do u know any yoga side effects? Lets not discuss any faulty practice.
I found just side effect of meditation…
please look http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundalini_syndrome
Implied in this question is “bad” side effects. And that yoga is equal to techniques.
Tool and techniques are afterall neutral by themselves. In the hands of right or wrong person, too ambitious or unwitting use, lack or absence of correct know-how, absence or presence of ill-prepared coach and any number of more reasons can determine good or bad effects. To some extent, even excess of good is bad. Way back, a gentleman was taught ‘rhythmic breathing’ that was supposed to be 12 cycles per minute. The gentleman (an ex-armyman) returned after a month boasting of a phenomenal progress. He said he had achieved a feat of nearly 70 cycles a minute! To him, everything worked like a weapon, faster the better!
Having said that, we need to look at that article “kundalini syndrome” and remember where it is coming from. This is a typical western scientific orientation. They do not have a concept of “health”, it is “absence of disease”. Study of psychology is based on “abnormal” behavior. There is such an obsession about abnormality that they would call a perfectly normal person a case of “parfaite sant?” syndrome.
Yoga begins with ‘mind modifications’ caused by thoughts and perception; that is hardly a ‘problem’ for the scientific community to look into. Yoga’s goal is ‘enlightenment’ that scientists will understand only if you call it a “nothingness syndrome”. Prevention is not exciting, cure is the ‘scientific’ thing. Surgeries and prescription drugs (with immense side effects) is mainstream science, the rest is ‘alternative medicines’ which insurance doesn’t cover and doctors don’t consider.
Yoga practices do affect the physical body and its functions. But they are aimed at healing the subtle bodies. Together, they are expected to bring about a change, a metamorphosis that will put all body functions in such a perfect equilibrium that they can be erased from the awareness radar. Science does not look at such a multi-part model. “Psycho-physiology” and “astro-biology” are examples of recent marriages of convenience, since none alone appears to hold enough answers.
So, science is still tentative about multi-part models and has not yet recognized ‘higher intelligence’ as a scientific reality. That is my last point. If a yoga practitioner confines to the physical aspects alone, there will definitely be untoward side effects of practice going awry. But, when spiritual pursuit is at heart, the practitioner avails of protection from higher intelligence. There may be odd things happening. When you are attempting cell-level changes, the unwilling cells are bound to rebel. But as long as they are not a result of substantial accumulated karma, they will serve only as wake-up calls. If one continues on the wrong track, help arrives in many forms – books, friends, events and even serendipitous visits of yoga masters. In the final intricate phases, the inner teacher takes over. Any apparent ‘side effects’ are then designed only as tools for higher learning.
In yoga, we are not dealing with ‘dumb’ energy that can run berserk with wrong use. The energy is intelligent, its control is conscious and the goal is unquestionably constructive. This ensures that there are enough checks and balances in the very process of yoga to restrict any side ill-effects harming beyond repair.
It doesn’t surprise me that doing too much meditation could have negative effects. Too much of ANYTHING can have negative effects. The mind is a powerful, complex organ, and although mediation is healthy, it’s not natural to manipulate it’s automatic functioning. Some people have gotten away with long meditations, but they’re freaks lol
I have noticed too much Yoga, can cause me headaches. I don’t even really bother with Pranayama anymore. I’ve learn it from so many people and it always makes me feel dizzy and crap, and gives me headaches! I’m 100% happy breathing naturally anyway, so it’s no loss.
I do believe for men who do yoga, it’s good to also do strength training such as heavy Clean & Jerks, and Deadlifts, and get plenty of quality sleep, so turn the TV and computer off a couple of hours before bed. It keeps the hormones balanced. If you don’t keep the hormones balanced, you’ll be watching every episode of Dr Phil and discussing your mood swings with other women before you know it! lol This is important cause testosterone is a happy hormone, that keeps young strong and confident, and attractive to the opposite sex.
Anyway thats my 5 cents, take it or leave it.
I think only if we don’t listen to our body and mind, do we face side-effects. Yoga is all about balance and listening to ourselves, so when our journey goes off-limits we get hints from everywhere to just stop and listen. Thats the beauty of Yoga i think…
CityMonk,
The so called Kundalini syndrome has nothing whatsoever to do with meditation. These are certain psychological imbalances which are triggered once one has awakened the Kundalini energy in such a way, that one’s system was unable to handle it’s overwhelming energy. The process of awakening Kundalini is a very gradual phenomenon, for the reason that if one awakens an intensity of energy which one’s system is not prepared for, it can create greater damage than good. It is just like increasing the voltage on a machine which has not been designed or changed to handle the new situation - it will simply malfunction.
