Critical Perspectives & Commentary

Analysis and commentary from meditators, teachers, and researchers for readers exploring multiple viewpoints about intensive meditation training.

Sankalp Garud is a researcher and psychologist known for his work on emotions, mental health, and emotional intelligence. In this video talk, he challenges the overly positive narrative around meditation and discusses real risks, especially in intensive retreat settings. The aim isn’t to discourage meditation, but to promote discernment, self-awareness, and critical thinking.

He groups the risks into three major categories:

• Physical Risks (and Their Psychological Spillover)
  These often go unacknowledged but can cascade into mental difficulties.
  
  
• Socio-Psychological Risks
  These involve group dynamics and belief systems.
  
  
• Mental Health Risks
  The most serious category.