Light is considered good, a shining ray of hope, something that makes everything pure and better. But the truth is you can’t really shed the light on something unless there is darkness. Without darkness, the light will be incomplete. Just like that everything in life will have shades of light and dark.
Don’t raise your eyebrows just yet, I haven’t turned evil nor joined a cult. My purpose is to establish that everything has pros and cons, in the end, you go with what weighs more. Today we are talking about something similar which is widely known for the good side, we are focusing on the darker spots of Meditation.
Let’s discuss the gray areas of meditating, and shed some light on how to deal with them.
You know so far whenever I thought of meditation my mind conjured the image of serene Buddha, sitting calm composed, still, eyes closed, lost/concentrated (whatever works for you) in the deeper mysteries of the world and eternal peace. And I often wondered that is the only way and if I will ever be able to do it. That’s where most of us go wrong. Meditation like everything else isn’t limited to just one way, there are many ways, techniques to meditate. One needs to be flexible and open to finding the right one that will work for you. If you continue on the path of the wrong type, you will tire yourself out, get agitated, feel frustrated and stressed out, in which the entire purpose gets defeated. So try out the methods and go for the one meant for you.
Another problem that many studies have revealed some people face, is the emergence of suppressed regressed memories or emotions. Meditation is considered synonymous with mindfulness, but the mind itself is a powerful force. Pushing some events or feelings to sub-consciousness is many times a defence mechanism, just like forgetting or sleeping. Different people have different ways of coping with stress or trauma. So when you ride the meditation wave in the uncharted course of mind, out of it, your demons can emerge. Such sudden outburst or realization of such feelings or events can be damaging. It sometimes leads to depression or anxiety as well. Being aware of such circumstances and then dealing with them with appropriate help can lessen the burden.
Another realm of the same is how people relate to self and the realization that comes from meditating may not be up to expectations.
Meditation is great, but not a cure for mental issues. So you cannot replace therapy with it. Understand it may benefit you but not treat you.
Detachment, the psychology to attain peace. But when you notch up this idea, it enters the danger zone. Meditation teaches non-attachment in the sense where you don’t react. It’s when you are able to separate the self-interest/motive or hurt and resolve matters peacefully. It doesn’t mean to stop caring about things or keeping people out of life.
Meditation is really good, it calms the mind, makes us more receptive to life’s experiences, helps you achieve the better of everything. So just take the right approach, be open seek help when needed and you will illuminate the darker side of meditation.