Is Meditation a Placebo Effect?

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▼ Timestamps ▼
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00:23 - Reddit post(s)
03:46 - Meditation works on 3 levels
04:01 - 8 minute level
05:55 - 8 week level
22:00 - 8 month level
22:30 - 8 year level
24:48 - Summary
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All guests of Healthy Gamer are informed of the public, non-medical nature of the content and have expressly agreed to share their story.

[@AIandsuch]

Confession time. About a week ago I left a rather mean/aggressive/emotional message on one of your videos, Dr. K. I was in a bad spot and coming off of heavy marijuana use. I definitely reacted based off my emotional state. Just wanted to say that I'm still watching your videos (pretty much every morning) and very grateful to have someone like you blessing us with scientific wisdom. I swear in half these videos it's like you're speaking directly to me because the subject matter is so pertinent. Thanks for being you, Dr. K.

[@shortking3429]

We appreciate the honesty with yourself and us Jordan :)

[@camronchlarson3767]

Respect

[@viniciusgp5656]

respect

[@nickfriddle7768]

Well Jesus won't forgive you for this one but I will

[@Lucky6370]

@@nickfriddle7768 ROFL

[@ChadCBurch]

Dr. K, your story inspires me. Without going into too much detail, my childhood was traumatizing and my family was fractured to say the least. I’m 32 and had a similar high school and early college experience where I underperformed with only a 2.1 GPA in high school, and 1.8 GPA after 2 semesters in college. Since returning to school I’ve gotten it up to a 2.8 and finished my 2 year degree. I’m starting at University of Maryland in the fall, full time, majoring in psychology, and plan on going to grad school and possibly getting a doctorate after that. You’re content has helped me immensely. Thank you.

[@ChadCBurch]

@@joeyondakeys I’ll certainly do my best. Thank you my friend🙏🏻

[@chilldragon4752]

Sounds like your doing great. Good job and keep it up.

[@ChadCBurch]

@@chilldragon4752 thank you so much and I wish you well on your journey

[@leos1204]

you definitely live up to your first name, Chad

[@ChadCBurch]

@Callum Boyagoda thanks man. Sobriety helps. Went cold turkey on weed after being a habitual smoker for years. I encourage anyone with the same habit to take a break and see how they feel

[@notforkliftcertified7884]

People REALLY underestimate the placebo effect. If something I do makes me motivated, but it's not really a real thing and I just believe it's real enough that it actually motivates me...then it's real! I made something real out of nothing! That's magic!

[@adrianruelas1812]

Fr, placebo doesn't mean ineffective

[@arthurrosa9403]

Allopathic medicine is little more effective than placebo most of the time, and bring lots of side effects. As one would say "It ain't stupid if it works."

[@elsagrace3893]

Oh, Dan, just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean you have to invalidate it. Porridge mind.

[@WanderTheNomad]

@@elsagrace3893 Who's invalidating what?

[@Michaah]

@@adrianruelas1812 actually it does. If you propose a mechanism which only your specific intervention provides, and something which should not have any effect does the same things, then your intervention is not effective. because it does not what it claims it does. if you then want to trigger the placebo effect for whatever you want then you can go to a doctor and say "give me a pill that makes me less anxious, gives me more motivation, and makes me shredded AF", he can then give you a placebo and you saved a lot of time since you have the same effect when your treatmend is based only on placebo

[@sebastijan5894]

I asked myself that question literally last night. Dr.K’s timing is concerningly perfect as always.

[@traywor]

Even if it is a placebo effect, it is still a measurable effect.

[@traywor]

@@yajy4501 Dr K: A lot to learn, you all have.

[@Justin--ze6qq]

I found meditation through this channel in 2020 and by the second day I was going into these meditative states of sitting in almost overwhelming states of pure bliss and peace. My mind wasn't going by itself, but I could still think. Everything made sense and I gained so much perspective and understanding for the ~month that this was happening. It had a lot to do with surrendering, and having compassion for people that I previously had conflict with. I will get to almost a "gate" that brings me there sometimes now while meditating, but I always lose my focus and get too anxious to go through it. I've been a different person since those experiences and I respect meditation so much. It wasn't something I believed in or knew anything about, it just happened from following a couple short third eye meditations on this channel.

[@divagaciones1628]

I know correlation doesn't mean causation and yada yadah but since I started meditating, my life DRASTICALLY improved. Not only did I start feeling happier and much more motivated during a harsh moment of depression and unemployment, but this motivation led me to become much more serious with my writing and much more persistent with my job application, and I actually found a very well-paying job doing something I love. With that said, I think taking meditation as a "tool" to be used for other purposes doesn't really do it justice. It is, in my opinion, much more than that. It is the space and act through which we can reflect upon ourselves, in which we can just sit down and simply exist. An exceptionally valuable treasure in and of itself, especially in a time where we're constantly being pressured to act, condemning idleness. There's an old Buddhist saying that goes: "meditate half an hour every day. And if you're too busy, meditate two hours". I only truly understood it when I started dedicating increasing amounts of time to meditation.

