Meditation-Related Challenges Study

Meditation-Related Challenges Study

A study to understand the nature of meditation-related difficulties and adverse effects.

Participate in the Study

For this study we will ask you to fill out an online survey that will include some information about your background, your experience of meditation-related challenges, how you and others responded to those challenges, and anything that might have impacted your experience. 

 

You will also have the option to submit a written narrative if you would like to share your story in more detail. We will not ask for your name or other identifying information.

​

Participants will be compensated with a $30 gift card for completing the survey. There will also be opportunities to participate in other parts of the study for additional compensation, described below.

Who is eligible?

We are seeking anyone who has experienced difficulties, challenges, or distress related to meditation. To be eligible to participate, you must also be 18 years old or older, be able to read and understand English, and to reside in the United States, Canada, or Australia.

What does participation look like?

After filling out the short online screener questionnaire, we will invite participants who may be eligible to a 10-minute zoom conversation for screening purposes. This screening will not be recorded. If eligible, we will share the study consent form with you, and you will have an opportunity to ask any questions you have about the study. The consent form outlines important details to know about the study.  

Once you have consented to participate, we will share an online questionnaire with you. The questionnaire is comprehensive because we are interested in the details of your experience. It takes approximately 1-2 hours to complete, and you can take breaks at any point.  

After taking the survey, participants will be asked to provide any email through which they can receive a $30.00 gift card as compensation for participating.

Additional Opportunities

After completing the study questionnaire, some participants may also be invited to partake in some of the following activities, which would be further compensated: 

We will to invite some participants to an interview as part of the study. This interview would take approximately one hour and would be compensated with a $40.00 gift card.  

We will invite some participants to be part of a longitudinal study, in which we would follow up with you once every two months for a span of one year. During that time, we would send you online surveys, although these would be shorter than the first survey in the study. Each survey takes approximately 30-60 minutes.  

For the longitudinal study, participants will be compensated slightly more for each additional survey that they take. Compensation for the first survey is $10. Each additional survey is compensated with $3 more. So, each survey that participants complete will be compensated at $10, $13, $16, $19, $22, and $25, respectively.

 

You can choose to stop participating in the study at any time. We will also provide a resource guide related to any meditation, psychedelic, and/or mental health challenges. 

What will we do with the information you give us?

The insights and stories you share will help us better understand the nature of meditation-related difficulties, and to better understand what helps people navigate and recover from meditation-related challenges. The study findings collected will be published and presented to the public. However, no personally identifiable information will be disclosed, and your personal information will not be revealed. We will only report de-identified, anonymized, or aggregated data. 

​

Those who participate in an interview will be offered a $40 gift card. Those who take part in the longitudinal study will receive up to $105 total compensation for that part of the study. Participants will be given $10 for the first survey, and $3 for each additional survey. The completion of five surveys, including the final survey, earns the participant a $25 bonus.  

How can I participate?

As a first step, fill out this brief pre-screener. We will then contact participants who may be eligible for the online screening. 

Meditation-Related Challenges Study

A study to understand the nature of meditation-related difficulties and adverse effects

Approved by Emory University IRB (Protocol #00009315)

Contact the team:

p.psych@emory.edu

​

Contact the primary investigator:

roman.palitsky@emory.edu

https://www.meditationchallenges.org/information

CultNEWS101 News: 7/7/2026

Culture & Media

Videos

Biography: David Koresh and the Raid That Shook America

"Followers from around the world travel to Mount Carmel to hear the preaching of David Koresh, a local Texas working-class kid turned prophet of God and leader of the religious group The Branch Davidians. But as Koresh's teachings become more and more apocalyptic, members of the group question his motives, in this full documentary, 'Waco: Madman or Messiah.'"

Updates

Amnesty International: China: Detention of church leaders signals intensifying attacks on religious freedom

"...The Early Rain Covenant Church said on Monday it was raided by armed police midway through its Sunday service in the south-western city of Jiangyou, Sichuan province.

