Questions (IQ): The Hidden Key Behind Meditation: When It Works, When It Doesn't & When It Backfires (IQ. 285)

If you are here, you have likely heard about the power of belief at least once, and probably a thousand times, especially when it comes to mind body healing and the power of the mind. But true mastery of anything comes from understanding the details. Think about computers. The more someone understands the details of how they work, the more effectively they can use them. The same is true with the mind body connection and the subconscious mind. And surprisingly, even with something as familiar as belief, there are deeper layers and important distinctions that can make a tremendous difference. In this episode, Brandy explores: Why one type of belief helped move her toward healing while another kept her stuck for years Why "just believe more" can miss important details about mind body healing What overlooked distinctions around belief can change the way we understand and use the power of the mind In her own healing journey, becoming clearer on these distinctions created an important breakthrough. There was one type of belief that became incredibly powerful and ultimately helped her heal herself. But surprisingly, there was also another way she was using belief that actually kept her stuck for years. And it is something she still sees people doing all the time today. Brandy also explores fascinating insights around the placebo effect, nocebo effect, open label placebo, the energy of the body, and subconscious mind body communication. So yes, you have probably heard about the power of belief many times before. But this episode is not about simply telling yourself to "believe more." It is about understanding the key distinctions, overlooked details, and deeper insights that can completely change the way you think about belief and the power of your own mind. And some of them may surprise you.   Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops.   Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

Have you ever worked and worked to release a childhood pattern, only to find that somehow it keeps coming back? Maybe you thought you had finally let it go… and then suddenly, there it is again. In this episode, Brandy shares a powerful insight from a recent session with a beautiful volunteer named Gia. As they begin working with a pattern connected to childhood, something important starts to emerge: There may be a reason some childhood patterns remain surprisingly difficult to release, even after years of understanding them, processing them, and trying to change them. And it may not be what most people think. Sometimes we can understand exactly where a pattern came from and still wonder: Why is this still here? Why does it keep resurfacing? Why does it feel like part of me wants to change while another part seems completely stuck? During this session, Brandy identifies a distinction that can completely change the way you think about working with old emotional patterns. If you have ever felt frustrated because you know where a childhood pattern came from but still cannot seem to fully release it, this episode may help you see the puzzle from a very different angle. Sometimes the key to changing an old pattern is hidden somewhere we have not been taught to look.   → Continue Your Self-Healing Journey Listen to the Full Volunteer Self-Healing Session Click here to access today's self-healing session as Brandy Gillmore works directly with Gia Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops. Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

Meditation is widely celebrated for its benefits, but what if some of the most important factors behind why it works are different from what most people think? What if understanding these hidden factors could help you achieve better results in your health and life by understanding your mind on a deeper level? And what if these same insights could help you recognize warning signs, avoid potentially harmful patterns, and make meditation more effective? Most people are surprised to learn that meditation can have adverse effects, and that some of these effects have actually been documented in medical research. But that's only part of the story. In this eye-opening episode, Brandy Gillmore shares fascinating insights from her own research into the mind-body connection, including the hidden key that may help explain why meditation works for some people, doesn't work for others, and sometimes even backfires. After years of extensive research, Brandy uncovered surprising insights that transformed the way she approached healing, emotional patterns, and creating lasting change. In this episode, you'll discover: The hidden key behind meditation: An often-overlooked factor that could completely change how you think about meditation. When meditation works—and when it doesn't: Why the answer may be more surprising than you think. The warning signs you might be missing: How can something that feels so peaceful sometimes work against you? Why Brandy stopped meditating: What she discovered after years of extensive practice, despite absolutely loving meditation. A surprising difference that matters: Why two seemingly similar mind practices may produce very different results. The Intentional Meditation Protocol (IMP): Three simple steps to help you become more intentional and evaluate whether your practice is truly serving you. Whether you're an experienced meditator, just getting started, or exploring the power of your own mind, this episode offers a fresh perspective that may change the way you approach meditation, healing, and transformation! For a deeper look at the medical research on meditation side effects, listen to the previous episode and show notes here: https://brandygillmore.com/questions-iq-meditation-side-effects-what-everyone-needs-to-know-iq-283/  #Meditation #MindBodyConnection #MindProgramming #BrandyGillmore Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops.   Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

