I saw that Ute Kreplin’s article on Aeon Magazine has been published here on Medium, with a new title. Perhaps my response had some effect.

No, Tom, I don’t think leading a meditation session in a VR setting is crazy. I think it’s a potential solution for the jet-setting guru phenomenon, wherein the teachers are so busy flying around the world to give teachings that they don’t have time for anyone.

I thought that was something that only happens in the “West,” but then I listened to two very important Buddhist Lamas speaking about the excellent teachers they had, none of whom had any time for them. So, a technology that allows for more presence together and less airline miles flown, is an excellent and positive solution.

I also have zero problems with meditation being used in a secular setting — if there are competent teachers available to help those who get into trouble. But like the Tibetan lamas, most good teachers today have worldwide events they have to get to…

When I meditate (and, no, I’ve never studied with anyone) I have a little thing I do when I catch myself in some thoughts, or an imagined scenario. I just note my distraction, and end it cold, with a silent “story!” So when I was looking for somewhere to publish this article in response to Kreplin’s in Aeon, I was delighted to see everything here is just a “story,” even this response of mine. This may be the most enlightened venue for writing there is! 😊

I’m glad you found the article was “so careful and so right…” but truly my purpose was just to call out the ignorance, disrespect, and potential harm I see coming out of both camps of the scientific community (trying to prove meditation’s effectiveness versus trying to prove it’s dangerous or ineffective) in their approach to research. If they actually talked together, they might see what a potential cliff they are striding along. But no, I’m not interested in a campaign. This was just a little bit of my “speaking truth to power.”

I don’t think any form of meditation is wrong. I think everyone should meditate, especially scientists. That might speed up science, and deliver better results. But I think in the land-grab that is the mindfulness “industry” today, just as with most things, in order to position your product well, you end up dismissing, or even denigrating (even if you only elevate yours to such a great height that everything else is diminished in relation), all the rest, and because of the power of meditation — even its side-effects are beneficial — there is the danger that traditional knowledge will be lost and people can be harmed. That’s it. That’s extent of my story about it ☺️

I’ll be following your progress on the VR track.

Thank you for your insightful comments.

James