Spokespersons for the church said more than 30 members were taken away for interrogation, and two leaders remain detained. A church messaging account shared photographs and videos that show congregants surrounded by SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactical Unit) officers.

Founded in 2005, the Early Rain Covenant Church is one of the largest and most prominent “house churches” in China. In December 2018, authorities carried out a large-scale crackdown on the church, detaining more than 100 members. The church’s founding pastor Wang Yi was later convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations” and sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment in December 2019.

Tricked into Trance: How Cults Misuse Meditation and Hypnosis for Mind Control and Exploitation of Followers

"Tricked into Trance: How Cults Misuse Meditation and Hypnosis for Mind Control and Exploitation of Followers" argues that high-control groups weaponize altered states of consciousness to bypass followers' critical thinking. While these states can promote healing in healthy contexts, the article posits that cults use them to implement sophisticated psychological manipulation.

The author explains that intense meditation quiets the brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN)—which governs ego, skepticism, and boundaries—leaving the subconscious highly vulnerable. By inducing this state, leaders can plant ideologies, demand obedience, and foster dependency without resistance.

The process is often accelerated through forced, intensive breathing exercises. This practice—hyperventilation followed by breath retention—alters blood chemistry, constricts cerebral blood vessels, and forces the brain into theta- and delta-wave states. Physiologically, this starves the "security guard" of the critical mind, rendering the participant unable to analyze or question incoming information.

Consequently, followers transition from an intense, euphoric experience into a state of profound suggestibility. Manipulators exploit this by framing the resulting feelings of peace as a product of the leader's "grace." This shifts a natural physiological response into a perceived supernatural blessing, transforming feelings of gratitude into absolute, unquestioning obligation toward the organization and its leadership. Ultimately, the article warns that individuals may appear fully functional on the outside while their internal values, reality, and life choices are being systematically dictated by the cult's indoctrination process.

Five takeaways: Star investigation into alleged Southern Arizona 'cult'

An Arizona Daily Star investigation has brought significant scrutiny to the Global Community Communications Alliance (GCCA), a religious group based near Tumacacori, Arizona. Often described by former members as a "cult," the organization faces allegations of high-control tactics and exploitation.

The investigation highlights five key takeaways regarding the group's operations:

1. Forced Labor Allegations: Former members have filed lawsuits claiming they were subjected to long, unpaid workdays as a condition of membership. Allegations suggest that children within the community were also expected to perform manual labor, with schooling being minimal and focused primarily on indoctrination.

2. Highly Profitable Hospice: The GCCA operates Soulistic Hospice, which has become a significant financial engine for the group. Between 2021 and 2024, the hospice generated roughly $12 million in annual revenue, primarily through Medicare.

3. Large Financial Transfers: From 2010 to 2024, the hospice transferred nearly `$35 million in grants to the GCCA. This resulted in an approximate 34% profit margin, a figure significantly higher than the national average for hospices, which often operate with much narrower or negative margins.

4. Defensive Response: The GCCA has formally denied all allegations of wrongdoing. In a written statement, the group maintained that membership is a voluntary commitment made after a six-month trial period, asserting that members willingly contribute their labor to sustain the community.

5. Closed Campus Environment: Legal filings characterize the GCCA as a high-control, closed-campus religious group. These reports reinforce the testimonies of former members who describe a life defined by strict adherence to the group's mission at the expense of personal autonomy.

AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.

The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not imply that Patrick Ryan, Joseph Kelly, or Ashlen Hilliard endorse the content. We provide information from multiple perspectives to foster dialogue.

Please forward articles you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.