What if emotions from a relationship that ended years ago were still affecting you in ways you never realized? In this powerful episode, Brandy works with a beautiful volunteer who begins the session at approximately a level 7 to 8 in pain. About 30 minutes later, she is almost afraid to say what she is experiencing because she can hardly believe it herself... Her pain is nearly gone. But what unfolded during the session was about much more than physical pain. As Brandy works with her, several surprising emotional patterns begin to surface, including patterns connected to a past relationship, feeling alone, and the way she has been approaching the next chapter of her life. And one of the most fascinating insights is that the shift was not simply about relaxing or calming down. Something very different needed to change. As the session progresses, you can actually hear her energy begin to transform. She moves from tears and feeling stuck to laughter, possibility, strength, and excitement about her future. And along the way, her pain continues to change. This episode raises an important question: Can we physically move on from something while emotionally remaining connected to it? And if so, what might become possible when that pattern finally changes? If you have ever felt stuck after a difficult relationship, struggled to completely move forward, or wondered just how powerful your own mind may be, this is an episode you won't want to miss. You may be surprised by what emerges, and by what this beautiful volunteer discovers she is capable of.   → Continue Your Self-Healing Journey Listen to the Full Volunteer Self-Healing Session Click here to access today's self-healing session as Brandy Gillmore works directly with Samantha Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops. Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected] 

Have you been experiencing AI anxiety, fear of AI, or worry about what artificial intelligence could mean for your future, career, or job? More and more people are feeling stressed, discouraged, or even stuck because of frightening predictions about the future of AI, job loss, and how quickly technology is changing. In this episode, Brandy shares a grounded mindset shift to help you navigate fear about AI and the future without ignoring legitimate concerns or pretending that everything will magically be fine. Instead, it is about recognizing the difference between staying informed and taking intelligent action versus becoming so consumed by fear that you stop building your life today. Brandy explores several powerful examples, including Y2K, major technological changes, and what she witnessed during COVID, when some people became so discouraged about the future that they stopped taking care of themselves or working toward the life they wanted. She also shares how this same principle showed up during her own healing journey. When her future felt hopeless, discouragement kept her stuck. But when she began opening her mind to a different possibility, she also began looking for answers, learning, growing, and taking action. The message is simple: You do not have to know exactly how the future will unfold to keep creating a future you are excited to live. If you have been wondering how to stop worrying about AI, how AI could affect jobs, or how to stay grounded and optimistic as technology changes, this episode offers an empowering way to think about uncertainty, growth, action, and your future. Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops.   Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

Have you ever changed your diet, started feeling better, and thought, Finally—I found what works… only to have the results change later? There may be more happening than we realize. What if the foods you eat—and the way you relate to them—could shift your emotions from day to day in ways that affect your stress, guilt, happiness, and even how you feel physically? When most people think about emotional eating, they think about eating when stressed, sad, or overwhelmed. But our emotional relationship with food can go much deeper than that—and can sometimes be surprisingly connected to feelings of safety, control, guilt, identity, worthiness, or belonging. In this episode, Brandy works with a beautiful volunteer who had been struggling with ongoing stomach and digestive issues for years. What emerged was fascinating: she had grown up in a very strict, sheltered environment—and later found herself gravitating toward a very strict, structured way of eating. As they looked deeper, that structure around food appeared to provide something emotionally familiar: a feeling of safety and control when life itself felt uncertain. And that raises an important question: When a diet seems to "work," is it always only the food that changed—or could something else have shifted at the same time? Brandy shares several surprising examples that may completely change the way you think about food, emotions, healing, and the subconscious mind. If you've ever felt like you were chasing the "perfect diet," this episode may help you look at the puzzle from an entirely different angle.   → Continue Your Self-Healing Journey Listen to the Full Volunteer Self-Healing Session Click here to access today's self-healing session as Brandy Gillmore works directly with Kera Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops. Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

Last week, I shared my own unexpected experience with meditation. I had practiced meditation for years—and I genuinely loved it. It felt peaceful, spiritual, and incredibly good. But over time, I began realizing that I had also experienced some unexpected side effects that I hadn't recognized at first. And throughout the years, as I've worked with more and more people, I've seen some of these same types of experiences come up again and again. That's one reason I periodically like to talk about meditation-related side effects. In my own life, it did not feel good to eventually realize that I had become increasingly detached and disconnected from life. And if sharing my experience and this information can help even one person recognize something sooner than I did, then to me, it's worth talking about. That does not mean I'm telling people to meditate or not to meditate. It simply means: Be aware. Be informed. Pay attention to what your mind is doing. Last week, I shared some of the unexpected side effects I personally experienced. And interestingly, almost every time I talk publicly about this subject, I hear from some people who teach meditation asking me not to talk about the potential side effects because they're concerned it will scare people away from meditation. But I see it differently. I don't believe honesty and transparency should scare people away from something. I believe transparency empowers people and builds trust. And I don't want to participate in withholding information simply because somebody may not like hearing it. To me, the right thing to do is acknowledge both sides: Yes, meditation and mindfulness practices can have documented benefits. And yes, meditation-related adverse effects have also been documented and clinically reported. Both can be true. That is the heart of today's episode. I also share some practical examples of why these effects can be surprisingly difficult to recognize—including how something can actually feel good or relieving in the moment while potentially reinforcing a pattern you may not realize is developing. We explore: Why something that feels beneficial can sometimes have an unintended downside Why relief and genuine transformation are not necessarily the same thing How I personally began to recognize a pattern of "checking out" Why the timing of meditation may matter for some people How meditation may affect presence and connection in everyday life The difference I see between checking out through meditation and intentionally visualizing the life and emotional state you want to create Why understanding what your mind is repeatedly practicing can be so important And why I believe the goal is not simply to escape stress, but to identify what is creating it and genuinely transform it One of the biggest questions I encourage you to ask is: "What is this repeatedly training my mind to do?" Because ultimately, my hope is not to tell you what to think about meditation. My hope is to help you become even more informed and empowered with your own mind. Below, I've included a research-based list of potential benefits associated with meditation and mindfulness, as well as documented or clinically reported adverse effects, so you can see both sides and explore the information for yourself. Medically documented potential benefits of meditation/mindfulness The evidence is strongest for some psychological and symptom-management outcomes, and weaker or mixed for others. Reduced anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness-based interventions have performed better than no treatment in multiple studies and, in some analyses, comparably to established treatments, although results vary by intervention and study quality. NCCIH Reduced depressive symptoms. This is one of the better-supported clinical uses of mindfulness-based approaches. NCCIH Reduced psychological stress/distress. Evidence supports improvements in perceived stress and psychological distress in a variety of populations, although effect sizes and study quality differ substantially. NCCIH Improved sleep quality / reduced insomnia symptoms. Meta-analyses of randomized trials have found improvements in sleep quality and some measures of insomnia. PubMed Chronic-pain management. Meditation may produce small improvements in chronic pain, pain-related