorry, couldn't resist.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUoBkhTFdWA
:blink: :pinch:

i made a joke about this but i actually took it serious, and have been researching it further - if anyone is interested, this is a very good article: http://www.spiritualcompetency.com/scrcQuiz.aspx?courseID=31 which links to several others and, all in all, is the most comprehensive source i have found on the topic

Avalonslight wrote: What I didn't see a full acknowledgment of, though I think it touched it briefly, was the level of high stress Western society in particular happens to have, and when you tell someone to sit down and be "mindful" about their feelings, you're bringing to the surface those extreme stressors. Again, in someone who may have an undiagonosed issue such as anxiety disorders or ADHD or what have you, bringing those stressors up to the surface like that when they're traditional suppressed (because let's be honest, that's what our society teaches us to do) then it makes sense to me that some people would have such negative reactions.

When I was 16 and extremely overweight with an extra 5 lbs to complain about, I bought a subliminal weight loss tape. Anybody remember those? LOL There was a guided meditation to it, and I listened to it for about a week. It was during this guided meditation around a week in when I had my very first panic attack. I think there's definitely something to your point, Ava