Gleam you do point out something I have learned through the S.O.S. and this also goes for hypnosis. Meditation and hypnosis bypass the left logical brain and open up the right brain so there is no temperance there when something does come up or like you said no safety net. While this happens in our dreams all the time with no ill effect we most of the time do not act on what we dream and think of it as only a dream. But meditation many times we do act on it, now hypnosis has less control than meditation at least with meditation after you meditate and something comes to you you could weigh it for practicality and something good can come out of it. In other words you could temper it with your left brain afterwords, this is why sometimes something that seems so perfect and great in a dream when you try to bring it into life you say "what happened this was a stupid idea, why did it seem so good before?" We need both sides of our brain for real success with what ever we want to build.

Bicameral Mind, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes

I like meditation but it is an outdated method to get answers from your right brain, it is like doing things the long way around. Here is meditation in words, quiet the mind relax, quiet the mind relax subconsciously let the right brain take over and bring answers from the abstract world of idealism. That is a lot but it is relaxing so it is enjoyable but if you don't have the time and need an answer now demand your right brain to work on the answer then forget about it.

Hi Gleam - in my opinion one will gain or experience, from their meditation practice, exactly what they expect to experience.

Meditation has in fact two meanings - the first being to empty the mind of all thought and the second being to concentrate the mind on one thing which is done when one is practicing mindful meditation.

For me meditation is an attempt to put aside the internal chatter that is generated by the egoic mind so I can connect with my Source, God, Higher self ( or whatever other terminology one wishes to use). If I go into my meditation worrying that what I experience may not be in alignment with a Higher consciousness but that I may encounter less than desirable energy ( occult) then the egoic mind will probably be more than happy to drum up that experience for me.

I choose to believe that occult forces are generated by the ego and therefore an illusion so I know I will not be inviting them into my meditation experience. The egoic mind is capable of pretty much drumming up whatever negative experience you want if you are willing to listen to it. I choose not to.

well meditation is to master your self on every level(body mind spirit) how can mastering your self be harmfull to you? did you master walking, speaking, writing, driving car is it dangerous? how can having a better control on you and better mind(with no more veils) and better focus (still mind) and experiancing what is spirit (when you leave the body) be harmfull to you? it is more the people that do not meditate that are having lack of control and are dangerous to them self and other!(example: people that suicide! people that steal from other! people that try to have power over other! people that do stupid and harmfull things because of ego! people that bomb them self for religion or concept!etc.)The human mind has learnt to think in complicated ways and expect complicated solutions and theories about life and its meaning. All these ideas have to be rejected if we want to succeed in our endeavor. It is the mind that is creating many theories, worlds, powers and entities. It creates problems and then looks for solutions. We have to get beyond the mind in order to control it and its creations. Freedom from thoughts and a realization of our true eternal One identity, free us from the mind's games.

Meditation has to be practiced with a spirit of detachment and without tension. In time, you will become more aware of your Consciousness, your Real I and act and do everything from its viewpoint, not the ego's point of view. It is really inaccurate to say, " to be aware of your Consciousness" as you are it, you do not experience it as something separate from you, you are It. If you say, I am observing my consciousness, ask yourself who is this observer. You can observe your mind, but not yourself. The mind observes what is happening around, but when you observe your mind, it is actually you, the consciousness that is observing the mind. Please do not regard what I have said as a game of words, because it isn't.

What is to be done is to stop thinking and just Be. 'Be' means, feel your real being, with no identification with your thoughts or personality. This has to be practiced; otherwise whatever you read here will remain as useless and meaningless words. If you are able to stop all your thinking and still remain conscious, forgoing any false identification with what you call your personality and its attachments, and just experience what is left, which is certainly not a vacuum, then that's it. You have what people call 'found yourself'. All what you have to do next is to stabilize in this state, always and under all circumstances.

also if you would do maha samadhi the great samadhi to get rid of the body and stay with god in heaven! god would talk to you and tell you that you made the choice to come to this world to experiance this life and trial you set to achive! and that the choice is yours to continue in this world or stay in heaven! so you see there is no danger!

Meditation could be harmful in the same way medication can be harmful, if not done properly!

So, discipline, practice, awareness of right method, and meditation exercises, will not do any harm, if done properly, but will enhance your ability to listen to get clear answers!