Differential relationship between meditation methods and psychotic-like and mystical experiences.

A large online survey of 613 meditators found that certain meditation techniques are linked to more psychotic-like and mystical experiences, while others are linked to fewer psychotic-like experiences. Techniques aimed at reducing mental content, described as 'null-directed' or non-dual, were positively correlated with both psychotic-like and mystical experiences. In contrast, techniques aimed at enhancing cognitive states, described as 'attentional' or strongly embodied, were negatively correlated with psychotic-like experiences. Meditators who practiced for spiritual reasons tended to choose null-directed techniques and reported more psychotic-like experiences, while those who practiced for health reasons chose attentional techniques. Participants generally believed all techniques prevented psychotic-like experiences, but less so for null-directed methods.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Much work has investigated beneficial effects of mindfulness-based meditation methods, but less work has investigated potential risks and differences across meditation methods. We addressed this in a large pre-registered online survey including 613 mediators where we correlated participants' experience with fifty meditation techniques to psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and mystical experiences. We found a positive correlation for both PLEs and mystical experiences with techniques aiming at reducing phenomenological content ('null-directed', NDM) or classified as non-dual or less embodied. In contrast, methods aiming at achieving an enhanced cognitive state (CDM), also described as 'attentional' or strongly embodied, showed negative correlations with PLEs. Interestingly, participants' subjectively perceived that all types of meditation techniques were preventative of PLEs but less so for NDM. Participants differed in their reasons for meditating, broadly grouped into associated with spiritual exploration and associated with health. Participants who meditated for spiritual reasons were more likely to choose NDM techniques and more likely to experience PLEs. In contrast, participants who meditated for health-related reasons were more likely to choose CDM techniques. This study provides important information for meditators about the relationship of different techniques with PLEs and the moderating influences of individual traits.