In recent years, meditation has become a huge business in the western world—with millions of people testifying it has helped them calm their minds, improve their mood or even work through bouts of mental illness.

There is no shortage of press about the positive effects of meditation on people, and there are plenty of studies to back them up. But there is also evidence—evidence that's been growing for decades—that prolonged meditation can have a drastic negative impact on some people. This doesn't make the practice bad, or invalidate the help it has given to many ... but ask yourself if you've ever heard anything about the possible dangers of meditation. Why is that?

GUEST: David Kortava (Read David's piece in Harper's Magazine)

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Die Tierdocs: Brieftaube wirft falsch ein