Mudita Journal

The Benefits of Meditation

January 22, 2003 · Filed under: Intellectual
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The discussion of Paul Hibbert’s “Objectivism and Zen” essay is still raging over at the SOLO HQ. I posted the following in response to one person who expressed real skepticism about the benefits of meditation and asked, “What can Objectivists gain from Buddhism?”

The benefits of mindfulness meditation (meditation in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition, and valued in Zen traditions as well) commonly include: a greater sense of serenity, higher levels of awareness and perceptivity, and greater insight into oneself and one’s relationships and surroundings. These are the kinds of benefits typically “self-reported” by people who meditate.

If you want the scientific perspective on this, you can consult the research literature (esp. by Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachussets Hospital) for studies on the benefits of mindfulness meditation, which have demonstrated its effectiveness as a treatment for chronic pain, anxiety, and depression, among other things.

Since chronic pain, anxiety, and depression are rampant in American culture (and probably elsewhere), this suggests that a great many people stand to benefit from mindfulness meditation.

And here’s a relevant quote from Nathaniel Branden: “It struck me many years ago that Roark and Galt have a particular kind of serenity that is very Zen-like. I am inclined to think that no one can attain that level of serenity without a good deal of experience at meditation.” He posted this to the psychology @wetheliving.com discussion group on Monday.

One can realize the benefits of mindfulness meditation without subscribing in any fashion to Buddhism, as a religion or as a philosophy. (For an example of this religion-free approach, see Jon Kabat Zinn’s books Full Catastrophe Living or Wherever You Go, There You Are, which both mention Buddhism but teach the techniques in a way that is entirely free of religious dogma.)

As someone who has been meditating regularly for six years, I am in a strong position to be able to speak of its benefits: I experience them on a daily basis. I wouldn’t be wasting my time if it didn’t make a noticeable difference in my day-to-day life.

That said, meditation is not for everyone. Some people can’t “get over” the association with religion (which is very unfortunate, since there need not be anything mystical about meditation). Also, some people are unable to engage in formal meditation due to physical or mental problems that prevent them from maintaining the requisite focus.

But if you are in a position to experiment with meditation, I recommend it highly. There’s not much point in pontificating one way or another about its value unless you’ve tried it. It’s like giving lectures on sex when you’re still a virgin.

I am planning to write a far more formal answer to this question, addressing the relationship between Objectivism and mindfulness and laying out the reasons why anyone who is serious about consciousness should at least experiment with the benefits of meditation.

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