In this podcast, we speak with Glenn Auerbach, Founder and Publisher of SaunaTimes.com and a leading expert on what makes for “good sauna”. He joins us to explore the question of what are the elements that make the traditional use of heat and cold as emotionally and physically effective as possible?
Exploring The Often Under-Appreciated Risks of Meditation and Psychedelics: a Conversation with Roman Palitsky, PhD
In this episode, Dr. Roman Palitsky, a clinical psychologist and Director of Research Projects for Emory Spiritual Health, dives deep into the complex interplay between spirituality, meditation, and mental health. Drawing from his extensive research, Palitsky highlights the lesser-known risks of meditation and psychedelics—two practices often celebrated for their transformative benefits but rarely discussed for their potential challenges.
Dr. Palitsky’s journey into this field began with a fellowship to study mystics in India, where he noticed that meditation was approached more cautiously in its original cultural context than it is in the West. This observation sparked his ongoing exploration into the risks associated with meditation, which he pursued further during a post-doctoral fellowship at Brown University. There, he analyzed data from the Varieties of Contemplative Experience Study, uncovering that some meditators experience adverse effects like heightened anxiety, panic attacks, and dissociative symptoms. These challenges, he notes, can disrupt daily functioning and may require individuals to seek professional help or pause their practice.
Building on this work, Dr. Palitsky has expanded his focus to the risks associated with psychedelics, another spiritual tool that carries both profound benefits and potential pitfalls. While recognizing the tremendous therapeutic potential of these agents, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing the spiritual and existential risks these substances can pose. Palitsky and the team at Emory’s Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality are working on new frameworks to assess and manage these risks, aiming to make psychedelic therapies safer and more effective.
This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in the deeper, more nuanced aspects of meditation and psychedelics.
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