Meditation versus hypnosis

• Welcome to a Dialogue on Meditation in Psychotherapy with James Spira by John Grohol, 3/9/98
  • Meditation in Psychotherapy: Major Issues to Consider by Jim Spira, Ph.D., M.P.H., 4/13/98
    • Does meditation have detrimental effects? by Sencan Topaloglu, 9/11/98
      
      

As J. Krishnamurti explained for years, meditation is not a process of exclusion or concentration, which is often what is present in techniques taught. Repeating chants, mantras, images, or whatever, can certainly induce an altered state of consciousness which can have negative impact on people. But these kind of practices are, to my thinking, more along the lines of hypnosis, or a narrowing of awareness. I think that mediation, as the opening of awareness, can only be one of beauty. Unfortunately, this cannot be achieved through practice and acts of will, it can only occur through observing what is.

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