Primary Source Collection
Buddhist communities have for centuries warned practitioners about “meditation sickness,” “wind illness,” “demonic attack,” and other potential dangers of meditation. Here, for the first time, historical and contemporary teachings on the topic from around the Buddhist world have been brought together. These works not only identify the possible side effects of meditation practice, but also explain why they arise and how they can be effectively prevented and treated.
Note: This book will be available as an open access publication (i.e., free e-book for public distribution) in April 2027.
Journal Articles
Salguero, C. Pierce. 2023. “‘Meditation Sickness’ in Medieval Chinese Buddhism and the Contemporary West.” Journal of Buddhist Ethics 30: 169–211. [Open access].
Salguero, C. Pierce. 2026. “Asian Buddhist Perspectives on ‘Meditation Sickness’ and their Implications for Western Meditation.” Asian Medicine: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine, 21.2. [Coming late 2027!]
Special Issue
Coming in late 2027 in open access:
Special issue on Meditation Sickness from the Asian Medicine: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine, 21.2.
Audio & Video
BBP Episode: Interview with Dr Pierce Salguero about the sourcebook (rebroadcast from “Buddhist Yoga & Medicine” podcast)
Imperfect Buddha Podcast: Interview with Dr Pierce Salguero about the sourcebook
BBP Season 3 features interviews with many researchers and contemplative practitioners talking about side-effects and spiritual crisis. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Apple • Spotify • Pocketcasts
Looking for More?
There is a ton of research related to meditation side-effects, spiritual emergencies, and other related topics. The Cheetah House bibliography is a great starting point to access some of the more recent publications.