Not too long ago, I had dinner with a neuroscientist who in addition to being a genius is a dedicated meditator. The way he explained the wonders of neuroplasticity -- how our thoughts and actions can change our very brain structure in ways that ameliorate anxiety, compulsive behavior and addiction -- was more electrifying than the endorphin jolt provided by the Nirvana-like pizza and the caffeinated Cokes we inhaled.
But when my friend waxed a bit too proudly about his meditation practice -- two hours every day in full lotus position! -- my fascination veered towards envy. Leaving aside the fact that sitting in full lotus position would be as feasible for me as diving in full pike position, I couldn't help thinking that maybe I could be a genius too if only I meditated longer and better.
The stress-reducing benefits of meditation notwithstanding, most people would rather do just about anything than sit still and do nothing. For those trying to develop a regular practice, even washing the dishes or doing laundry can seem like scintillating alternatives.
Then there are those few for whom meditation can become compulsive, even addictive. The irony here is that an increasing body of research shows that meditation -- in particular Buddhist Vipassana meditation -- is an effective tool in treating addiction.
One category of meditation addiction is related to the so-called "spiritual bypass." Those who experience bliss when they meditate may practice relentlessly to recreate that experience, at the expense of authentic self-awareness. A close friend who's done Transcendental Meditation for decades feels so addicted to it, she has a hard time functioning when she hasn't "transcended." Of course, many thousands have benefited from TM, including both my parents. But a quick Google search reveals this and other sources devoted to "kicking the TM habit."
At the other extreme are those, including myself, who never feel the bliss. Our compulsion to sit day after day arises from a fear that if we don't, the benefits of better sleep, increased clarity and greater insight will slip away. To be sure, this is a positive habit, like working out regularly, practicing a musical instrument or checking email every two seconds -- okay, scratch that last one. But we Type-A's need to be mindful of the fine line between the rewarding practice of these activities and an unhealthful attachment to them. As with the spiritual bypass, if you meditate too competitively or compulsively, you might be evading the truth rather than getting closer to it.
I worked out almost every day for years until injuries and doctors convinced me that taking off one day a week actually produced better physical fitness. I'm not saying meditators who feel they must sit every day should do the same, but it might be a worthwhile experiment.
Such recent books as Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code, Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself, Malcolm Gladwell's The Outliers and Geoff Colvin's Talent Is Overrated have fleshed out the advantages that accrue to athletes, musicians and titans of industry from what's come to be called "deep practice," in which full concentration and intense focus -- being in the moment -- can facilitate world-class feats and bring mega-rewards.
Meditation teachers and masters have long referred to their most revered colleagues as having "deep practice." But here the rewards aren't bonuses, chart-topping records or gold medals; they're what the rest of us prideful, envious, competitive and otherwise flawed seekers strive for: greater self-knowledge coupled with an understanding that everything, including our own sense of who we are, is constantly changing. As Alan Watts, a deep practitioner if ever there was one, said, "Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth."
Gotta sign off now. If I don't meditate soon...
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Just feeling a tad icky because you have skipped part of your daily routine is NOT a sign of addiction. In fact, its a sign of a normal person that they do feel such symptoms when they skip a meal or don't sleep (or meditate) at their normal time.
Addictive behavior in the context of meditation would be to constantly lengthen the time of meditation each day in order to get the same "buzz" out of it or to threaten to kill someone for keeping you from meditating, or engaging in self-destructive behavior in order to meditate, etc. Certainly, these might be possibilities for someone, somewhere, but people tend to throw the term "addicted to" around without really understanding what addiction means.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was once approached by a woman studying to become a TM teacher who complained that she felt so guilty because here she was, studying to become a TM teacher and yet she had never "transcended." His response was always: "Doesn't matter. Got back to meditating."
This went on for weeks and eventually months. Every time she complianed, he always answered: "Doesn't matter. Go back to meditating."
Finally, one day she showed up during the Q & A period, very excited, and exclaimed: "Maharishi! Maharishi! I did it! I did it!. I transcended!!!"
And his response was: "Doesn't matter. Go back to meditating."