[@tudorscutariu1012]

Thank you for this. I am also understanding now why I am being more and more connected to my meditation practice as well.

[@smashedbread]

My life over the last year has turned upside down. Ive risked and lost basically everything. I’ve been the most depressed I have ever been. But I also have been watching Dr K for awhile now and have become more open to meditation and other practices (raised christian, turned atheist, don’t believe in anything spiritual or supernatural) Went to Thailand last year and was the best trip I have ever had. Visited many temples. Now that my life has turned upside down, I am starting to do meditations and be more intentional and slower about my day to day life. Really taking it in, focusing on the current task and being in the present. This is starting to reign in my overactive mind, and also make me feel more wholesome and more positive again. Less judging, less angry, less blaming others. The last week where I have finally started to implement this has started to help. I still don’t believe in anything spiritual but calming my mind, gaining control of my thoughts, doing things with intention rather than impulse. I will continue my journey and hopefully my life turns around, but even if im in this pit for awhile longer, I feel if I continue this journey I can at least make the world brighter and calmer while I go through it

[@musichalloffame]

Thank you for uploading these videos. I can’t afford a therapist right now so this helps supplement my mental health practices.

[@devinrentler6225]

You’ve got this king shit

[@monkeydotbizness]

I had crippling panic attacks last year and got back into meditation again. Ive meditated every single day since then for at least 20 mins. For me after 9 months was when I started to see a fairly dramatic shift. The momentary calmness after meditation slowly morphed into an all out sense of joy that tends to linger most of the day. It seemed to melt away many traumas and opened up my emotion and intuition and around and I started getting random people approaching me in public, which was very out of the ordinary for me. The book the mind illuminated was very, very helpful in getting into the routine and explaining it in great detail if anyone’s interested.

[@juicesoundsystem]

This sounds cool af tbh (the conclusion not the beginning lol). I'm about 2 months in doing 2x20 mins a day or thereabouts. What specific type of meditation did you do to achieve this? I might do a self love mantra early in the day then a trataka type thing in the evening.

[@monkeydotbizness]

@@juicesoundsystem That's realy good, keep it going. I switch it up regularly...sometimes beginner type yoga...sometimes just sitting there...sometimes breath of fire meditation...sometimes lying in my bed...sometimes hypnosis guided meditation stuff. To me it all has a slightly different effect. IMO its all about trying different stuff and seeing what works best but "The Science of Enlightenment" and "The Mind Illuminated" were the most helpful guides for me. I should say that I was already very familiar with meditation and buddhism before this and came back to it.

[@naughtmeinam4603]

Your testimony makes me more skeptical, if anything. Absolutely comes off as too good to be true.

[@Kahhru]

@monkeydotbizness How are you doing, 1 year later?

[@koferperk]

I feel like tearing up. I just had a mental breakdown yesterday and this video really helped me understand my emotions and behaviour more. thank you so much Dr K, thank you so much :')

[@The10.000ThingsOfficial]

I have been meditating since i was 22 and now im 30!. A think is one the most life changing practices i have EVER DONE! 100000% ....it really works but change is very sutil!.

[@samsandwich211]

One thing I've learned from Dr. K that I'm trying to practice making a key part of how I conduct myself is asking people to give me a minute to gather my thoughts before I say something

[@klutzkoady4996]

Okay, this makes me laugh. Good though!

[@samsandwich211]

@@klutzkoady4996 why does it make you laugh

[@klutzkoady4996]

It's kinda like a meme, how he says that so much, at least to me. In a good way though. He says it in a similar tone each time too, so I can't help but imagining you imitating his tone. Don't let my silly humor take away from the lesson though, it makes sense to communicate that when you need to. It just strikes me a certain way is all

[@hylia9067]