depression, quality of life, and sometimes pain tolerance. Evidence is considerably less consistent for acute pain. PubMed Improved quality of life in some chronic-pain populations. PubMed Possible reduction in blood pressure. Recent reviews of adults with elevated blood pressure or hypertension report reductions in systolic and, in several trials, diastolic blood pressure, though methodological limitations remain. PubMed Reduced PTSD symptoms in some populations. NCCIH notes evidence of benefit, including trials in veterans, although this does not establish that meditation is appropriate for every trauma survivor. NCCIH Help with substance-use recovery/craving management. Mindfulness-based programs may help people recognize cravings and reduce automatic responses to them. NCCIH Improved eating behavior. Studies have reported improvements in binge eating, emotional eating, and restrained eating patterns. NCCIH Possible modest assistance with weight management when meditation is included within broader mindfulness programs. NCCIH Reduced anxiety/depression and improved mental well-being in some people with cancer. NCCIH Some cognitive benefits. A large meta-analysis of 111 randomized trials found small-to-moderate improvements in several outcomes, including global cognition, executive attention, working-memory accuracy, inhibition, cognitive shifting, sustained attention, and subjective cognitive functioning. PubMed However, another meta-analysis found no significant overall improvement in attention, working memory, or long-term memory, with only a small executive-function benefit. So the cognitive literature is not entirely consistent. PubMed     Medically documented or clinically reported adverse effects A 2020 systematic review examined 83 studies involving 6,703 meditators. Fifty-five of the 83 studies reported at least one meditation-related adverse event. The pooled estimate was 8.3%, although prevalence differed dramatically by study design. The most commonly reported categories were anxiety, depression, and cognitive anomalies. PubMed NCCIH now explicitly acknowledges this review and says there are too few harm studies to make definitive statements about meditation's safety. NCCIH The documented/reported adverse experiences include: Anxiety and emotional effects Anxiety Increased fear Panic attacks Paranoia Depression Dysphoria Grief Agitation Irritability Rage Anger Aggression Emotional instability/lability Increased emotional sensitivity/reactivity Emotional flattening Emotional detachment Alexithymia-like difficulty accessing emotions Increased guilt or shame Other intensified self-conscious emotions Uncontrollable crying or laughing Re-emergence of emotionally charged psychological material Re-experiencing traumatic memories Traumatic flashbacks Suicidal thoughts/behaviors in some reports These categories appear in systematic reviews and Brown's detailed phenomenological work. PLOS Cognitive effects Documented/reported changes include: Difficulty concentrating Impairment in executive functioning Memory problems Increased or racing thoughts Unusually accelerated cognitive processing Vivid or intrusive imagery Confusion Changes in worldview that become destabilizing Disintegration of conceptual meaning—things or ideas no longer seeming to connect normally Obsessive ethical/religious thinking or scrupulosity Altered metacognition Excessive mental stillness that can become impairing rather than beneficial Changes in clarity of thought, sometimes experienced negatively Delusional beliefs Irrational beliefs Paranormal interpretations associated with impaired reality testing Brown's study specifically describes executive-function difficulties as including inability to sustain concentration and problems with memory. PLOS Perceptual effects Reported effects include: Hallucinations Visual hallucinations Auditory or other hallucinations Visions Illusions Seeing lights Heightened visual vividness Sensory hypersensitivity Increased sensitivity to sound Increased sensitivity to light Increased sensitivity to bodily sensations Changes in body perception Distorted perception of body parts Distortions of time Distortions of space Objects appearing to dissolve Temporary loss/cessation of ordinary visual perception in some meditation states Derealization—the world feeling unreal, dreamlike, flat, foggy, or altered PLOS Depersonalization and sense-of-self effects Reported changes include: Depersonalization Altered self-world boundaries Altered self-other boundaries Loss of ordinary sense of self Loss of a basic sense of self Loss or alteration of sense of agency Feeling that actions/thoughts are no longer fully one's own Altered embodiment Feeling disconnected from the body Loss of sense of ownership over thoughts, sensations, or experiences Changes in one's personal narrative or identity Clinical literature has reported meditation-related depersonalization serious enough to require treatment. PLOS Motivation and behavioral effects Loss of motivation Avolition Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities Anhedonia Changes in personal goals Changes in motivation toward work or ordinary life Excessive striving around meditation Difficulty reintegrating into ordinary life following intensive