Vipassana is the CrossFit of the meditation world
Reflections on Untold: A podcast about the dangers of Vipassana Meditation
Introduction
Untold, a podcast by the Financial Times' special investigations team, "examines the world of the Goenka network, which promotes a type of intensive meditation known as Vipassana." The podcast focuses primarily on the "untold" negative side of these meditation retreats which can include individuals experiencing "a deep sense of terror, or a break with reality".
I was introduced to meditation through a 10-day intensive Vipassana retreat when I was a college student back in 2010, and I wrote about its positive impact on me back then. Since then I've continued to practice meditation on-and-off for over 10 years and have continued to participate in multiple retreats. So when my friend Kamesh shared this podcast with me, I naturally wanted to share my thoughts on it!
What the podcast gets right
I think it's good to have a more nuanced discussion around topics like meditation and Vipassana. Although this podcast is one-sidedly negative, I think it adds value to the current discourse on meditation, which is dominated by one-sidedly positive praise of meditation. While meditation is amazing, it’s also important to understand its potentially harmful effects, especially when the intensity is too high for the individual, or the individual is not well suited for the practice. The podcast makes two main points:
Meditation can be harmful: The podcast seeks to debunk the universal benefit myth of meditation by shedding light on the dark side of meditation. In particular, the podcast discusses the intense mental and emotional stress reported by participants, including episodes of anxiety, hallucinations, and suicidal thoughts. For some participants, the experience persists long after the retreats, severely derailing their relationships, their happiness, and potentially leading to a psychotic break with reality.
Vipassana is a problematic organization: The podcast critiques Goenka’s Vipassana organization in particular for its complicity in the problematic nature of meditation. Rather than being upfront about the potential dark side of meditation, it further exacerbates the harmful effects by pitching its boot-camp style retreat as a one-size-fits-all program for all people without regard to their individual circumstances.
What the podcast gets wrong
The podcast is one-sidedly negative. It doesn't consider the circumstances under which meditation is beneficial vs. harmful. It is worth noting that the harmful effects of meditation are only experienced by a very small minority of meditators, and this is usually because the intensity is too high for the individual, or the individual is not well suited for that particular meditation practice.
A good analogy is to exercise. Exercising with a combination of cardio and strength training is one of the best things any individual can do to improve their physical health and longevity. However, that doesn't mean that exercise isn't harmful. There are countless examples of people who have experienced severe injuries (in some cases fatal) from activities such as running and weightlifting.
However, we recognize some commonsense principles to enable most individuals to enjoy the benefits of exercise without causing harm: An individual with a history of severe hypertension or heart attacks probably shouldn't start their exercise journey with high intensity sprint training. An individual with a history of spinal injury probably shouldn't start their exercise journey with heavy weightlifting. An untrained individual probably shouldn't start their exercise journey with an intensive boot-camp program.
CrossFit is a notorious exercise program known for high intensity boot-camp style training. The program encourages individuals to push themselves beyond their limits with a mixture of highly intense and technically challenging cardio and weightlifting exercises. While many practitioners love this approach, it has also invited a lot of criticism for the injuries it causes. Similarly, I think Vipassana is to the meditation world what CrossFit is to the exercise world. Both programs can be highly beneficial for the right person, but can also be dangerous for the wrong person. If in doubt, start with a slow and steady approach under the guidance of a trusted coach or teacher!
Conclusion
Just like exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your physical health, meditation is one of the best things you can do to improve your mental health.
You need to be thoughtful in how you incorporate exercise or meditation into your life. For most individuals, a slow and steady progression starting with 30 minutes a day is safer than an intensive boot-camp like CrossFit or Vipassana.
If in doubt, work with a trusted coach or teacher who can help you develop a program for exercise or meditation that is tailored to your individual needs and circumstances.