CultNEWS101 Articles: 6/15/2026

Culture & Media

New Events

Cheetah House: Buddhist Modernism and Meditation with Dr. Nathan Fisher

"Meditation is often presented in the West as a universal, scientific, and inherently beneficial practice capable of catalyzing therapeutic healing and profound psychological transformation. But where did these ideas come from, and why are they so compelling to so many of us? This talk explores the unique cultural movement known as “Buddhist modernism” and how it has indelibly shaped our default conceptions of this Asian religion and its rituals. We will examine how meditation came to be understood as a secular, therapeutic, and personal spiritual practice that is the essence of Buddhism, and how this diverse historical tradition came to be cast not as a religion at all but rather as an exceptional science of mind. Finally, we will explore how Buddhist modernist discourse and praxis can lead to a range of meditation-related challenges, and how even a basic appreciation of this cultural movement can help us make sense of important parts of many of our meditation journeys—indeed, the very water we have been swimming in without recognizing or even consenting to its assumptions, values, and norms."

Dr. Fisher recently received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies and Cognitive Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2011 before joining the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at Brown University, where he managed the 'Varieties of Contemplative Experience' (VCE) study from 2012-2015. Before starting graduate school, he was a visiting scholar at the Mind and Life Institute—where he organized a small conference on Abrahamic contemplative traditions—and lived in Jerusalem for 2 years to explore aspects of living Jewish mystical and meditative traditions.

• Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, 12:00 PM

• 1 hour 30 minutes @ $40.00

Updates

Legislative & Legal

CNS: Zizian attempted murder suspects obtain new counsel and trial date

A Superior Court judge granted new representation for one of two Zizian defendants, while the other will be tried for competency in March.

Suri Dao and Alexander Jeffrey are members of the Zizians, a loosely organized, cult-like group of radical vegans who claim artificial intelligence poses a threat to humanity. The two are among about 10 known followers of blogger Jack “Ziz” LaSota, a 34-year-old transgender woman who moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016.

The group has been linked to six killings nationwide, including Lind’s death. Fellow Zizian Maximilian Snyder is accused of fatally stabbing Lind in Vallejo on Jan. 17, 2025. Lind had been scheduled to testify in Dao and Leatham’s case. Snyder has pleaded not guilty, and his preliminary hearing is set for April 21.

LaSota, a former aspiring tech worker, moved to the Bay Area to study the risks posed by artificial intelligence and later built a following among AI theorists and tech bloggers for her extreme views on AI, veganism, and gender.

Ongoing Focus

Metro: ‘I was in the infamous NXIVM cult – even when I was branded, I didn’t leave.’

"Sarah Edmondson is a normal working mum. She spends her days rushing around after her sons, Troy, 11, and seven-year-old Ace, taking them to baseball games and working on her podcast with her husband.

However, a trace of her former life remains as a pale white line on her left hip, beneath her bikini line. 

It appeared on Sarah’s body as part of an ‘initiation’ into a secret women’s circle, where she was blindfolded, told to strip naked, and branded with the logo of the controversial NXIVM cult.

Led there under false pretenses, she had been entrenched within the organization (pronounced “Nexium”) for 12 years while it consumed her career, relationships, and – crucially – her thought patterns.

Sarah’s ordeal began when she was 28. Working as an actor, she was at a film festival when she met a member of NXIVM, who told her that the group – founded by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman – helped members reach their goals while living ethically and promoting world peace, through workshops on success and self-improvement."

"...Sarah was won over by the self-improvement aspects of the training and by day five admits she was a ‘zealot’. 

‘I was inspired by what the group promised to be and was excited to meet so many people in personal growth, she explains. 

With a price tag of $2,160 for Sarah and her then-boyfriend, it was more than a month’s rent at the time, but she threw herself in, implementing what she had learned, firing her agent, and getting new representation. 

‘Everything that had been a sticking point in my life was flipped back as an opportunity for growth. I was told I had never pushed through my limitations, and that was true.’

Sarah began to feel more positive and motivated, and for the first time in years, weaned herself off sleeping pills. Feeling encouraged, she enrolled in further training and started to see more acting jobs roll in."

