Jack Kornfield PhD, a psychologist
and experienced meditation teacher, described what he termed
a spiritual emergency that took place at an intensive meditation
retreat he was leading. (adapted from A
Path With Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual
Life by Jack Kornfield pp. 131-132)
An "overzealous young karate student" decided to
meditate and not move for a full day and night. When he got
up, he was filled with explosive energy. He strode into the
middle of the dining hall filled with 100 silent retreatants
and began to yell and practice his karate maneuvers at triple
speed. Then he screamed, "When I look at each of you,
I see behind you a whole trail of bodies showing your past
lives." As an experienced meditation teacher, Kornfield
recognized that the symptoms were related to the meditation
practice rather than signs of a manic episode (for which they
also meet all the diagnostic criteria except duration). The
meditation community handled the situation by stopping his
meditation practice and starting him jogging, ten miles in
the morning and afternoon. His diet was changed to include
red meat, which is thought to have a grounding effect. They
got him to take frequent hot baths and showers, and to dig
in the garden. One person was with him all the time. After
three days, he was able to sleep again and was allowed to started
meditating again, slowly and carefully.
<< Back to Case Library |