practice PubMed Central (PMC) Sleep-related effects Insomnia Reduced sleep Dramatic changes in perceived need for sleep Sleep disruption Nightmares Vivid dreams Lucid dreams Other parasomnias PLOS Physical/somatic effects Reported physical experiences include: Headaches Head pressure Dizziness Fainting/syncope Nausea Gastrointestinal distress Abdominal discomfort Muscular pain Back/neck/shoulder pain Other bodily pain Pressure or tension sensations Sudden release of bodily tension Unusual sensations described as electrical currents or energy Uncontrolled/involuntary body movements Altered breathing Breathing irregularities Cardiac sensations or irregularities Heat sensations Cold sensations Changes in appetite Reduced food intake Weight changes Fatigue Weakness Changes in sexuality or sexual functioning PLOS Social and occupational effects Social withdrawal Social impairment Difficulties maintaining relationships Changes in relationships with family or friends Changes in relationship with one's meditation community Difficulty functioning at work Occupational impairment Difficulty reintegrating after intensive meditation or retreats In some cases, increased sociality—which is not inherently adverse but can accompany broader destabilizing changes PubMed Central (PMC) Severe psychiatric outcomes documented in case literature These are much less common, and causation is harder to establish, but they are medically documented: Acute psychosis Psychotic symptoms Mania Mania with psychotic features Exacerbation of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders Schizoaffective presentations Severe depersonalization/derealization Psychiatric hospitalization Severe functional deterioration Suicidality A review by psychiatrists from India, Nepal, and the U.S. identified 28 cases across 19 reports of psychotic disorders occurring in association with meditation. The authors were careful to say that case reports alone cannot prove causation, and some cases included contributing factors such as insomnia, fasting, previous mental illness, stress, or psychoactive-drug use. PubMed Recent Indian case series have also reported psychiatric illness following meditation, including psychosis and mania. PubMed Additional Research Mentioned in This Episode A PET study examining Yoga Nidra meditation found increased endogenous dopamine release in the ventral striatum during meditation, corresponding to a reported 65% increase in endogenous dopamine release. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11958969/ Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops.   Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

When people think about mind-body healing, they often look for trauma, fear, stress, or something painful from the past. But what if there are other emotional patterns that can be surprisingly easy to overlook? In this episode, Brandy shares insights from an extraordinary session with a volunteer named Martin, who had been diagnosed with MS and was struggling with several physical limitations—including difficulty straightening his hands. As Brandy began working with him, they uncovered several emotional patterns beneath the surface. And one of them was especially unexpected. Martin is an incredibly caring, loving person. But that desire to help others had sometimes become very intense—showing up as a need to control situations, beliefs, and even the people around him. As they began working with these deeper patterns, something happened physically that genuinely shocked him: during the session, Martin was able to straighten a hand that he said he had previously been unable to straighten fully. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why mind-body healing may involve much more than identifying trauma• How caring intentions can sometimes become mixed with control or intensity• Why rejection, hurt, and other emotional patterns can become intertwined• The importance of creating a genuine deeper change rather than only thinking positively• What happened during Martin's session that surprised even him The bigger takeaway is that sometimes the pattern we need to change is not the one we expect. And when we become willing to honestly identify what is happening beneath the surface—and genuinely transform it—it can open the door to profound changes in the way we feel, relate to others, and experience our lives. → Continue Your Self-Healing Journey Listen to the Full Volunteer Self-Healing Session Click here to access today's self-healing session as Brandy Gillmore works directly with Martin Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops. Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected] 

