小結

儘管冥想最初的用途並不是治療心理疾病，但現在看來，冥想對於治療某些心理疾病已經卓有成效，尤其是在治療抑鬱症和焦慮症方面。一項對應用冥想治療心理疾病的47項研究的元分析結果顯示，冥想療法可減輕抑鬱症（尤其是重度抑鬱症）、焦慮症、疼痛症的症狀，療效幾乎和藥物治療相當，而且沒有副作用。冥想也可以稍微減小心理壓力帶來的傷害。慈愛冥想法可能對受過心理創傷的病人有特別的療效，尤其是那些創傷後應激障礙患者。

實驗證明，正念與認知療法的融合，或者說正念認知療法，已經成為以冥想為基礎的療效最好的心理療法。這一融合療法不斷在臨床界產生廣泛的影響，針對該療法進行的更廣泛的心理疾病實證試驗正在進行中。雖然偶爾也會出現關於冥想的負面報道，但迄今為止，相關的研究結果強調了基於冥想的療法前景廣闊，此外這一領域的科學研究正在激增，預示著該領域的研究潛能無限。

[1] Tara Bennett-Goleman, Emotional Alchemy: How the Mind Can Heal the Heart (New York: Harmony Books, 2001).

[2] Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, John Teasdale, et al., Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression (New York: Guilford Press, 2003); John Teasdale et al., “Prevention of Relapse/Recurrence in Major Depression by Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 68:4(2000): 615-23.

[3] Madhav Goyal et al., “Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” JAMA Internal Medicine,published online January 6, 2014; doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018.

[4] J. Mark Williams et al., “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Preventing Relapse in Recurrent Depression: A Randomized Dismantling Trial,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 82:2(2014): 275-86.

[5] Alberto Chiesa, “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy vs. Psycho-Education for Patients with Major Depression Who Did Not Achieve Remission Following Anti-Depressant Treatment,” Psychiatry Research 226 (2015):174-83.

[6] William Kuyken et al., “Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse,” JAMA Psychiatry (April 27, 2016);doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0076.

[7] Zindel Segal, presentation at the International Conference on Contemplative Science, San Diego, November 18-20, 2016.

[8] Sona Dimidjian et al., “Staying Well During Pregnancy and the Postpartum:A Pilot Randomized Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for the Prevention of Depressive Relapse/Recurrence,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 84:2 (2016): 134-45.

[9] S. Nidich et al., “Reduced Trauma Symptoms and Perceived Stress in Male Prison Inmates through the Transcendental Meditation Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Permanente Journal 20:4 (2016): 43-47; http://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/16-007.

[10] Filip Raes et al., “School-Based Prevention and Reduction of Depression in Adolescents: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindfulness Group,” Mindfulness, March 2013; doi:10.1007/s12671-013-0202-1.

[11] Philippe R. Goldin and James J. Gross, “Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder,”Emotion 10:1 (2010): 83-91; http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0018441.

[12] David J. Kearney et al., “Loving-Kindness Meditation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study,” Journal of Traumatic Stress 26 (2013): 42634. 退伍軍人管理局的研究人員指出需進行後續研究論證這一開創性研究成果，在本書寫作時，後續研究正在進行中。該項研究涉及130名患有創傷後應激障礙的退伍軍人，他們被隨機分為一個陽性對照組，為期4年。慈愛冥想被拿來和陽性對照組使用的被視作創傷後應激障礙“黃金標準”療法的各種認知療法進行比較。假設慈愛冥想也能發揮作用，但需通過不同的機理。

[13] 另一篇逸事報道： P. Gilbert and S. Procter, “Compassionate Mind Training for People with High Shame and Self-Criticism: Overview and Pilot Study of a Group Therapy Approach,” Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 13 (2006):353-79。

[14] Jay Michaelson, Evolving Dharma: Meditation, Buddhism, and the Next Generation of Enlightenment (Berkeley: Evolver Publications, 2013). 在廣泛的使用過程中，心靈之旅中“黑夜”一詞已經有些偏離其最初的含義。17世紀西班牙的神祕學家聖十字約翰（St. John of the Cross）第一個使用該詞，當初只是用以描述通過一個神祕的領域與上帝高度合體的昇華過程，而今天的“黑夜”一詞意味著陷入恐懼之中，從而放棄我們的世俗身份所帶來的一切。

[15] Daniel Goleman, “Meditation as Meta-Therapy: Hypotheses Toward a Proposed Fifth State of Consciousness,” Journal of Transpersonal Psychology 3:1 (1971): 1-26.

[16] Jack Kornfield, The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology (New York: Bantam, 2009).

[17] Daniel Goleman and Mark Epstein, “Meditation and Well-Being: An Eastern Model of Psychological Health,” ReVision 3:2 (1980): 73-84. Reprinted in Roger Walsh and Deane Shapiro, Beyond Health and Normality (New York:Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1983).

[18] Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective (NewYork: Basic Books, 1995) was Mark Epstein’s first book; Advice Not Given:A Guide to Getting over Yourself (New York: Penguin Press, 2018) will be his next.