Cheetah House First Do No Harm Meditation Safety Training

LEVEL 2: FOUNDATIONS

The Foundations series takes a deep dive into different types of meditation-related challenges (phenomenology), including fear and terror states, traumatic re-experiencing, energy-like somatic experiences (ELSEs), visual hallucinations, delusion-like ideation, changes in sense(s) of self, and meditation-induced dissociation. 

The foundations series consists of 4 parts: two on phenomenology (A +B) one on cultural comptencies (C), and one on interpersonal dynamics, power, and control (D).

Level 2A reviews the most common presentations of hyperarousal and hypoarousal symptoms, namely fear, anxiety, terror, traumatic re-experiencing and dissociation.

Level 2B reviews more unusual experiences that require more nuanced consideration of both biomedical and culture or tradition-specific explanations.

The Foundations cultural context (2C) unpack the importance historical and cultural contexts. An initial series unpacks the central role of Buddhist Modernism, and how Buddhism and Buddhist meditation is understood in the modern west. A second series includes ways of understanding meditation-related challenges, including historical Buddhist view(s) of “meditation sickness”, “Kundalini” and the role of worldviews, and criteria for distinguishing between “progress” and pathology and when to intervene.

Interpersonal dynamics: power, control and coercion (2D) investigates how social dynamics contribute to harm in meditation spaces. Courses investigate the role of the teacher, cultic dynamics, and the role of altered states and ideologies in social control. Cult expert Dr. Janja Lalich explains coercive control, and Dr. Jennifer Freyd explains the role of institutional betrayal.

Each module is comprised of a didactic component, which includes a journal article and video lecture, followed by a group discussion with a faculty member.

Pricing: You can enroll in courses one by one, or you can sign up for each level discounted at 10% by clicking on the Level Titles. You may also consider signing up for the All Access bundle, which includes all of Level 1 and Level 2 discounted at 20% + free Q & As (or, 35% off everything, depending on how you look at it:)

You can also purchase a full Level 2 bundle—two options are available, depending on your needs.

For a more detailed breakdown and comparison of pricing options, check out our FAQ page.