"...Over the years, she excelled at NXIVM, whose headquarters were in Albany, New York, and established her own branch – a thriving center in Vancouver. By 2009, it was bustling, with 80 students visiting a night. 

Internationally, NXIVM was also booming, boasting celebrities such as Smallville actor Allison Mack and Battlestar Galactica's Nicki Clyne on its roster, and even hosting the Dalai Lama at one of its events.

However, behind the scenes, disturbing practices were emerging.

Some women in the inner circles were put on special diets or were criticized for eating, being told they were ‘indulgent’ if they were not under 100lb (just over seven stone). They were expected to practice daily acts of denial, forgoing sugar and caffeine, and told to take cold showers as a penance."

WFLA: Pinellas County, Church of Scientology plans to renovate downtown Clearwater with a $350M project

"Clearwater City Council and the Cleveland Street Alliance (the Church of Scientology and its real estate partners) discussed plans for the first time publicly at a workshop… for a $350,000,000 project to revitalize the downtown area.

“Instead of being just a pass-through to the beach, this will definitely be a stop. We want to make sure it’s more of a destination than just a stop,” said Al Battle, the Assistant City Manager of Clearwater.

Religious officials plan to take over 40 storefronts and 6 historic buildings already owned by the Church and convert them into restaurants, bars, and an entertainment district, among other uses, according to speakers at the meeting.

The Church will cover the entire cost of the renovations. Some of the properties have begun construction or demolition, while some are awaiting permits.

AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

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Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

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CultNEWS101 Articles: 11/12/2025

Neurobiology, Meditation, Unification Church, Korea, Legal

Cambridge University Press: Evaluating evidence behind popular trauma narratives: neurobiological and treatment claims in The Body Keeps the Score

"Bessel van der Kolk's book The Body Keeps the Score has maintained exceptional cultural and clinical influence since its publication in 2014, remaining a best-seller and shaping public discourse on trauma. Its central claims – that trauma causes lasting neurobiological damage and that body-based treatments are uniquely effective – have been widely embraced but seldom subjected to systematic critical evaluation in peer-reviewed literature. This commentary synthesises the evidentiary basis for these claims as a counterweight to an influential narrative. It situates these findings within broader discussions of neuroscience framing, cultural appeal, and evidence-based communication, underscoring the need for rigorous, balanced engagement with widely disseminated mental health narratives."

Science Daily: Scientists uncover meditation's hidden side effects

Meditation is widely praised for its mental health benefits, but new research shows that it can also produce unexpected side effects for some people—from anxiety and dissociation to functional impairment. Psychologist Nicholas Van Dam and his team found that nearly 60% of meditators experienced some kind of effect, and about a third found them distressing.

" ... The results showed that nearly 60% of U.S. meditators reported at least one side effect listed on the checklist (for example, feeling anxious or disembodied). About 30% said they experienced effects that were challenging or distressing, and 9% reported that these effects caused functional impairment.

The study also identified several potential risk factors. Individuals who had experienced mental health symptoms or psychological distress within the 30 days before meditating were more likely to report adverse effects. Those who attended intensive residential retreats, which often involve long periods of silent meditation, were also more likely to experience functional impairment.

Van Dam noted that more research is needed to determine cause and effect. A prospective longitudinal study, he said, would help clarify how mental health and meditation interact over time."

Reuters: Head of Unification Church temporarily freed from South Korean jail

"Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Unification Church, was temporarily released on Tuesday from a South Korean jail on medical grounds after a court ruling, a court spokesperson and a church official said.

Han has been accused of directing the church to bribe former First Lady Kim Keon Hee for favours for the church's business interests. She has denied the allegations, calling them "false information".

Han will be freed from jail until 4 p.m. (0700 GMT) on Friday, the Seoul Central District Court said in a text message.

Han's lawyer had requested her temporary release for medical reasons, a spokesperson at the church said, without elaborating.

