Doc Says Meditation May Be Hazardous (caution--fundie site)

[davidinalameda]

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/1/afa/182005d.asp

A physician and co-author of the book Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook (Zondervan, 2001) says a study about transcendental meditation, or TM, leaves out some very important facts about the dangers of the popular New Age practice.

In a recent article from the Washington Post, TM is hailed in a study as a way to make the human brain more highly developed and disciplined. But author, physician and nationally syndicated TV show host Dr. Walt Larimore says the article, like so many others on TM, fails to tell readers about the downside of this activity.

For example, Larimore says the report failed to describe the potential emotional damage that has been shown to be associated with the practice of TM. "One study showed that almost half of those that were active as transcendental meditation trainers reported episodes of anxiety, depression, and confusion," he notes, "while some of them have frustration, mental and physical tension -- and this was over half of the trainers. It was really dramatically negative."

Larimore says TM is dangerous because the mind is opened up and left vulnerable to evil spirits. He warns that, although information from proponents tends to be deceptively positive, the practice of TM is emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually risky.

[toddaa]

1. I have two words Dr. Walt Larimore

BULL SHIT

If you strip away some of the more 'esoteric' beliefs of TM practioners and get down to bare essentials of their technique, it's no different than yoga or zazen. Meditation is a powerful mind altering technique and will bring to the fore any mental problems, whether chemical or psychological, in the practioner. But I'd suggest these people were trouble long before they decided to increase their mental focus. That aside, meditation has been shown to decrease blood pressure and stress and increase memory and concentration.

At its most basic, it's nothing more than focusing the mind on quieting all the noisy chatter that you accumulate through out the day. In my experience, Christians who spend considerable time deep in prayer are not much different from TMers who utter their secret word over and over.

[hvn_nbr_2]

2. Of course everyone knows ....

that right-wing Christians never experience anxiety, depression, or confusion. None of them have frustration, mental or physical tension. And man oh man, you always gotta watch out for those evil spirits.

[MountainLaurel]

5. They do, but

They consider it a matter of not having enough faith, or a result of sin.

[htuttle]

3. "mind opened up and left vulnerable to evil spirits"

Well, there's the problem right there! 'Doctor' Larimore has obviously confused meditation with watching commercial television.

[sophie996]

4. just "mind opened"

is enough to terrify the fundies!

[Chovexani]

6. Heh

This is like getting information on vegetarianism from the Texas beef lobby.

Who is he really fooling? Fundies think TM is dangerous because it might lead to such sinful behavior as finding answers within instead of hanging like a child on some preacher's every word.