Most people think of meditation as something that is calming, healthy, spiritual, and beneficial. Brandy did too. In fact, she absolutely loved meditation. She practiced it for years…several times a day..and describes it as feeling peaceful, euphoric, spiritual, and incredible. But around 2008–2009, something unexpected began happening. At first, she didn't even realize what was going on. And when she eventually recognized what her mind was doing, it raised a surprising question: How could something that felt so good also be affecting her mind in a way she hadn't recognized? That experience ultimately changed the way Brandy began working with her mind. Pasted markdown And in the years since, research examining meditation-related adverse effects has continued to grow. For example, researchers at Brown University have specifically studied meditation-related adverse effects and the challenges involved in recognizing and accurately measuring them. Brown University [Read the Brown University research here] In this episode, Brandy shares: • What unexpectedly began happening after years of meditation • Why she didn't recognize it at first • Why repeated mental practices may affect the mind in ways we don't immediately notice • What growing research is examining regarding meditation-related adverse effects • One important thing to pay attention to if meditation is part of your regular practice • Why Brandy ultimately began working with her mind in a very different way This is not about saying meditation is good or bad—or telling you whether you should or shouldn't meditate. It's about becoming more aware of what your mind is actually doing. Because something can feel beneficial in one way while there may also be another effect occurring that isn't immediately obvious. And the more we understand the mind, the more intentionally we can work with it to create greater clarity, presence, happiness, healing, and transformation. If meditation is part of your life, this is one episode you'll definitely want to hear.   Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops.   Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]   

Have you ever felt left out, disconnected, or unable to participate in life because of a health issue? It can be easy to think: "Once I heal, then I'll finally be able to connect, participate, and do the things I want to do." But what if there is something important hidden inside that very pattern? In this episode, Brandy shares a counterintuitive insight that came up while working with a beautiful volunteer who had been struggling with multiple health issues—and also had a longstanding pattern of feeling left out and disconnected. What surfaced during their work together reveals an important mind-body healing catch-22 that can be incredibly easy to overlook. In this episode, you'll discover: Why the emotional pattern surrounding a health issue may be important to look at differently How "I'll feel better once I heal" can sometimes keep people looking in the wrong direction Why loneliness, disconnection, fear, or other emotional patterns may need to be addressed at a deeper level The difference between surface-level positive thinking and creating a real internal change Why changing the deeper pattern can affect far more than just the original problem So often, people search the past asking, "What trauma created this?" But sometimes, an important part of the pattern is also happening right now—and the health issue itself may be reinforcing the very emotions someone is trying to escape. That is what makes this insight so counterintuitive. And when you begin identifying and genuinely changing those deeper patterns, it can open the door to a completely different way of approaching healing, connection, happiness, and life.   → Continue Your Self-Healing Journey Listen to the Full Volunteer Self-Healing Session Click here to access today's self-healing session as Brandy Gillmore works directly with Linda Free Mind-Body Healing Training If you'd like a deeper understanding of mind-body healing and how self-healing works: Click here to join the FREE training. Brandy Gillmore's Mind-Body Healing: Scientific Research If you'd like scientific research on mind-body healing, you can view Brandy Gillmore's work published in a Medical Journal. Personal Empowerment and Self-Healing Courses If you're ready to heal yourself and change your life: Click here to explore our GIFT Mind-Body Healing™ and the GIFT Method™ Courses and GIFT Workshops. Connect With Brandy Follow Brandy on Facebook Follow Brandy on Instagram Questions? Discover more at https://brandygillmore.com or email [email protected]   Important Note: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please continue to consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider as recommended. Click here to view our full disclaimer- https://brandygillmore.com/terms/. © Brandy Gillmore / Human Potential Revolution, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This podcast and all related content are provided solely for personal, noncommercial use. No portion may be copied, recorded, transcribed, closely paraphrased, adapted, repackaged, distributed, taught, or used to create or support any course, coaching program, training, certification, product, service, or derivative content without prior written permission. This content may not be uploaded to, entered into, stored in, used by, or incorporated into any artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, voice-cloning, digital-replica, data-training, or related system. By accessing, listening to, viewing, downloading, or otherwise using this content, you agree to our Intellectual Property and Content Use Terms. If you do not agree, do not access or use the content. Full Terms: https://brandygillmore.com/content-terms  Permissions: [email protected]