Today I had a tattoo artist give me a piece on the neck, one of the most painful spots to get a tatt. I meditated and while I felt the pain, it wasn‘t really hurting me. I practice meditation for a long time now and while most benefits seem to sound like placebos for some people, it‘s not a placebo at all. Being mindful is pretty much the Golden Bullet for a better life, being okay with just being present and not distracted by hurtful thoughts. Meditating helps in all kinds of circumstances, but meditating while getting Tattoos or meditating before surgeries gave me a practical instant gratification to tell me it‘s not placebo. You have to take your training serious though, see it as a workout routine, so you get better at it for these moments. Most benefits take a long time and seem kind of esoteric, but it‘s actually real.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Just being capable of arresting control of your own mind, ridding it of "useless monkey chatter" to focus on what you need to focus on Here and Now, is indeed not a placebo... AND arguably akin to a super-power. In moments of crisis, it's easy to lose control to panic... BUT we have a finely tuned and powerful instrument in our brains... except at those moments when we NEED that big expensive brain the most, we've lost control of it... We DON'T have it... BUT if we can take that control back. Push the useless crap aside, because if this crisis isn't managed, we're dead anyway... Then we CAN have the power to manage. It still takes effective training to know what to do for a given crisis... I mean, you don't need a firetruck or police for someone drowning in a well or at a shipwreck in the sea... AND you don't need to bring all your scuba skills to bear for fighting a fire or rescuing someone from a burning house... BUT it IS akin to a superpower just being able to effectively think and reason your way through the crisis.. any crisis. When the chips are down, it's either do or die... I much prefer that "Doing thing"... Anyways, there are brain scans taken while people were meditating... and the findings very really MADE significant differences in the sectors of the brain that "lit up" as opposed to reciting music or praying or any other activity. It's certainly NOT a placebo effect. ;o)

[@Rhodair]

Yeah, one of the many benefits of meditation is gaining a healthy distance from things. On a physical level, deep meditation can bring you into a state of still being aware of bodily information, but you have much more control over where & how much attention is distributed. On a more mental level, meditation can bring the equivalent of "touching grass" with distance from ideas (as opposed to letting something ruminate).

[@MrYulienskate]

I've been meditating for a year now and honestly I don't expect much, the best thing meditation often offers me is relaxation and a clear perspective when I'm having anxiety ridden thoughts, if I meditate for 10 minutes it's almost guaranteed I'll have clarity of mind which is great, but it may well not be the cure to my anxiety and thought patterns, I still have them. Meditation is an activity that helps and aids me in my life, but as for things like "It'll completely change you" sounds like spiritual bluff to me. When I first got into meditation I came across it a lot, and today it seems to me like there's plenty of circles on the internet that have a tendency to overhype some practice and its impact, not only for meditation but for anything else like doing psychedelics, nofap, standing under the sun, reading books and while it's all good, they don't need to grant you the key to salvation but you can take them with you, y'know, enjoy the simple things, idk. Take what I say with a grain of salt I'll change my mind in like a week eitherway.

[@hector334_7]

Jesus is the way brother!

[@malvarrosa1938]

try 20 mins. dont know where dr k said it but i remember him pulling out a study that showed that the long term benefits of meditation in the cortisol circuit are not achieved below that "threshold".

[@tudorscutariu1012]

Hi brother, how are you doing 1 year after? Are you still practicing meditation? 🫂👋🏻

[@Trekyhunter]

People say prayer does things for them but as an irreligious person it doesn't do much for me. It could be that the benefits come from believing it will help. But maybe that can be anything. Say if I believed I'd find peace in doing the dishes, or house work, or exercise I can get peace on top of having the dishes done. 🤷‍♂️

[@alvareo92]

You got it!

[@blairdurward4324]

Prayer and meditation are a venn diagram with 99% overlap as far as the brain is concerned

[@paradiseb5950]

You cracked the code

[@iwinme9322]

So it means you see or feel what you believe in?

[@mirelgoi7855]

"When your mind is very noisy, you practice counting or breathing or listening to your pulse. If your mind is a little unsettled and there is a possibility you may settle down, then we practice with sound. If your mind is settled down, well, you are practicing already.Then we guide your mind to the presence of the Teachers directly. The Teachers are like a reflection from Heaven. They fill your mind full of light. You cannot enter Heaven and still be in the world, but you can experience yourself as an intermediary. Overall, that is the final goal.When Heaven, your Home, has been partially established here, then you will be able to serve in a higher capacity. That does not mean the world looks any better. It simply means that you are carrying your Home within you." Wisdom from the Greater Community Book I, Chapter 26: Stillness (it's a free online book which I recommend to check out, it's life changing.)

[@johnchapman5125]

Thank you, Mirel.

[@cory99998]

For me it changed my life, I got comfortable, then I stopped taking my medication (meditating) because I didn't really feel a need to at that point. And then over the next 1.5 years everything went to absolute shit lol. I needed to very clearly see who I was with and without it and to realize exactly how much it was helping me to learn that this was a practice I wanted to carry with me for the rest of my life. I had to gain that insight for it to click, it took many highs and lows to truly comprehend the value of it.

[@realBeltalowda]

Your videos continuously show up at just the right times for me. Thank you, Dr. K, and thank you to the Redditors for asking these questions.

[@bentosan]

Bear the cross = Martyr Drama triangle! Moves to victim, feels powerless, helpless 😂 Drama triangle + meditation ftw ! This was such a wonderful video and has definitely been my experience. Currently throwing bad relationships out stage and trying to find good ones. I’m at about the 2 to 3 year mark on meditating - though I would put myself on the fairly extreme end of bad people in my relationships.

