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A Closer Look at Possible Side Effects of Meditation
Researchers: Meditation May Not Be Safe for Everyone…
For years, meditation has been presented as a universal good practice that calms the mind, heals the body, and uplifts the spirit. And for many people, this is true. But within the medical community, a more nuanced picture is starting to emerge. Quietly, doctors, psychologists, and researchers are raising concerns: meditation may not be safe for everyone.
Potential Risks of Meditation
When we invite stillness, we also open the door to whatever is waiting in the depths of our psyche. While this can be a powerful way to access healing – this approach can trigger many potentially unexpected negative mental health experiences (see links to articles at the end of this blog to read more about the specific impacts).
Meditation can also have another possible side effect… In our practice of seeking stillness, we may unintentionally invite in energies from other realms…
The act of meditating is practiced here in ordinary reality in the Middle World. Without taking steps to set clear spiritual boundaries, it is easy for a person to open themselves to energies of non-ordinary reality. In those spaces dwell not only benign presences but also:
- Energies and beings, human and non human, who have not made it to their proper destination after death
- Wandering souls, or lost beings who remain attached to the Middle World.
- Entities who prowl or troll these realms looking to attach to or feed off the life force of living beings.
In addition to these risks, those in the medical community researching the effects of meditation are now acknowledging and cautioning those practicing mediation to be aware of these possible negative side effects:
- Heightened anxiety and panic rather than easing the nervous system, meditation can amplify fear for some.
- Depersonalization or dissociation individuals may feel cut off from themselves or reality.
- Emergence of psychotic episodes in rare cases, especially for those with a history of mental illness, meditation has been linked to triggering psychosis.
- Sleep disturbances and mood swings prolonged or improperly guided practice can destabilize rather than harmonize.
Here are links to two articles on the subject to help you start your research:
https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/the-dangers-of-meditation-into-the-dark-night/
https://theconversation.com/meditation-can-be-harmful-and-can-even-make-mental-health-problems-worse-230435
What I See in My Shamanic Practice
It is not uncommon for people to arrive for a shamanic session and share the fact that something ‘does not feel right and they are struggling’.
As we chat, many say that their mental health issues seemed to get worse the more they practiced meditation.
I don’t believe this happens because meditation is “bad” but because possibly (as the research states), the stillness can have strong impacts on an individual’s mental state AND (from a shamanic perspective) meditation could also ‘open portals’ without providing a person with a safe way to navigate what’s on the other side.
Without actively setting a clear intention and requesting spiritual protection, a person could end up in very vulnerable territory psychologically and energetically.
Why Shamanic Practices Offer Another Way
Shamanic work approaches healing differently. It does not force stillness or silence; instead, it offers a guided, rhythmic, and intentional framework. The steady beat of the drum or rattle creates a container a safe channel for consciousness to shift.
Shamanic practices of healing and empowerment always include the presence of our helping spirits such as: our helping spirits, our ancestors, power animals, and spirit teachers, that are always on hand during journeying to facilitate healing and empowerment.
At the same time, they act as our ‘spiritual bouncers’, turning away or blocking energies, beings, or spirits that are not present for our highest and best good. This is a crucial difference.
When practicing meditation, we can be entering realms with no such protection or no helping spirits standing watch every second. Journeying, done properly, provides both a safe path and guardianship.
Journeying provides structure. Unlike unbounded meditation, shamanic journeying follows a path: a descent or ascent into a spirit filled realm, guided by rhythm and intention. We work with allies.
In shamanism, you do not travel alone. Helping spirits are invited into the process, creating support and protection. The body and mind stay engaged.
Journeying is not about dissolving the self but about expanding awareness while remaining connected to one’s physical being grounded, embodied, and present. Healing is relational. Shamanic practice emphasizes relationship with Nature, with Spirit, with Community. The process is NOT an isolating inward spiral, but a weaving into life itself.
Learning Shamanic Journeying Safely…
For those seeking inner work without potentially destabilizing risks, shamanic journeying can be a profound and safer alternative. Like any spiritual discipline, it must be practiced with care and respect. Proper practice includes:
- Understanding the cosmology of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds.
- Developing relationships with trusted helping spirits.
- Setting clear intention before each journey.
- Closing and grounding practices to return fully and safely.
When learned properly, journeying becomes not just a technique but a way of life offering clarity, empowerment, and deep healing without the unintended side effects that some experience with meditation.
Meditation is a beautiful path for many, but it is not the only one. And for some, it may even be harmful.
Shamanic practices offer another ancient, time-tested way to heal, to grow, and to reconnect with the soul.
This is the path I walk and the path I share: not to replace anyone’s truth, but to offer additions/alternatives for those who need them. Healing is not one size fits all. The spirit world meets each of us where we are and guides us, step by step, back to wholeness.
Final Thought…
We are all naturally wired to do this shamanic work as we travel our unique soul path. Our ancestors all practiced this way of being, because their societies were deeply aware of the myriad of helping beings and nature spirits. Their communities acknowledged, respected, and worked with these energies and realms as a natural part of life. It is not a long or arduous path back to this natural wiring. We simply need to reawaken to the ways of our ancestors, reconnect with the natural world, and open to the universal energies and cosmos that continue to surround, protect and support us.
If you have more questions or want to schedule a session, feel free to reach out. I’d be honoured to support you on your healing journey.
— Deborah Blucher, The Wired Shaman
Q1: Can meditation have negative effects?
Yes. While meditation is helpful for many, medical research and practitioner experience show that it can sometimes trigger anxiety, dissociation, sleep disruption, or even psychosis in vulnerable individuals.
Q2: How is shamanic journeying different from meditation?
Shamanic journeying is guided, rhythmic, and intentional. It always includes the protection of helping spirits such as ancestors, power animals, and spirit teachers. This support reduces risks and creates a safer framework for healing.
Q3: Is shamanic journeying safe for beginners?
Yes, when learned from by an experienced teacher/practitioner. Safe journeying includes setting intention, working with helping spirits, and using grounding practices. This allows healing to unfold naturally in presence of helping spirits.
