Why Some People Find Meditation Retreats Stressful?

Why Some People Find Meditation Retreats Stressful?

~ Kumāra Bhikkhu

Meditation should reduce stress, right? So, logically, a meditation retreat should reduce a lot of stress. 

Then why some people find meditation retreats stressful instead?

Through my own experience in the past and teaching meditation for more than 10 years, I’ve a few observations on the why:

1) Forcing the mind to stop thinking.

Some people believe that meditation is about making their minds stop thinking. With this view, they would consciously or subconsciously force their mind to stop thinking. 

Regardless of whether they are successful in their effort, this forcing creates stress. As one does this over and over, the stress builds up.

2) Forcing the mind to focus on only one thing.

Some people view meditation as an effort to concentrate. And with that view, that’s what they try to do. When the mind is composed or collected, one can focus easily. However, when one tries to do that without having a composed or collected mind, it’s like forcing a wild monkey to sit still. 

Surely that wild monkey that the mind still is will be very much under stress.

This issue is based on a poor translation of samādhi as “concentration”. A better translation is “composure” or collectedness”. 

To bring about composure or collectedness, one should avoid forcing the mind to do something it’s not willing to do. Instead, one needs to work with the mind, befriend the mind, understand the mind.

3) Forcing the body to move very slowly.

Some people try to move in an unnaturally slow way. They believe that it helps them to concentrate. In any case, it’s an effortful way of walking. While one is fully physically ready for it, it’s still fine. But the body eventually will get tired, and that’s when it becomes increasingly stressful to maintain the slow movement.

Again, this is based on a misunderstanding of the word samādhi. There’s no need to move slowly. Nothing in the Suttas even suggests that. They just say “when walking, the monk discerns, ‘I am walking.’”

Meditation should reduce stress, not induce it. 

So, regardless of the why, if you find meditation stress-inducing, it makes perfect sense to stop and find out why.