[@mitthrawnuruodo1730]

I wanna say yes and no. Meditation is like exercise, you need to repeat it over time to see the benefits and feel good, hence the “placebo effect.” And I think it’s the accomplishment that you actually did it that gives that good feeling.

[@manoftherainshorts9075]

Yeah, it's like ripping steel in a gym for 2 hours, look at the mirror, see nothing and tell it's a placebo LMAO

[@JamieR]

Not sure it's just the fact that you accomplished your task. I feel euphoric sensations very frequently while meditating when my HRV is high. Trickles from the brain and spreads to the entire body. Long sessions usually do tend to end in a bliss state where I just exist in this warm fuzzy feeling. Could be placebo, but certainly does not feel that way. Using Binaural audio for help to reach deeper states along with an Apollo Neuro which puts me into the state way quicker.

[@reallivebluescat]

i wouldnt call it placebo, cause it just doesnt have an effect straight away. its trying something , and working on it for it to make an effect. Most things take time.

[@bike4aday]

That's kind of like saying sleep feels good because of the accomplishment of doing it. You can feel good from accomplishment, but that's an insignificant part of meditation and isn't involved with the rapturous or tranquil qualities. I can elaborate, but I think my analogy of sleep really hits home the point that it doesn't make sense to say the good feeling comes from accomplishment. There's very real physical and mental processes involved that cause real shifts and changes.

[@hoss3141]

The accomplishment of doing it is the early stages, kind of like what dr k was saying for “first month of meditation” with consistency and intent you’ll reach a stage past that where you recognize it’s definitely not a placebo or “I kept my streak” feel good benefit. I don’t think this video was to appeal to those who have knowingly gone past the “is this placebo?” stage, it was more for the curious or the questioning, which makes sense

[@brendaoro2951]

Meditation has helped me so much with MS, before I was diagnosed Howevee I was into a dark mood after being diagnosed I completely stopped my mindfulness journey for 2 years Youre inspiring me so much to meditate again❤Youre enlightening me so much in parts of my journey I couldnt talk to anybody else Thank you so much

[@scurvofpcp]

One of the points of meditation is to activate the Placebo Effect.

[@Choshmeesh]

The benefits of meditation work on 4 different levels. For more benefits, gotta meditate for longer (months and years) Best to practice it every day. Wisdom will not necessarily come directly from meditation, but will be extremely easier due to the practice.

[@VOIDSTRANGER2099]

We need research and videos on what the “placebo effect” really is..

[@InsistantWolf33]

Would love to see the other end as well with some info on how psychosomatic illness works.

[@Ash-of1yl]

I know, theres so many people that dismiss things simply by labeling it placebo when they dont even know what a plecbo is…

[@dydx_]

The brain's neurotransmitters are mediated through various responses. Expectations, conscious, subconscious are some of these responses influencing the level of transmitters like endorphins, etc. THose responses are affected by "Placebo" the most. You can view Placebo as a sort of psychological identity, if you believe you are something your brain will make you be that and if you don't it won't. If one increases their FOV, placebo can be described as a form of identity. If you now take Self-Determination-Theory into account, you can begin to see the reason why Placebo can only be achieved when you understand kinda what it is/how it functions or just "believe" in it. In my opinion it's a term used to help people believe in the power of the self, as anyone who does would not describe their results as placebo.

[@latypovw]

The fact that you are giving that kind of content for free is unbelievable

[@usfilms8828]

I appreciate how step by step you show how to talk to people. I do not understand how my language effects people very well so I’ll mean what ur saying but do it wrong so it’s nice to have such in detail advice on how to communicate better

[@lowtech42]

From my experiences practicing mindfulness meditation since December, I can say it is absolutely not a placebo in any way. I've seen some incredible benefits I never thought possible, including being able to focus more and retain much more information when I study. The enlightenment thing is cool too I guess.

[@Alexlinnk]

how long do you meditate a day?

[@lowtech42]

@@Alexlinnk I started with 10 minutes everyday, but now I stick to 20 minutes every other day 🧘🏿‍♀️

[@frankclements1431]

After suffering with depression for 8 longs months, I discovered meditation. Actually all I'm doing now is deep breathing exercises but I learned about the real benefits of meditation. I'm convinced that meditation will fix my depression. Praise God I have found hope!! Is deep breathing exercises meditation? I'm doing the 4 x 4 in which I count to four on each leg of my breathing.

[@travisireland8591]

This video is orders of magnitude better than every popsci article on meditation that you've ever read.

[@claudiadacapo]

Can you make a video explaining which kind of medication leads to the outcomes you describe here? There are many kinds of meditations, and I want to make them right. How long, what should I think, and how does it work exactly to lead to those outcomes? (I know there are many resources online, but you spot-on approach to the core of things is irreplacable)

[@restlessdream8745]

+1

[@Vivi_9]

Surely all forms of meditation lead to this outcome? As no matter how you're meditating, you're ultimately learning not to give into the immediacy of new thoughts and emotions.

