Can Meditation Make You Feel Worse?

Often when we begin to meditate, we can be overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions, and we might feel like things are getting worse. For Mingyur Rinpoche, this arose as experiences of panic and confusion, and it was his father who clarified that this is actually a good sign. In this video, Mingyur Rinpoche explains why this is the case, comparing our minds before meditating with a murky river after a large rainstorm. And, don’t worry! Seeing the contents of our minds is the first step in bringing increased well-being and joy into our lives.

This teaching is from Tergar’s Joy of Living Level 1 Online Program. To learn more, click here.

 
You can discuss this teaching in the Monthly Teachings Forum under the topic Can Meditation Make You Feel Worse?.
 

 
Looking for a translation in your own language? Click the “CC” button on the video above to turn on closed captioning.
 
Download a transcript of Can Meditation Make You Feel Worse? [pdf]

Reflection Question

• As you consider Mingyur Rinpoche’s teachings in this video, does it change how you understand meditation in any way?

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