InnerSelf.com
  • Home
  • Personal Empowerment
    • Attitude Adjustments
      • Anger Management
      • Behavior Modification
      • Fear and Worry
      • Forgiveness & Acceptance
      • Gratitude & Service
      • Perfectionism
    • Happiness and Success
      • Counseling
      • Creating Realities
      • Life Changes
      • Life Purpose
      • Performance
      • Self-Help
    • Intuition & Awareness
      • Astrology
        • Horoscope
        • Chinese & Eastern
        • Planets & Transits
          • Retrograde Planets
        • Sun, Moon, Rising Signs
      • Dream Interpretation
      • Intuitive Awareness
    • Relationships
      • Communication
      • Couples
        • Sexuality
      • Family
      • Friendship
      • Parenting
      • Yourself
    • Spirituality & Mindfulness
      • Death & Dying
      • Inspiration
      • Meditation
      • Mindfulness
      • Religions & Beliefs
  • Living In Harmony
    • Finance & Careers
      • Career & Success
      • Prosperity & Finance
    • Health & Wellness
      • Diseases & Conditions
      • Environmental
      • Fitness & Exercise
      • Food & Nutrition
        • Healing Diet
        • Herbs & Supplements
      • Healing Disciplines
    • Home & Garden
      • Feng Shui
      • Gardening
      • Pets & More
    • Leisure & Creativity
    • Science & Technology
  • Social Consciousness
    • At The Brink
      • Authoritarianism
      • Injustice
      • Pestilence
      • Wars
      • Climate Disruption
    • Culture Differences
    • Democracy
      • Activism
      • Elections
      • Historical
      • Reforms
    • Economy
      • Education
      • Healthcare
      • Inequality
    • Environment
      • Climate
        • Adaptation & Mitigation
        • Evidence Of Warming
        • Impacts
        • Solutions
      • Political
      • Weather
    • Hostilities
    • Justice
      • Civil Liberty
      • Economic
      • Privacy & Security
    • Trends
  • Bookshelf
    • Personal Empowerment
    • Living In Harmony
    • Social Consciousness
  • More
    • Search
    • Today's Uptake
    • Today's Inspiration
    • List All
    • Newsletter
    • Privacy Policy
    • RSS
    • Admin
    • Contact Us
InnerSelf.com
  • Home
  • Personal Empowerment
    • Attitude Adjustments
      • Anger Management
      • Behavior Modification
      • Fear and Worry
      • Forgiveness & Acceptance
      • Gratitude & Service
      • Perfectionism
    • Happiness and Success
      • Counseling
      • Creating Realities
      • Life Changes
      • Life Purpose
      • Performance
      • Self-Help
    • Intuition & Awareness
      • Astrology
        • Horoscope
        • Chinese & Eastern
        • Planets & Transits
          • Retrograde Planets
        • Sun, Moon, Rising Signs
      • Dream Interpretation
      • Intuitive Awareness
    • Relationships
      • Communication
      • Couples
        • Sexuality
      • Family
      • Friendship
      • Parenting
      • Yourself
    • Spirituality & Mindfulness
      • Death & Dying
      • Inspiration
      • Meditation
      • Mindfulness
      • Religions & Beliefs
  • Living In Harmony
    • Finance & Careers
      • Career & Success
      • Prosperity & Finance
    • Health & Wellness
      • Diseases & Conditions
      • Environmental
      • Fitness & Exercise
      • Food & Nutrition
        • Healing Diet
        • Herbs & Supplements
      • Healing Disciplines
    • Home & Garden
      • Feng Shui
      • Gardening
      • Pets & More
    • Leisure & Creativity
    • Science & Technology
  • Social Consciousness
    • At The Brink
      • Authoritarianism
      • Injustice
      • Pestilence
      • Wars
      • Climate Disruption
    • Culture Differences
    • Democracy
      • Activism
      • Elections
      • Historical
      • Reforms
    • Economy
      • Education
      • Healthcare
      • Inequality
    • Environment
      • Climate
        • Adaptation & Mitigation
        • Evidence Of Warming
        • Impacts
        • Solutions
      • Political
      • Weather
    • Hostilities
    • Justice
      • Civil Liberty
      • Economic
      • Privacy & Security
    • Trends
  • Bookshelf
    • Personal Empowerment
    • Living In Harmony
    • Social Consciousness
  • More
    • Search
    • Today's Uptake
    • Today's Inspiration
    • List All
    • Newsletter
    • Privacy Policy
    • RSS
    • Admin
    • Contact Us