[@Knorkrax]

I've reached the point of accepting myself some years ago. Then I thought this part of myself is "fixed". Thus a rampant self-help year began where I tried various of techniques on optimizing my life and all that sort of stuff. It was stressful to say the least. Later I began meditating again. While forgetting the true essence of it I used it as a mental bandaid which was frustrating. Then I realized: Nothing is gained from short term quick fixed. True enlightenment comes from years of dedication, sacrifices and (hard) work. It's similar to doing sports where muscle growth shows at about half a year but you get hyped after finishing the workout.

[@Daniel-nl5un]

Thanks for the breakdown! I've been doing a bit of meditatation lately, and I'll keep with it. Currently, I feel like the world is a pretty crap place and I could use a different perspective.

[@wizardnick3505]

Dr. K, you are a brilliant individual. Your videos are always so insightful and I feel as if I learn something new a lot of the time. Bless you, for being you!

[@rishad6163]

Dr. K thank you so much for the work you're doing. It's so helpful and so great, truly appreciate it.

[@foreverhumanpodcast]

Science has already proven meditation when done repeatedly has AMAZING neurological results to help improve the human mindset and focus Z

[@zlac]

I have a feeling that most of the spiritual and even some non-spiritual activities is actually you talking to yourself - and coming to terms with your own flaws, problems and stuff. That includes meditation, yoga, praying and especially confessions. Maybe I'd even put running and some other "I don't need to use my brain for those activities" in this category. Most people don't think unless they actually listen the words coming out of their own brain, and some activities simply force you to listen.

[@FattyMcFox]

Finally a sensical explanation.

[@moshki80]

I worked on mindfulness meditation for many months hoping for these effects. I saw them develop in my partner but not really in me after many months. I got and still am pretty 'good' at sitting in stillness for long periods but it feels kind of hollow to me. To begin with I experienced a visceral screaming in my body and a desperate need to get out. I dissociate and freeze a lot in the face of hard experiences and I think sitting in stillness is very close to that for me so I'm not quite doing what Im being guided to do. I could be wrong but this is where I'm up to with the practice of sitting meditations. I'd love to understand my experiences with it better More recently I got my autism diagnosed and started living and communicating much more authentically I've also spent a lot of time lately organising my home spaces and making them calm, organised, happy places to spend time in. Sitting looking at my collections of things makes me really calm and happy, as does having somewhere I can sit and engage in activities that bring me flow I'm now seeing the exact same effects I was hoping for through a sitting practice 😍 Meditation definitely works. Finding your own meditation style that really works for you is so important though

[@Limbaugh_]

I’ve been meditating every other day (trying to go everyday) for 2 weeks and it seems to be helping me stay calmer and more aware but nothing very significant yet

[@arcticpig917]

keep going man!

[@SHOVEIT]

hows it going?

[@Limbaugh_]

@@SHOVEIT I fell off but I should really get back to it

[@SHOVEIT]

@@Limbaugh_ i understand, i also go on and off about it

[@tudorscutariu1012]

Hi, how is your practice doing? I hope you are doing well 🫂

[@epigeios]

Awareness meditation is exercising sentience. It's possible to improve your sentience by playing with it and exercising it. At some point, after practicing awareness meditation regularly for enough time, you'll become sentient of your emotions. Then your thoughts. Then your intuition. This results in a permanent change of personal ability to accomplish everything. All skills are improved by increased sentience. Secondarily, meditation causes whatever you're aware of in your body to increase fluid flow, and decrease tension. This is true no matter what you're aware of. If you're aware of your hand, your hand will work better. If you're aware of your brain, your brain will work better. If you're aware of your emotions, your emotions will work better. If you're aware of your DNA, your DNA will work better. There are some people who meditated so much that the only thing they care about is self-discovery, self-improvement, and fixing physiological problems. Those people invented Taoism and Taoist meditation. Awareness meditation is the prerequisite of Taoist meditation. Taoist meditation gets unbelievably advanced, including skills that take many years to acquire that are themselves prerequisites for more advanced skills.

[@TLB-ai]

i needed this knowledge thank you

[@ThemBEanss]

If Dr. K made a guide to relationships and friendships, I buy the fuck outta it

[@wanderingrandomer]

The problem I have with meditation mainly just ignorance. From listening to Dr. K, it sounds like there are so many, for all sorts of things, and I can't tell which one is the best for me. The sort of person I am, Im not just going to try one and see. I need a big list of all of them to browse through and find the best one for me. I might buy Dr. K's guide

[@ConservativeSatanist666]

I actually had to listen to this twice.. great information

[@IPH-1212]

Question for anyone with adhd, have you found meditation helps your symptoms? I'm trying to find new ways to help reduce/curb my negative symptoms while i wait to get on meds

[@ronnymohtar2258]

It's important to remember that the placebo effect is also real. Use that as u will

[@Charleseceja]

Meditation definitely changed my life

[@Duck_Praise]

Sometimes the symptom is all you need to fix, and for that placebo can be good, as long as you can confidently say the source of the symptom is not harmful by itself.