The Kundalini syndrome has very little to do with meditation, simply because kundalini is not awakened through meditation, although it may happen spotnaneously in a state of meditation. The methods for awakening Kundalini which are more centered around the mind are either concentration, or contemplation, or visualization, none of which are meditation. Meditation is not something that one can do as a conscious effort of the mind - it is something that arises as a force of it’s own once one’s inner space is prepared for it.
Otherwise, like anything else, there are various “side effects” that can happen if you are using meditation without the proper understanding. Like any tool, it can be used in a million and one different ways. If you mean by “faulty practice”, as also excluding the mental attitude which is like a spirit flowing through the practice, then there are no “negative” side effects which are possible from meditation itself.
[QUOTE=anderson111;50864]i think its depends on how you practices and meditation, if you properly doing then get good result otherwise get some bad effect but not like medicine.[/QUOTE]
I also think it comes down to the individual as well. Even if you do it properly, doesn’t mean you’ll have no issues. I only point this out, cause I know a teacher that argues with anyone that doesn’t get positive results, that they are doing it wrong. His arrogance is mind blowing, coming from a ‘spiritual’ person. That type of mentality comes from thinking that it’s the be all end all. It’s a very narrow minded trap to get yourself caught into.
I miss the point of this debate. The one negative side effect I can think of or relate to with regard to practicing yoga is that it may be boring to some people - not taking into account faulty practice, which can lead to injury. Another negative side effect may be that someone may get so engrossed in the ‘whole’ of yoga as to alienate and frustrate those around them by prattling on and on about how they ‘should’ be doing yoga, and “look how much better a person I am by doing yoga”, etc. Other than that, I don’t see any negative side effects.
“Kundalini Syndrome” is not a negative side effect of yoga. It is a negative side effect of terrible “yoga teachers” teaching what they have no business teaching and then being unable to guide students through what should just be part of the process.
It would be like a bunch of fire fighters who, instead of going through extremely advanced fire engineering classes and training just went through a 200 hour quick course. After that course, they could play with their hoses and fire hydrants all day long and talk the part real good. But once an actual fire broke out, they’d have no idea how what the hell to do.
I’ve always said that if it wasn’t for my guru, I’d be in a psyche ward being pumped full of all kinds of numbing meds because of some of the things I’ve experienced as I’ve gone inside.
Everything but decreasing the distance between you and your soul is a “side effect”.
Well, for what it’s worth I’ll discuss my side effects. I’m calmer, more centered. I can now breath before talking and acting in ways I will regret. I’m less tense when I drive, less likely to press the horn. I can handle situations which require patience with some degree of patience ( I’ve never been a happy waiter).
I’ve gone off meds for anxiety.
On the negative I suppose it takes time and dedication. Meditating is still a very hard task for me as my brain is perpetually revved at full speed. Meditating is getting better though, but it is more a matter of baby steps than leaps and bounds.
For all the negative, yoga’s benefits have far surpassed it. Does it take time, sure; but then when I’m done I’m “present” and “more alive.” In my case that means a great deal to me.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;50948]Everything but decreasing the distance between you and your soul is a “side effect”.[/QUOTE]
In that case, is the resulting physical fitness from regular asana practice just a side effect, or is it part of soul?
Great question Flex.
I’ll be me and answer a question with a question.
Does every yoga practitioner experience the same “resulting physical fitness”?
Classically, some would say, the body is prepared for meditation - which I find to be a slightly trite and played out response lacking some depth - though not untrue. I tend to frame things a bit differently. Much in the same way we align the body so that it can hold the energy, power, force of say pranayama so too do we prepare the physical body for holding the spirit.
Howeverrrrrrr, we’ve not defined “resulting physical fitness” and thus we may differ on exactly what thing(s) are being referenced and what their significance is. For example, lean muscle mass does not seem to be a requisite for holding the spirit. And I’m postulating a bit, of course, since I don’t “know”. Preparing the vessel, yes! What that preparation equals…not so sure.
And lean muscle mass can oh so obviously be a path toward ego. And a path toward ego cannot also be a path toward yoga in the model put forth by Sri Aurobindo.
[And lean muscle mass can oh so obviously be a path toward ego. And a path toward ego cannot also be a path toward yoga in the model put forth by Sri Aurobindo.[/QUOTE]
Well, said. I find when I focus to much on the physical body I lose one of the major benefits of yoga which is mind and spiritual health. It’s not just about calories, or time spent. For me it has to be more than that.