Meditation, the unconscious, and psychosomatic disorders

In this article, two basic meditation techniques are described--namely, concentration and mindfulness. The relationship between mindfulness and health is discussed in the context of findings linking repression to physical disorders. Parallels between meditation and psychoanalysis as methods for uncovering the unconscious, using both Freudian and Kellian constructs, are described. It is concluded that meditation, like free association, can be used to facilitate the emergence of unconscious (sub-verbal) material and allow for its integration at a higher (more cognitive) level of awareness.