[@hairyfrankfurt]

I meditated for an hour a day every day for over a year. Nothing really happened and then I stopped and months later my mental health improved. Meditation didn't work for me and I don't know how to make it work for me

[@atticusosullivan9332]

My experience was wacky. First 2 years it dramatically improved my life, then the benefits droped off and now I'm in the same boat. Zero effect

[@Bobelponge123]

1 hour might be way too much. Try cutting it back to like a few minutes a day

[@nickfriddle7768]

Yo just wanted to say watching my videos I realized I been developing some narcissic ways of thinking but I already know it's the opposite people just grow apart and live their own lives I just been having a hard time and accepting it and been on the edge for a while but instead of accepting my freinds are just leading their happiest lives I need to accept what's making them happy isn't what's going to make me happy I been a lot more outgoing doing things by myself has allowed me to learn how to depend on myself more

[@bike4aday]

People won't like hearing this, but most will stop meditating before getting to the good stuff. There are relatively 16 insights needed before the really big shifts start happening and they develop in order from 1-16. The usual stopping points are 3, 10, and the end of 11. There are many difficult spots and many false peaks. I recommend to anyone that feels like stopping to keep pushing a little bit further. Also, meditation cannot be tested for placebo. The variables can't be controlled in the way you'd need for a proper test and it involves mind-body processes that can't be sorted into a placebo bucket. Placebo tests are meant for physical substances. In addition, it's already well known and shown that engaging in meditation changes neuroactivity. This is also quite obvious through the experience because you can feel and see it.

[@shelby6]

What do you mean by 16 insights?

[@alvareo92]

@@shelby6 count 'em

[@alvareo92]

"meditation cannot be tested for placebo" well, according to the scientific method, that means it can't truly be proven or disproven so surely must be false

[@bike4aday]

@@shelby6 They are stages of insight (also called knowledges or perceptions) that develop through the investigation aspect of meditation. So for example, you're meditating on the breath until it becomes clear and stable (no distractions) and then you start to notice the individual sensations that make up the breath. You begin to discern when the sensations begin and end and come to see their arising and passing. You move attention around to other objects and begin to also see the arising and passing of those phenomena. You then see that all phenomena are impermanent. The first sentence of that example is quickly jumping from stages 1-3. The rest of the example is describing the development of insight 4. As attention begins to stabilize and curiosity starts encouraging investigation, we can begin to see new things we never noticed before. When this matures, it's too obvious to unsee it. This eventually causes big shifts in perception. But it takes a lot of practice of course! :) Hope that makes sense. Let me know if something is unclear.

[@richzilla08]

@@bike4aday Sounds interesting! What was your usual meditation routine that allowed u to reach these sparks of insight (roughly amount of time per day and duration of practice)?

[@mord0]

If you approach meditation from a “gaining” perspective it will not yield you long-lasting results, in fact it’s usually the opposite. It’s a paradox, really. The one that is desiring is the ego, not the self. Meditation, at its core, is an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance towards the here and now ( yes, this includes thoughts and feelings). By not seeking results, you find them.

[@user-pl2eo5ud7i]

Very well said, for me it’s about settling down your current state and focusing on the very moment, not the future.

[@riqo4877]

#1. subconscious baggage must be put in perspective, neutralized, and replaced with intense repeated thoughts of your new preferences. PeaceLoveProsperity

[@IonTrone]

good explainer 👏👏

[@siegfreidsujide299]

Need to be consistent in this

[@LeafInTea]

I just wanted to say that it is what you believe in and how hard you believe in it that takes effect(if Placebo). We all strive for a certain level of consensus and confidence in our chaotic lives. Interesting to see the medical side of it

[@avinashvarghese1027]

Back in 2021 . I tried meditation for fun rven thought i was SUPER skeptical on it. As if its just BS these influencers say , so tried it and after 2 months my anxiety goew down. Right now i wasnt consistent and ny anxiety creeped back in , trying to meditate everyday and make it a habit.

