Adverse Effects of Meditation
A wide range of adverse effects can arise for some practitioners, but they're most commonly seen in people engaging with intensive practice, such as sitting for several hours a day or going on retreat.
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In more extreme cases these effects can last for weeks or months, interfering with daily life. When this happens it’s often referred to as the “dark night,” a term used in some meditation circles to describe the difficult psychological and existential territory practitioners can encounter. It’s commonly triggered by deep insights into the nature of impermanence, or by seeing through the solidity of the self. This territory isn’t exclusive to meditators; some people find themselves there after a psychedelic experience, or through any kind of spiritual and contemplative practice.
During this phase, the normal sense of self and the seemingly solid ego structure begins to change. The psyche is in transition. The old self-image dissolves before a new sense of self or worldview has fully formed. This process can surface a lot of psychological content or unresolved trauma that’s been repressed for years. It can feel as though the mind and body are clearing out old patterns to make room for a new way of being.
This phase affects everyone differently. It depends on your psychological makeup, your personal history, what led you there, and the context and guidance you have. It took me about five months to move through fully; some people take much longer, others pass through quickly. If you’re experiencing it now, know that it’s a normal stage of psychological and spiritual growth, and that it will get better.
After accompanying a number of clients through the dark night and out the other side, I have not met one who would have traded the experience and its outcome for anything. And yet, during the experience, it’s another story.— Jeannie Zandi
Online Resources
The resources below give you what you need to understand the dark night, along with the tools and support to help guide you through it. I’d also recommend exploring some of the Heart-centred or grounding practices found in the Heart and Body sections, which can be extremely beneficial for anyone struggling with adverse effects.
For anyone experiencing adverse effects from meditation or other spiritual practice, this is the best all-round resource. They've spent years working with teachers and students to map the wide range of effects people can experience during the dark night. The site offers an extensive symptoms list, plus access to teachers, support groups, and other resources for people in crisis.
Written for psychotherapists, but well worth reading for anyone curious about spiritual awakening or spiritual crisis. Whether you've been through one yourself, you're in the middle of it now, or you're simply curious, it's one of the clearest descriptions of the process I've come across.
Less about meditation-specific difficulties and more about the connection between mental health crisis and spiritual transformation. Their resources page collects books and web resources on awakening, along with some simple grounding and self-care practices.
A wide range of discussions around the dark night. The forum is full of practitioners who've travelled this territory, so you're very likely to find threads relevant to your situation.
The linked wiki post gives a solid overview of dark night territory: the difficulties people face, perspectives from different teachers, and a list of relevant books and therapeutic resources. It's also a very active, welcoming community if you ever need specific practice advice or others to talk to.
Podcast Episodes & Books
A discussion on supporting mindfulness practitioners through episodes of the contemplative dark night: how mental health does and doesn't get addressed in the community, and some shared traits among people who experience it.
Part two of the discussion above.
Ingram gives an in-depth description of the psychological states people predictably pass through during the dark night, explained through the lens of the 'progress of insight'. The link goes straight to the relevant chapter.
Chapter 10, "Expanding and Dissolving the Self: Dark Night and Rebirth," speaks directly to this territory. Jack sees it as a natural passage to move through rather than a problem to fix. Chapter 9, "The Spiritual Roller Coaster: Kundalini and Other Side Effects," is also worth a read.