John P. Rettger , M.A. Mindfulness-Based Educator & Yoga Instructor

Informed Consent to Participate in Mindfulness Meditation

Potential Benefits and Challenges

Mindfulness is an ancient practice with roots in Eastern meditation traditions and is becoming more frequently practiced in the Western world. Rather than being an isolated practice, mindfulness is a way of being-in-the-world in which one is aware of what is occurring in the present-moment and approaches experience from a place of nonjudgemental observing. A pioneer in the integration of mindfulness in the West, Jon Kabat-Zinn (in Baer & Krietemeyer, 2006) suggests mindfulness involves a continual, experiential practice of “compassion, interest, friendliness, and open-heartedness toward the experience observed in the present-moment, regardless of how pleasant or aversive it may be” (p. 3).

While Mindfulness meditation has been suggested by practitioners to bring numerous positive psychospiritual benefits such as awareness, insight, wisdom, compassion, and equanimity (Goldstein in Baer & Krietemeyer, 2006; Kabat-Zinn in Baer & Krietemeyer, 2006) there is, although unlikely, a potential for undesirable effects such as the triggering of unpleasant memories, feelings, and thoughts. In addition, individuals with a history of trauma or severe emotional disturbance may experience an emergence or reactivation of distress. If you experience these uncommon yet distressful effects as a result of meditation, it is advisable that you seek services in your local area (JOHN P. RETTGER / TRANSPERSONALSTUFF.ORG). While highly unlikely, should you experience a severe psychiatric reaction, you can call 911 or go to your local ER and request a psychiatric evaluation.

While these effects sound undesirable, their emergence during meditation actually represents an important opportunity to heal these unpleasant feelings and memories. The practice of mindfulness has the potential to bring positive effects such as those described above, however, in the service of healing, often times the actual symptoms to be relieved need to be fully experienced and tolerated in order for a positive transformation to occur. In this context, mindfulness acts as a catalyst to health and wholeness by allowing that which needs to be healed to emerge into consciousness. With the awareness of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, one is able to objectively observe their experiences from a place of neutrality and subsequently choose a more skillful response to them. One such skillful response would be to talk about these experiences further in the safe context of psychotherapy or spiritual guidance. Thus, in order to facilitate psychological and spiritual growth and transformation, it is advisable for a practitioner of mindfulness to be a member of a spiritual community familiar with mindfulness practice or enrolled in psychotherapy or spiritual guidance.

While JOHN P. RETTGER is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology, in the case of these meditation practices and this website (transpersonalstuff.org), John and/or TRANSPERSONALSTUFF.ORG is not providing psychotherapy or psychological services, it is important to note that Mindfulness meditation is not psychotherapy and cannot be practiced as a substitute for professional psychiatric or psychological services.

Participation in mindfulness meditation with JOHN P. RETTGER / TRANSPERSONALSTUFF.ORG is contingent on reading and understanding this document. By clicking the links to the podcasts/meditations, you are stating: “I have read and understand the potential risks of mindfulness meditation, I acknowledge that I may not experience any benefits from this practice and am choosing to participate with the knowledge of potentially experiencing the above or otherwise not noted risks. Further I understand that signing this form pertains to my participation in the mindfulness meditation only is not psychological service/psychotherapy and does not enroll me in any other services provided by JOHN P. RETTGER / TRANSPERSONALSTUFF.ORG.

Questions:

John[at]transpersonalstuff.org