The court said Han would be required to stay at a hospital designated by the court.

She will be prohibited from meeting or contacting anyone related to the case, except for her lawyers, the court said."

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

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CultNEWS101 Articles: 9/29/2025

Meditation, Unification Church, Legal, Japan, Korea

Science Alert: Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Don't Often Talk About

" ... The Dharmatrāta Meditation Scripture, written by a community of Buddhists, describes various practices and includes reports of symptoms of depression and anxiety that can occur after meditation.

It also details cognitive anomalies associated with episodes of psychosis, dissociation, and depersonalisation (when people feel the world is "unreal").

In the past eight years there has been a surge of scientific research in this area. These studies show that adverse effects are not rare.

A 2022 study, using a sample of 953 people in the US who meditated regularly, showed that over 10 percent of participants experienced adverse effects which had a significant negative impact on their everyday life and lasted for at least one month.

According to a review of over 40 years of research that was published in 2020, the most common adverse effects are anxiety and depression. These are followed by psychotic or delusional symptoms, dissociation or depersonalisation, and fear or terror.

Research also found that adverse effects can happen to people without previous mental health problems, to those who have only had a moderate exposure to meditation and they can lead to long-lasting symptoms.

The western world has also had evidence about these adverse effects for a long time.

In 1976, Arnold Lazarus, a key figure in the cognitive-behavioural science movement, said that meditation, when used indiscriminately, could induce 'serious psychiatric problems such as depression, agitation, and even schizophrenic decompensation'."

Chosun: Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja to attend special counsel

After declining three summonses, Han agrees to cooperate in an illegal funds probe.

"Han Hak-ja, the Unification Church leader suspected of being the "higher-up" who provided illegal political funds to People Power Party Representative Kweon Seong-dong, announced on the 16th that he would "attend the special counsel team at 10 a.m. on the 17th." Earlier, Han's side had declined three summonses from the special counsel team, citing health reasons.

On this day, the Unification Church stated, "Chairman Han will attend at 10 a.m. on the 17th and cooperate sincerely with the investigation," adding, "Although his health has not fully recovered, we hope the special counsel team will understand his intention to keep the promise made before them." It further noted, "We apologize for the lack of prior consultation with the special counsel team," indicating that the attendance was arranged without prior coordination.

Previously, the special counsel team had notified Han of summonses on the 8th, 11th, and 15th of last month. In response, the Unification Church submitted no-show reasons days before each scheduled date, citing Han's poor health, including recent heart surgery. The special counsel team then stated, "We are processing the three instances of non-compliance and reviewing future measures." Some speculated that the team might initiate compulsory investigations, such as requesting an arrest warrant."

AP: South Korean investigators have requested an arrest warrant for Hak Ja Han, leader of the Unification Church

"South Korean investigators said Thursday that they have requested an arrest warrant for the leader of the Unification Church. The announcement came a day after they questioned her about allegations that the church bribed the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol and a conservative lawmaker.

The church leader, Hak Ja Han, is the 82-year-old widow of the church's South Korean founder, Sun Myung Moon. She and the church have denied allegations they bribed Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, and the lawmaker.

Park Sang-jin, an investigator involved in the case, told The Associated Press that a court hearing to decide whether to approve Han's arrest was scheduled for next Monday.

Kim was arrested and charged last month on allegations including bribery, stock manipulation and meddling in the selection of a legislative candidate. Her lawyers have denied the allegations."

Chosun: Democratic Party demands People Power Party dissolution over Unification Church ties

"The Democratic Party claimed on the 19th, "Media reports have emerged that the special counsel team confirmed 110,000 party members presumed to be Unification Church followers in the People Power Party membership list seized during a raid," adding, 'If this is true, it violates Article 20 of the Constitution's principle of separation of church and state, proving the People Power Party is an unconstitutional party, so it must be dissolved.'"

