Can meditation cure everything or does it have side effects?

[TheDarkChakra]

I am wondering if meditation can cure everything and if meditating can have any side effects? I read this article and it seems scientists bovine excrement a lot: http://www.rajnews.com/health_news.asp?id=2 .

[Squirrelly]

In my little squirrel mind, I believe there is a borderline between the "Light Side" and the "Dark Side". I was interested in meditation when I was about in the 3rd grade. When I was in 4th grade, I switched schools. Since I didn't know anyone there, I was what some people would call a loner. I was nearly always depressed, and I eventually had destructive and/or suicidal thoughts. But once I got used to everyone there, my evil side lessened. And eventually I crossed the border back into the light. Happily ever after. I hope this might help a little. You can't blame everything on meditation. Other events in a person's life may affect them as well. Also, my mother got really, really, sick once. She was on the brink of dying. They bought all different kinds of medicine for her, but none worked. There were blue bruises at her temples. The family was really worried about her. But my dad started teaching her how to meditate while saying a Chinese mantra. My mother found it hard to meditate, since she was new to it. Eventually she got better, and the sickness faded away. So my point is, meditation is more benificial than it is un-benificial (couldn't think of the word).

[Stookie]

I agree with a lot of what the article says. If meditation isn't done in the correct way or is forced, those negative side-effects are likely to come up. I think that's why it's important to take it one step at a time and slowly build meditation skills. The article only speaks of health though, not spiritual development.

[TheDarkChakra]

I agree with a lot of what the article says. If meditation isn't done in the correct way or is forced, those negative side-effects are likely to come up. I think that's why it's important to take it one step at a time and slowly build meditation skills. The article only speaks of health though, not spiritual development.

There's a wrong way to do it? Can you give me an example?
The way I do it is I lay on my couch on my pillow (relaxed) and then close my eyes and don't think of anything. I usually start focusing on my breath and within a few seconds I get distracted by my own thoughts. I'm only beginning to do it. Is practicing NEW instead of focusing on breathing also a meditation?

Can meditation cure depression? Can it increase focus level so I can learn much faster? Because my theory is, when you're not focused enough, that's when you don't understand something, that's why people need a simpler way of understanding things.

[NickJW]

I'm getting abit frustrated with people saying that meditation done improperly can have negative side effects, yet it seems no one can actually say how you do it properly and how you know if your doing it wrong.

[cainam_nazier]

It is not so much what you do to meditate, IE: weather you sit down, lay down, or stand in funny positions.

It is what you think about and dwell on while you meditate, and what your ultimate goal is for meditating.  I would go as far as saying that meditation probably would not be a good "cure" for depression for most people.  This being that people that are depressed already have a mildly screwed up view of life, hence they are depressed.  I will not say that it could not work for some people but it would not work for most.  But in this case a person who is depressed and meditates would more than likely focus most of their thoughts on negative things and the results could be bad.  Just like people who worry all the time about getting sick, they would more than likely think about this while meditating and could actually cause themselves to be sick because of it.

It is said rather frequently around here.  "Your thoughts determine your reality."  The more you focus on things that are negative the more of an impact negative things will have on your life.  But the more you focus on the positive the more you will get out of those experiences.

[Stookie]

When I first started meditating, I wanted to learn it all, do it all, reach enlightenment NOW. I learned to relax and immediately jumped to primary chakra work - that was stupid. I became over-emotional, stressed out, had lots of physical pains, had a hard time eating. My girlfriend couldn't put up with me and left, and life became miserable.

I've now found the balance that I needed then, but it's been slow work. I see I should have focused more on relaxation and taming my thoughts then jumping into hardcore visualizations and chakra work. Now, I tend to work with the same meditations every day for several weeks or months. Everytime I start a new one, I'm prepared to go through 2 - 3 weeks of emotional and physical upheavals. It happens every time.

For less sensitive people this might not be a problem, but in my life there has been a number of negative side effects.

[CFTraveler]

I have to say that I'm regularly a sensitive and (sometimes over)emotional person, and meditation actually balances me out, except once a month when St. John's Wort takes the edge off.  
But seriously, a good centering works wonders for me.

[TheDarkChakra]

I have to say that I'm regularly a sensitive and (sometimes over)emotional person, and meditation actually balances me out, except once a month when St. John's Wort takes the edge off.  
But seriously, a good centering works wonders for me.

I'm opposite here. Emotionless and insensitive.
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I don't believe meditation has any side effects no matter how you do it.

[Stookie]

I don't believe meditation has any side effects no matter how you do it.

