I have pointed out the risks of meditation and meditation-like practices before. The last time was on the Shoulder Advisors which does seem to fall on the boundary. I have experience with meditation and have been to extended silent meditation retreats with only positive results. Nonetheless, bad trips are possible—esp. without a supportive teacher and/or community.
But I wouldn’t make a norm against groups fostering meditation. Meditation depends on groups for support (though the same might be said about psychedelics). Meditation is also a known way to gain high levels of introspective awareness and to have many mental health benefits (many posts about that on LW I’m too lazy to find). The group norm about these things should be to require oversight by a Living Tradition of Knowledge in the relevant area (for meditation e.g. an established—maybe even Buddhist—meditation school).
I have pointed out the risks of meditation and meditation-like practices before. The last time was on the Shoulder Advisors which does seem to fall on the boundary. I have experience with meditation and have been to extended silent meditation retreats with only positive results. Nonetheless, bad trips are possible—esp. without a supportive teacher and/or community.
But I wouldn’t make a norm against groups fostering meditation. Meditation depends on groups for support (though the same might be said about psychedelics). Meditation is also a known way to gain high levels of introspective awareness and to have many mental health benefits (many posts about that on LW I’m too lazy to find). The group norm about these things should be to require oversight by a Living Tradition of Knowledge in the relevant area (for meditation e.g. an established—maybe even Buddhist—meditation school).