[@tudorscutariu1012]

Hi my friend. I have been meditating for more than 2 years daily, I have to say to you that meditation for me has become the core action of my life. Like my day will be okay only if I meditate. I have developed a really deep connection with meditation and I think this connection is helping me out from bad habits like porn addiction, so I really encourage you to keep going. Bye 🫂

[@avinashvarghese1027]

@@tudorscutariu1012 my therapist said me to start meditation . I have porn addiction and wish i was addicted to drugs / alcohol than porn. Main reason is that I avoided bad feelings / emotions that I just jump on to my lap or phone when it comes. Mediation helps a lot to process it That addiction just made my anxiety worse and when I get anxious I go to watch or do stuffs that gets you instant gratification ( gaming , porn , movies or random shorts etc ) Hope one day my mental health gets better . Thanks for the reply

[@BallinBunBun]

Does anyone else meditate every day and feel 0 effects from it? It's really frustrating, I've been doing it for such a long time now.

[@bike4aday]

Would you like to share what your daily meditation is like and I can try to advise?

[@elsagrace3893]

To much breaks on the frontal lobe is also unhealthy. Leads to self discipline that is greater than what is healthy. Anorexia Nervosa for instance but also many other ways of not meeting one’s own needs. Self denial with no healthy goal in mind. Not good.

[@pedroba76]

Interesting video!

[@mnmmnm8321]

Basically, it's mood changing.

[@jakeistired]

Meditation is merely the conscious reorganizing of thoughts and behaviour to reduce conflict between variations of the two. Conflicting thoughts and behaviours patterns (where you oscillate between wanting/doing one thing and wanting/doing something opposite) increase physical markers of stress, which in turn makes living life a displeasurable experience. Undergoing placebo successfully has a nearly identical effect to this, except that the benefits from placebo usually come through the acceptance that a particular thing is working rather than a structural and discernible change to processing stimulus internally.

[@Gnarrkhaz]

At about 8 weeks my meditation schedule started to fall apart. I started meditation in order to learn how to better regulate myself and sustain good habits. But my inability to go through with things prevented me from learning how to go through with things. It has become a serious problem.

[@jaklair]

Confession time. About a week ago I left a rather mean/aggressive/emotional message on one of your videos, Dr. K. I was in a bad spot and coming off of heavy marijuana use. I definitely reacted based off my emotional state. Just wanted to say that I'm still watching your videos (pretty much every morning) and very grateful to have someone like you blessing us with scientific wisdom. I swear in half these videos it's like you're speaking directly to me because the subject matter is so pertinent. Thanks for being you, Dr. K. ~Nemo

[@johanndaart7326]

That's a lot of breakups bro :D

[@aceclipse]

well all of us need to read the book BODY KEEPS SCORE Bessell Van der Kolk

[@bubblebeamm]

over a year ago i meditated every day for 1 year and then stopped because I got bored of it, now i do it every so often and try for once a week. But after seeing what you are saying in this video I feel like I was silently buffed without even realizing it

[@bubblebeamm]

@@joeyondakeys oh yeah it was because the type of practice I was doing wasn't demanding enough if that makes sense, i was just using headspaces default method and there are parts in there I just didn't like. I got back into it after trying some of the practices offered in Dr Ks guides.

[@apolloisnotashirt]

@@joeyondakeys thank you for explaining, I was about to start meditating with the goal of “getting better senses and reaction time” for a game called Valorant, I will now do so just so I can clear up my mind and feel more liberated from responsibilities and stress. Once again thank you.

[@gumfun2]

@@joeyondakeys Do you think you could give me some resources? I was inspired by your comment and want to learn more about this goal setting u talk about, which I believe hurts my meditation practice. Also, I have forgotten the feeling of a non-busy mind and how freeing it is to see things as “useless”. In fact, I have forgotten about many of these wise things in the past year of college, and I am looking to foster them again. Thank you in advance if you choose to give me them.

[@alvareo92]

@@joeyondakeys a couple days ago I watched a video called "Meditation is good for nothing", a Japanese buddist monk pretty much saying this. The point of meditation is to not expect it to do anything at all

[@JoshuuaLee]

13:30 ... wow this hits so fucking hard... Literally my recent ex... I loved her so much :'(

[@MisterExcelsior]

It’s not a placebo, ever since I’ve been meditating for at least 20 minutes a day, I went into work and even told my coworker that I was just content with everything and life is good.

[@GSPV33]

I would like an example of a transformation like this for a less stereotypically "lost" person. I.e., I see how someone who is bitter and depressed can benefit from coming out of that -- but what about those who are already past that (or haven't fallen into it?) I can see how it helps someone who is very clearly deeply mentally unwell, but what about for your average, functional individual? What about for *you,* Dr. K? How does meditation benefit you, in a real and practical sense? Not challenging, just wanting to understand better.

[@mihaivilcu5515]

Well then I think you become more content with life and happier

[@jankucera8505]

"sometimes people need different things" - yeah like forgetting to pick you up at the airport :D

[@fs5575]

Which Dr K meditation you would recommend for start?

