Personally speaking

• Prevalence of Meditation by James Spira, 3/30/98
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    • Meditation and Abreaction Due To Childhood Trauma by Jim Spira, 4/13/98
      
      

I am not sure I can agree with you. Admittedly, my own childhood experience was on the severe side, but there was so much work to do that I simply was not a candidate for meditation. Medications have not been very effective for me, so therapy and education had to create both a desire to heal and a wider world vision. Meditation was gradually introduced to me, as was focusing on my bodily sensations for release. I was able to achieve the sensation of harmony, but not to sustain it. During meditation, I frequently could not focus and quiet my mind. Instead, I turned toward my art interests, which offer a different forum for meditation and passing of intrusive thoughts. This was very helpful to me. What has made the great difference for myself, has been the continued facilitation of a nuturing and corrective holding environment ( see Dr. Donald Winnicott) by my therapist. Within that environment, the ability to express myself about a disagreement, led to my ability to allow my final vulnerability to abandonment be exposed. Due to the previous work with meditation and the knowledge and practice of my therapist, this has been my avenue, finally, to continued harmony and mindful awareness. This is the most complete and sustained relief I have experienced. An additional note on the qualifications of therapists using meditation. I believe that the use of imaging and relaxation exercises are appropriate in many circumstances, including the relief of physical pain. Such an exercise should be like listening to a good storyteller, where the relief is more externally caused. However, the individual teachings that accompany most true meditation require a highly developed therapist, so that the information is given as background. The profound realities of experiencing unity must not intrude on the client's own religious beliefs. Therefore, to address the spiritual reality of meditation, I think that it is ethicially responsible to direct individuals, FIRST, to readings or workshops within the frame of the client's own beliefs. From such a standpoint, a client has a better ability to pinpoint similarities and discuss opposing opinions.

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