Add free shipping to your order with these great books
The Dark Side of Dharma : Meditation, Madness and Other Maladies on the Contemplative Path - Anna Lutkajtis

The Dark Side of Dharma

Meditation, Madness and Other Maladies on the Contemplative Path

By: Anna Lutkajtis

Paperback | 1 July 2021

Sorry, we are not able to source the book you are looking for right now.

We did a search for other books with a similar title, however there were no matches. You can try selecting from a similar category, click on the author's name, or use the search box above to find your book.

The Dark Side of Dharma, looks at why meditation side effects, also known as "adverse effects," while well known in spiritual and religious traditions, have been ignored in contemporary secular contexts such as Western psychology.

For some meditators, adverse effects are completely unexpected and undesirable. Others believe that these effects are a normal part of the contemplative path, and as such they are a welcome sign of progress. Through her academic research Lutkajtis discovered that while the scientific studies and popular media coverage of meditation have been overwhelmingly positive, a small but growing number of studies also speak of meditation adverse effects.

Lutkajtis found that in religious traditions, such as Buddhism, these types of difficulties associated with meditation are acknowledged, and are usually understood to be either milestones on the path to enlightenment, the result of improper practice, or due to individual differences. In traditional contexts, meditation teachers are equipped to deal with adverse effects when they arise. However, in the modern West, meditation adverse effects have been largely ignored.

Given the current popularity and proliferation of secular meditation-related products and services, it is important to understand why meditation adverse effects have been overlooked, under-researched, and generally misunderstood. This book attempts to answer that question.

About the Author

Anna Lutkajtis is a postgraduate researcher from Sydney, Australia. Her research focuses on mysticism, the dark night of the soul and the healing potential of altered states of consciousness. She is particularly interested in the relationship between mental illness and spirituality, mystical experiences, and how techniques that were originally designed for contemplative purposes have been integrated into modern Western psychology. Her master's thesis, The Dark Side of Dharma , examined why meditation adverse effects, while well known in spiritual and religious traditions, have been ignored in contemporary secular contexts.

More in Buddhism

The Book of Joy - Dalai Lama

RRP $35.00

$31.75

How to Smile - Thich Nhat Hanh

Paperback

RRP $14.99

$14.25

The Chela and the Path : Keys to Soul Mastery in the Aquarian Age - Elizabeth Clare Prophet
Writing Down the Bones : Freeing the Writer Within - Natalie Goldberg
How To Live When A Loved One Dies - Thich Nhat Hanh

RRP $22.99

$21.90

Why We Meditate : 7 Simple Practices for a Calmer Mind - Daniel Goleman
Buddhism Oracle - Sofan Chan

Card or Card Deck

RRP $32.99

$30.25

The Zen of Cat : An A-Z of Japanese feline philosophy - Carla Francis
Buddha Dhamma Oracle : Rockpool Oracle - Sofan  Chan

RRP $32.99

$30.25

The Book of Tea : Japanese Tea Ceremonies and Culture - Okakura Kakuzo

FREE SHIPPING

Your True Home : The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh - Thich Nhat Hanh
The Art of Communicating - Thich Nhat Hanh

RRP $24.99

$23.75

Empowering Mindfulness for Women - Leigh Burrows

RRP $75.99

$59.95

21%
OFF
How To Love - Thich Nhat Hanh

Paperback

RRP $12.99

$12.35