The Dark Side of Meditation
And what to do about it.
While the benefits of meditation are being touted across the Western world, there’s a lesser-known dark side of meditation that’s rarely talked about.
I’ve been meditating daily for nearly 3 years now, and I’ve already experienced its dark side firsthand.
Meditation has led me along what I can only describe as a spiritual journey. Contrary to what we typically think of as “spiritual”, though, it hasn’t been an exploration of the divine, but of myself.
What have I found? To be honest, it hasn’t been pretty. When you turn your gaze inward, sometimes you shed a light on things you wish had remained forgotten. But meditation helps you understand more than just yourself — it also helps you understand what it means to be human.
Meditation opens up a whole new world of understanding, and with that understanding comes uncomfortable knowledge. That knowledge can call into question the meaning and purpose of life itself, and if you don’t have an answer to those questions, meditation can lead you to a dark place, indeed.
A sense of pointlessness
As any nihilist will tell you, there’s no essential meaning to life. There’s no great, divine plan. There’s no purpose, no value, and no point. It’s all…