If you think that TM is supposed to provide a special experience, then you aren't doing TM. In fact, one sign (necessary but, by no means sufficient) for full enlightenment is that you don't note any change between meditating and not meditating. As far as the enlightened person is concerned, there IS no difference. Getting stuck expecting something "special" is counter-TM. You can't be "effortless" or "innocent" in the practice (how Maharishi often described it) if you are hoping and/or expecting something specific to happen, whether it is once in a lifetime, or every time you close your eyes. The TM organization provides a free service called "checking" to help with meditation "technique" issues. She should partake.
In addition, specifically in the realm of research on meditation and addiction there have been many more published peer-reviewed studies conducted on TM, validating its effectiveness, than on any other meditation technique. Here is the citation of one Meta-Analyses on Meditation and Addiction which will give you a good overview: Alexander CN, Robinson P, Rainforth MV. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: a review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 1994 11(1/2):13-87
Trancenet - [[[[ TM habit [in the negative ] language refers to a bad habit that the TM sitting of meditation is trying to heal ; until a bad stress inside is healed the mind wouldnt settel down in medittaion and in this situation people are asked to come to a TM centre and have a 20 minute checking done ; if they chose to ride it out themsleves they can forget to do TM until thye remember it again ..they are not trapped in a democracy of compulsory legislation that mandates them to practice TM come hell or high water]]] - can speak for it self but it cannot speak for 100 000s of TM meditators going about thier private lives [e.g. president chissano , william hague, DR Norman Rosenthal, Clint eastwood , kate Perry , a catholic priest and a Rabbi [ some of several ] see tm.org blog ] or about 300 000 students in regular schools who do 10-12 minutes 2x daily of TM
here is th epoint of distinction to make between people practicing TM on their own at home 20 minutes and then 8 hours of money money monye or as politicinas say service service service
then 20 minutes then personal life then 8 hours of sleep
what will i do for the rest of my life ? go to a american indian place , ideally with plenty of money and consciousness
My old friend whose been an addiction counselor for 30 years prescribes TM to his clients as a tool to fulfill the 11th step of the 12 steps. TM is done twice a day, and hundreds of studies on over 20,0000 subjects show that as long as that program is followed it leads only to good results. TM involves a healthy balance of rest and activity, of inner and outer life.
Theoretically, could it be that if one performs an activity that is completely in accord with one's own nature, then there can be only good effects?
I agree with you that a person can overdo anything.
You say the research on meditation and addition is mostly on Vipassana in particular. Looking at the number of peer-reviewed studies, the number of subjects, controls and effect sizes, there's more research on TM and addiction than on any other meditation practice. Several studies on TM, including randomized clinical trials, show that twice-daily TM practice leads to reduced alcoholism, reduced use of cigarettes and less drug abuse. One study found that TM was more than twice as effective at reducing smoking than any therapies designed to help people quit.
Your statement about people striving for bliss at the expense of "authentic self awareness," and then suggesting that your friend may be addicted to TM and can't function without transcending, and then noting sources devoted to "kicking the TM habit," leaves a possible haze of misunderstanding.
To experience authentic "self awareness" means to transcend: to take awareness from the surface, active levels of mind, beyond thinking and sensations, to the field of pure, silent inner wakefulness at the source of thought, pure consciousness. TM is not watching your thoughts or breath or contemplating, it's about transcending thought to experience the true Self -- atma.
The ancient texts of Buddhism and Vedanta make clear: "contact with the Self" brings bliss -- a natural by product of authentic Self awareness.
Of course you function better when you're transcending, and all of nature rejoices around you. That's not addiction, it's the natural attraction toward greater health, happiness and success.
I don't agree that self awareness necessarily means transcendence. Vipassana, as I understand it, teaches that self- awareness comes from "being with what is" rather than transcending it.
The Big Self is not the contents of experience, is not the contents of consciousness, not the passing thoughts and impressions that come and go, it is consciousness itself, it is non-changing and it underlies or is transcendental to all the mental content. To experience consciousness in its pure form, the true Self, one must transcend and out of the realm of mental activity, the realm of thinking and impressions, and be in that state of pure silence, pure Being. That's pure awareness, Big Self, universal Self.
When you transcend during TM, you're experiencing the Self in its pure state. The true Self can never be transcended, only non-self can be transcended. This is how you gain real unbounded Self awareness, in my opinion, according to my own personal experience and as described by the ancient texts of Buddhism and Vedic knowledge.
The other sense of self is real, but it's just sense of small, relative self within the boundaries of relativity.