TheDarkChakra - Even good side-effects? You've never experienced something good from meditation that wasn't your intention? The unplanned surprises are awesome.

What is your purpose for meditation? Do you think it's a good thing that you're emotionless and insensitive?

CFTraveler - Cool Sig!  

[TheDarkChakra]

I don't believe meditation has any side effects no matter how you do it.

TheDarkChakra - Even good side-effects? You've never experienced something good from meditation that wasn't your intention? The unplanned surprises are awesome.

What is your purpose for meditation? Do you think it's a good thing that you're emotionless and insensitive?

CFTraveler - Cool Sig!  

I meant bad side effects. When meditating I expect everything unexpected, thus, when I say side effects, I mean negative side effects.

[Stookie]

But you don't think that any of those unexpected things can be negative? I'll admit that the positive effects far outweigh the negative (or I wouldn't have persisted on my own path), but they can still exist. Many teachers of meditation warn their students of pushing too far, too fast. I wouldn't ever tell anyone not to meditate because of negative side effects though...

Kudos to all meditators who have avoided negative side effects associated with meditation.

[MisterJingo]

I think 'wrong' ways to do meditation are such things as forcing the mind to be clear, forcing thoughts to be quite, repressing material instead of observing it (in fear of disturbing the meditation). Also, holding the mind blank for long periods of time can cause stress, it's not generally a desirable thing to do.

Right ways to meditate centre around relaxed focused awareness. Nothing is forced, or pushed, or effort exerted. It revolves around observing a focus, and each distraction is observed and the let go of (not forced away into the subconscious).
A thought distracts you? Simply move the mind back to the focus. Notice how that thought made you feel, the effect it had on the body (a tightening, or loosening etc) then let it go.
Over time, gently resuming the focus rather than forcing thoughts away sees a decrease in those thoughts arising.
Meditation should never involve forced effort, or stressed concentration. It's purely a state of innocent observation of a focus object. Some effort might be given to maintain the focus object, and maintain a relaxed focused awareness, but this is not the same kind of effort as seen in 'forcing the mind to be empty i.e. attacking thoughts).
A lot of 'meditation' on the net is either wrong or just daydreaming.

[MisterJingo]

Just to add:

Anything which alters ones state of consiousness can have negative effects. For example, look at the side effects of psychedelics (they are all mental based). Most of these effects are a reaction to the altered state of consiousnes rather than the drug itself.

[apop]

skepticism does not help in meditation.
meditation is: "ain't doing nothing"
in Slav language, there is double negation,
in English there is not.
but in Slav is clear the understanding of "not doing anything"

if you "do nothing" then you are a fool.
if you "do something", you are not meditating.  

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

the only real side effects of meditation are in the way you act and react in your life.

lack of mental dicipline can also 'sabatage' meditation and make it work out in the opposite of your goal.

positivity and negativity are both a state of the mind, and as such, both good and bad are merely perceptions based on your current mindset of positive or negative thinking.  through this, there can be no side effects to meditation, simply cause and effect.   no good or bad, whatever is just simply is.

you are your mind before you are your body and as such your body is governed by your thoughts and emotions.  meditation can help keep a clear mind, so as to permit stronger thoughts in areas of physical health or seeking and achieving goals.

your mind operates on the chakras, the chakras are like the brain, only then some; they controll everything that happens to your body through your thoughts.

meditating helps gain a conscious awareness of the chakras and their activity, and with such awareness, your thoughts will become more sacred and you will see how your chakras interact with your thoughts.

[apop]

lack of mental discipline can also 'sabotage' meditation and make it work out in the opposite of your goal.

positivity and negativity are both a state of the mind, and as such, both good and bad are merely perceptions based on your current mindset of positive or negative thinking.  through this, there can be no side effects to meditation, simply cause and effect.   no good or bad, whatever is just simply is.

you are your mind before you are your body and as such your body is governed by your thoughts and emotions.  meditation can help keep a clear mind, so as to permit stronger thoughts in areas of physical health or seeking and achieving goals.

your mind operates on the chakras, the chakras are like the brain, only then some; they control everything that happens to your body through your thoughts.

meditating helps gain a conscious awareness of the chakras and their activity, and with such awareness, your thoughts will become more sacred and you will see how your chakras interact with your thoughts.

interesting, the first part, but the second part, about chakras, meditation is more 'hara' then chakras. and there is no hara-"chakra"  

[Nice Dream]

I dont know if meditation will cure everything.  I am new to it and am learning all the time.  The thing is at first I think meditation will let you know where in your body you hurt so that you can concentrate on healing that part of the body.  After that im not sure but it does help you find out where your body hurts and that is a start.