The experiences of women survivors of childhood sexual abuse who practice Buddhist meditation

This exploratory research study examines the experiences of women sexually abused in childhood who now practice Buddhist meditation. Through in-depth interviews eight women shared their experiences. Three overriding categories emerged through thematic analysis: how the participants combined meditation practice and healing from childhood trauma, the struggles they experienced with meditation, and the transformations/changes they experienced with the meditation practice. While the complexity of their experience with meditation renders it too simplistic to qualify as positive or negative, the data did reveal that meditation has been experienced as an important and useful component of their healing from childhood sexual abuse.