This paper reports on a small qualitative study of a small number of American community college students who had unusual experiences of mindfulness meditation. It argues that the potential harmful affects of mindfulness may be overlooked, not well understood and more commonly experienced than is currently realized especially for individuals with a history of trauma, addictions, mental health difficulties or self-harm. School and higher education teachers who incorporate mindfulness meditations in their classes may not recognize signs of trauma or mental health difficulties and may not know how to support their students should any difficulties arise. Given the high rates of mental health difficulties and stress disorders in young people, duty of care responsibilities for teachers and students’ basic right to be safe this study finds there may be a need to ‘safeguard’ mindfulness meditation for student and teacher wellbeing. Safeguarding recommendations include building teacher capacity, understanding student vulnerability and learning about alternative less intense mindfulness activities so as to better tailor mindfulness for individual needs.