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

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Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

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Thanks,

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CultNEWS101 Articles: 9/26/2025

Jim Jones, Clergy, Sexual Abuse, Meditation

The Mercury News: New book uncovers the story behind infamous Bay Area cult

"Decades before Charles Manson's followers spread terror in Los Angeles and Jim Jones orchestrated mass suicide in Guyana, a bearded mystic named Thomas Lake Harris preached salvation in the hills above Santa Rosa.

He claimed to speak with spirits, rewrite the Bible, and battle demons in trances. His followers gave him their money — sometimes a great deal more. What began as a utopian experiment called Fountaingrove ended in scandal and headlines about "spiritual harems" and mind control.

In a new book, "Unholy Sensations: A Story of Sex, Scandal and California's First Cult Scare" (Oxford University Press, 2025), historian Joshua Paddison revisits Harris' rise and fall. It is a sensational tale of faith, fraud, and forbidden desire that captivated 19th-century America and whose themes still resonate today.

Sonoma County

Paddison, a history instructor at Texas State University, situates Harris within the context of a 19th-century spiritual awakening, an era marked by a search for meaning beyond the industrial age, during which utopian communities emerged across the country.

Born in 1823 in the village of Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England, Harris came to the United States when he was five years old. His solidly middle-class family settled in Utica, New York, where his father was a grocer and devout Calvinistic Baptist. His mother died when he was nine.

Harris said he experienced an "overflowing" love for Christ at 15, during a revival meeting. He began his public life as a Unitarian minister in New York around 1845. But his path soon veered into the realm of spiritualism. Claiming the ability to serve as a medium, he drew inspiration from the teachings of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, whose writings sparked a lifelong fascination with the spirit world."

BBC: Sex abuse cult leader's move to open prison blocked

"A sex-cult leader who brainwashed and abused children will not be transferred to an open prison despite a parole board's recommendation.

Colin Batley was jailed in 2011 after being found guilty of 35 offences relating to being a molester and rapist of children and young people for more than 30 years.

In March, a parole board decided it would recommend Batley be moved to an open prison after a hearing found he had shown an "improved level of insight into his offending behaviour".

However, the final decision had to be made by the justice secretary, with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirming it had "blocked" Batley's transfer to an open prison.

Batley moved from London to Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, where the cult operated in a cul-de-sac, Clos yr Onnen.

Cult members who all lived there took part in a catalogue of abuse against children and young adults, with victims saying the group used occult writings and practices to "brainwash" them and justify their abuse."

Science Alert: Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Don't Often Talk About

" ... The Dharmatrāta Meditation Scripture, written by a community of Buddhists, describes various practices and includes reports of symptoms of depression and anxiety that can occur after meditation.

It also details cognitive anomalies associated with episodes of psychosis, dissociation, and depersonalisation (when people feel the world is "unreal").

In the past eight years, there has been a surge of scientific research in this area. These studies show that adverse effects are not rare.

A 2022 study, using a sample of 953 people in the US who meditated regularly, showed that over 10 percent of participants experienced adverse effects that had a significant negative impact on their everyday life and lasted for at least one month.

According to a review of over 40 years of research that was published in 2020, the most common adverse effects are anxiety and depression. These are followed by psychotic or delusional symptoms, dissociation or depersonalisation, and fear or terror.

Research also found that adverse effects can happen to people without previous mental health problems, to those who have only had a moderate exposure to meditation, and they can lead to long-lasting symptoms.

The Western world has long had evidence of these adverse effects.

In 1976, Arnold Lazarus, a key figure in the cognitive-behavioural science movement, said that meditation, when used indiscriminately, could induce 'serious psychiatric problems such as depression, agitation, and even schizophrenic decompensation'."

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families in making the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources about: cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations, and related topics.

The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not imply that Patrick Ryan or Joseph Kelly endorse the content. We provide information from multiple perspectives to foster dialogue.

Please forward articles that you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.