[@herusamuel6686]

Been knew that’s why I never done it but it can be the same thing to praying

[@jasminepandit9861]

homeboy has a godly posting schedule

[@soyandoat4106]

Hello Dr. K and the team, could you do a video on Limerence? How does it work? and do people, especially people coming from neglected or chaotic families have it? is literature support the existence of Limerence? I am diagnosed with CPTSD and feel I have a strong pattern of limerence. I hope you could provide your expertise on this matter if possible. Thank you very very much

[@cyarutchiii]

I actually wondered that a few days ago.

[@ChadCBurch]

Cute cat!

[@eddebrock]

What is meditation in this instance? What kind of meditation are we talking about?

[@Rubiksguy]

I wanna hear more about the guy that was paying for in-flight wifi for months before he caught it!

[@AndrewUnruh]

I am probably talking out of my ass, but here is how I look at things like this: If we really wanted a detailed set of instructions about what it would take to achieve a desired goal, the answer would be something like: Connect neuron 1,345,869,456 to neuron 675,543,985 Reduce connectivity between neurons 2,456,976,356 and 6,345,987,124 And there would be millions or billions of these instructions. And those instructions would be useless to us. Luckily for us, the brain has this ability to figure out what needs to be done on its own through several different mechanisms and this is the essence of learning. The process can be excruciating slow, but look, for example of how long it takes to learn math. These processes are slow and there are good reasons why they are slow. If rewiring quickly were better, we would have evolved that way. There are certain drugs that seem to allow us to rewire more quickly, such as MDMA, DMT, and psilocybin, but those need to be administered under the right conditions or you risk rewiring in a negative way.

[@Reinturtle]

Imagine forming ideas in your head based on the many relationships that you have had lol

[@sheet3335]

16:18 don't mind this, just a time stamp. Seems like it's bit hard to digestand gotta go back at it

[@Blessupph777]

I wish i could share these videos to my mom, but she understands only hindi

[@baresize]

he didnt answer the question in the title.

[@simodefa12]

Best meditation for social anxiety, low social skills and low self esteem?

[@zile8869]

Yo, what do you think of the wim hof method? Would you consider that meditation?

[@Dist0rtion1]

Does how often/how long you meditate a day influence how quickly you receive the 8 week - 8 year benefits?

[@bike4aday]

The more the better :)

[@neildutoit5177]

My question about meditation is what do I need to do to prepare so that I don't literally go insane if I do "get good" at it because I mediate quite a lot but I'm scared to go further with it because as it is I have a pretty tenuous grip on reality and if I end up like realising that everything is maya etc I think I'll find it terrifying and I don't think I'll understand what is happening to me and it might just drive me off a cliff?

[@tudorscutariu1012]

Hi, how're you doing?. I've read you comment and I really appreciate your worry about meditation. I think that meditation will not let you become mad about reality. In my case, surely with meditation I have a lot of existential questions but for me it is good becuase everything is good if we have God within us. So good luck 🫂

[@Blessupph777]

I did a weird shaman breathing and the next day anxiety was litrally gone, but then it felt like my awkwardness is embeded in my identity instead of being a result of anxiety

[@whatwhat9519]

What you think of the muse headset and other stuff like that?

[@apple3130]

i like your hair

[@pageturner72]

what do you think about "letting go: the pathway of surrender" by David Hawkins? It has been unbelievably helpful to me.

[@Cr0uch1ng71g3r]

You know, you can just skip meditation and reflect on your reactions and emotions. Experiencing and examining emotions shrinks their control.

[@SI-ej8hw]

is there a place i can leave a video idea? i would want to hear dr k's opinion on synchronicities

[@andrewkelley9405]

I wish I had seen this back in college.

[@ashvansrinayagam3545]

Does yoga nidra have similar benefits

[@andrewkelley9405]

I need to start meditating again; I’ve lost all of its benefits and I just always want to quit everything and die

[@Hishichi]

Does it depend what kind of meditation? can it be my own version of meditation? i dont really know where to start. i tried some meditations from sadhguru and it didnt help. now i obviously know i did it not long enough. i did it for like 3 weeks

[@bike4aday]

You can have your own flavor of meditation, but it still has to be meditation. Like, you can have your own flavor of exercise, but sitting idle is not exercise haha. So it has to involve mindfulness, concentration, and equanimity. Mindfulness: remembering to attend to present experience, not getting swept away by thought streams or distractions and forgetting that you're meditating Concentration: staying with objects for increasingly longer periods of time, objects becoming more clearer Equanimity: non-reaction to present experience, embracing it without craving or aversion Do these things and you can have any flavor you want. Use anything as an object - sounds, thoughts, smells, feelings. Use many objects or just one. Play around and have fun :)

[@Seissmo]

Hm.

[@lypiberri7173]

Does medication help w ADHD too

[@claudiadacapo]

I miss the time stamps, they are not on the video, only in the description