When wellness becomes a fad the consequences can never be good

? EARS TO THE GROUND-

The Financial Times’ Untold: The Retreat is investigative journalism that will leave your ears tingling. The podcast features the impact of intensive meditation retreats and the harm they could have as opposed to the wealth of good benefits they intend to achieve.

The Goenka network’s Vipassana retreats, described as “a type of intensive meditation” are all the rave with the c-suite crowds and can be near impossible to get in on. However, the series explores the dark side of the retreat: Individuals who attended them and suffered from practices such as the ten-day silent vipassana retreats citing them as “hardcore” and akin to “voluntary prison sentences.”

One of the episodes is about Emily, a high-achieving student who returns from the retreat in a distressed state, believing she is the Messiah. Other testimonies detail hallucinations, and psychosis, with tragic outcomes, such as suicide.

Don’t get us wrong — we are for meditation and wellness, but the podcast emphasizes that this vipassana retreat was harmful to many. In a society where meditation is often celebrated as a path to inner peace and self-improvement, this series provides a necessary counterbalance by shedding light on the risks and dangers associated with intensive meditation practices. It’s a must-listen for anyone interested in holistic well-being and the potential pitfalls of spiritual practices.

You can listen onApplePodcasts, Podtail, Audible, and Spotify.