Why Meditation Can Be Harmful—and How to Avoid Those Effects

By Alex Jordan, InnerSelf.com
Alex Jordan, InnerSelf.com

oc0hr9vf

Meditation is often hailed as a cure-all for stress, anxiety, and even chronic pain. It’s prescribed by therapists, endorsed by CEOs, and woven into the routines of high performers. But what if it’s not as harmless as we think? What if, for some, meditation does more harm than good? The truth is, meditation can trigger psychological distress, dissociation, and even amplify the very anxiety it’s supposed to cure. So how can you reap its benefits without falling into these pitfalls? Let’s break it down.

The Power of a 3-Minute Meditation to Transform Your Life

By Becca Powers
Becca Powers

a person meditation with hands in a mudra pose

Think you’re too busy for meditation? Just 3 minutes a day can transform your life. Daily meditation enhances mindfulness, reduces stress, and boosts energy. This article explores simple meditation techniques to unlock inner peace and unleash your full potential—all in just a few minutes each day.

Healing Feminine and Masculine Energy: A Path to Balance

By Pavlina Klemm
Pavlina Klemm

an older woman and man holding hands and walking into the calm waters of the ocean

Learn to heal feminine and masculine energy and restore natural cosmic balance with this transformative guide. Explore divine truth and embrace your natural state of being.

Angelic Light Language: Healing Through Sacred Sounds

By Alexandra Wenman
Alexandra Wenman

an angel with wings open wide with light radiating all around

Explore Angelic Light Language Activation and chant sacred angel names to heal, awaken Ascension codes, and align with your divine blueprint of multidimensional consciousness.

Finding Courage, Clarity and Peace in the Coming Year

By Self-Realization Fellowship
Self-Realization Fellowship

women meditating

Unlock the secrets to inner peace, courage, and clarity through meditation and yogic wisdom. Discover practical teachings to face challenges and find lasting joy.

Connecting to Your True Self with the True-Self Breath

By Patrick Marando
Patrick Marando

a man with a peaceful smile sitting in meditation pose outside on a bridge

Master the art of connecting to your true self with the True-Self Breath practice. Discover meditative techniques to deepen self-awareness, access inner wisdom, and live authentically.

How to Combat Workplace Stress with Meditation

By Jaime L Kucinskas, Hamilton College
Jaime L Kucinskas, Hamilton College

An office environment with employees practicing meditation in a quiet room, sitting cross-legged on yoga mats.

Meditation can reduce workplace stress and enhance focus, but does it address the root causes of burnout? Explore the benefits and limits of mindfulness programs.

Understanding and Utilizing Collective Consciousness

By Patricia Anne Saunders
Patricia Anne Saunders

a group of women sitting together and meditating

Collective consciousness has a powerful impact on societal peace and conflict resolution. This article explores how shared beliefs and attitudes can influence societal conditions, reducing violence and stress through unified, peaceful intentions.

Meditations for Peace on Earth and World Harmony

By Susan Shumsky, DD
Susan Shumsky, DD

Meditations for Peace on Earth and World Harmony

This article offers methods that transform the earth into a paradise of abundant peace, love, and harmony for all humankind. Discover methods to create abundant love, light, and harmony, contributing to a peaceful world.

You Are a Superhero: Help Reinstate Peace and Balance

By Belinda J. Womack
Belinda J. Womack

You Are a Superhero: Help Reinstate Peace and Balance

You are the superhero that can help us reinstate peace and balance on Earth when you join forces with your divine inner child and allow your divinity to flow through every cell of you. How is this possible?

Intrusive Thoughts and Mental Chatter: They Are Not You

By Phill Webster
Phill Webster

a variety of emojis with different mouth and facial expressions

We all have a constant barrage of mental chatter. It’s incessant. Even when we sleep, the brain produces thoughts relevant to our current concerns. They may seem out of control.

The Buddha Was a Scientist and a Biologist

By Wes "Scoop" Nisker
Wes "Scoop" Nisker

statue of buddha with a young monk standing in front

Buddhist meditation practices and scientific exploration reveal two ways of knowing. With the scientific method, we look outside of ourselves for truth. Meanwhile, with meditation, we direct our attention inward.

Boost Your Decision-Making Skills with Mindfulness Meditation

By Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com

mindfull mediatation 5 30

Delve into the power of mindfulness meditation and its profound impact on decision-making abilities. Enhance your mental clarity, emotional stability, and navigate life's choices with newfound insight.

Meditation and Mindfulness May Be as Effective as Medication for Treating Certain Conditions

By Hilary A. Marusak
Hilary A. Marusak

benefits of meditation 1 12

Many people look to diet trends or new exercise regimens – often with questionable benefit – to get a healthier start on the new year. But there is one strategy that’s been shown time and again to boost both mood and health: meditation.

How to Meditate and Why

By Joseph Selbie
Joseph Selbie

a young man meditation outside

Meditation gives us greater access to nonlocal realities: uplifting and harmonizing emotions, intuition and creativity, and an abundance of health-giving life force.

Meditation Has Potential To Treat Children Suffering From Traumas, Difficult Diagnoses Or Stress

By Hilary A. Marusak
Hilary A. Marusak

 children and meditation 9 9

Children actively meditating experience lower activity in parts of the brain involved in rumination, mind-wandering and depression, our team found in the first brain-imaging study of young people under 18 years old.

How Meditation Rewires the Brain for Life-Changing Experience

By Joseph Selbie
Joseph Selbie

tree silhouette in the form of a brain

We are so much more than we know. We have access to a rich source of vitality, creativity, fulfillment, and wellbeing right within ourselves.

Meditation for Health, Peace, And Prosperity

By José Stevens, Ph.D.
José Stevens, Ph.D.

relax and meditate 6 7

The purpose of the universe is to enable you to learn. Prosperity is the attitude that you can have what you want in this universe. Therefore prosperity is one of the things you are here to learn. This is a meditation that facilitates that learning.

How To Bring Out Those Child Like Qualities Still Within You

By Shakti Gawain
Shakti Gawain

contacting your inner child 6 5

Sometimes, even though we have spent most of our lives not being in touch with our inner child, our first attempt will be very easy. The child has been waiting for us and wanting that contact with us. But sometimes the child is not yet ready to trust us, so it may take a little patience...

What Are The Benefits Of Vipassana Meditation

By Carlos Warter, M.D., Ph.D.
Carlos Warter, M.D., Ph.D.

Vipassana Meditation 5 29

Vipassana meditation is a Buddhist practice that uses pure self-observation to realize the transient nature of life's activities. This is accomplished by meditating on the thoughts, sensations, and feelings

How To Know If Your Practice Of Digital Buddhism Meditation Is Authentic

By Gregory Grieve, University of North Carolina – Greensboro
Gregory Grieve, University of North Carolina – Greensboro

digital meditatiom 5 20 

Some scholars have argued that digital Buddhism epitomizes Western appropriation and dilution of traditional Asian practices. 

When Meditation and Spirituality Become Obstacles to Maturation (Video)

By Marianne Bentzen
Marianne Bentzen

woman's face surrounded by a hazy web 

Many skilled Western meditators have noted an uncomfortable gap between their “spiritual” aspect and their everyday personality. For some, it is tempting to use meditation to withdraw from unpleasant feelings or relationship conflicts into a meditative “safe zone.”

When Meditation and Spirituality Become Obstacles to Maturation

By Marianne Bentzen
Marianne Bentzen

woman's face surrounded by a hazy web 

Many skilled Western meditators have noted an uncomfortable gap between their “spiritual” aspect and their everyday personality. For some, it is tempting to use meditation to withdraw from unpleasant feelings or relationship conflicts into a meditative “safe zone.”

Page 1 of 11

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

Available Languages

MOST READ

4 lit candles. Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay. 

How to Use Rituals for Personal Growth and Social Change

Carl Greer PhD, PsyD
Rituals and ceremonies are more than tradition—they’re tools to transform your inner world and influence the collective energy field we all…
fgjhjhkjkdgh

The Truth About Ashwagandha: Benefits, Risks, and How It Works

Beth McDaniel, InnerSelf.com
Ashwagandha. Even the name feels like a whisper from the past. An ancient root that has survived millennia, passed down through…
sdfgdghjkl

In Praise of the Useless Day

Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Every once in a while, a revolutionary idea slips under the radar—not in the form of a protest, a policy, or even a pamphlet—but as…
A drawing of two people holding hands, each one being erased. Image by Tumisu from Pixabay. 

When a Relationship Has Run Its Course

Jude Bijou
Ending a relationship is never easy, but doing so with honesty and grace can make all the difference. Learn how to heal and move forward…
fgdkhlfghhj

Feeling Stuck in an Emotional Slump? Here’s the Fast Way Out

Alex Jordan, InnerSelf.com
We all hit those invisible walls—the ones that slow us down, sap our energy, and leave us asking: "What happened to my motivation?"…
woman walking away holding two small children. Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay. 

Thinking About Divorce? Ask Yourself These 7 Questions

Pamela Henry
Before choosing divorce, reflecting on these seven essential questions might change your mind—or help you see your next steps with clarity…

LATEST

Daily Inspiration May 12, 2025

InnerSelf's Daily Inspiration The Pathway to Integrated Living — Daily reminders for a conscious, connected life — We wish you a day of…

Daily Inspiration May 14,2025

InnerSelf's Daily Inspiration The Pathway to Integrated Living — Daily reminders for a conscious, connected life — We wish you a day of…

Daily Inspiration May 13, 2025

InnerSelf's Daily Inspiration The Pathway to Integrated Living — Daily reminders for a conscious, connected life — We wish you a day of…

Daily Inspiration May 15 ,2025

InnerSelf's Daily Inspiration The Pathway to Integrated Living — Daily reminders for a conscious, connected life — We wish you a day of…
hkfghjgh

Quiet Quitting and Mental Health: The Hidden Burnout Behind the Smile

Quiet quitting isn’t just about doing less. It’s a quiet scream for help echoing through open offices and Zoom calls. People are showing…

MOST WATCHED

 Silhouette of a woman holding the moon. Photo by Ron Lach, Pexels. com. 

Astrological Overview and Horoscope: May 12 to 18, 2025

Pam Younghans
This week’s Scorpio Full Moon stirs deep emotions and sudden revelations while Mercury’s tense aspects challenge our thoughts and…
person standing in frpnt of the galaxy and planet earth in the shape of an eye. Image by PixelPerfect26589 from Pixabay. 

The Easy Way to Discover and Live Your Life Purpose

Marie T. Russell, InnerSelf.com
What if discovering your life purpose was simpler than you think? It begins with knowing what brings true joy and peace.
ghjjkdfgjhg

This Mother’s Day, Let’s Get Real: From Witch Trials to Abortion Bans

Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow, so what better time to talk about betrayal? Not the chocolate-and-roses kind, but the systemic, generational…
A banner with the words "Dreams Dream Your Life, Live Your Dreams". Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay. 

Your Future is Powered by Your Dreams

Theresa Cheung
What if your dreams were already showing you the future? Theresa Cheung offers daily practices to harness your precognitive potential and…
Side image of the face pf a man superimposed over the sunset. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay. 

Zen, Shrooms, and Shrinks: One Woman’s Journey

Joan K. Peters
Can Zen, psychedelics, and psychoanalysis work together? Joan K. Peters' explores the powerful intersections between these paths in her…
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. Personal Empowerment
  4. Spirituality & Mindfulness
  5. Meditation