Among 25 skilled Vipassana meditators in Sri Lanka, trait mindfulness was strongly associated with positive lifestyle habits. Two facets of mindfulness—observing and non-reactivity to present-moment experience—showed statistically strong links with perceived quality of life. Positive lifestyle habits significantly mediated the relationship between the observing facet of mindfulness and carbon footprint from food and beverage consumption, as well as between acting with awareness and carbon footprint from solid waste disposal. No temporal variables of meditation experience were significantly correlated with any domain of carbon footprint.
A body-mind technique called insight meditation, mastered by the principal investigator and adopted as a lifestyle practice by a group of scholars, was introduced to 500 volunteer health personnel in a western province to generate a ripple effect of happiness at work. Initial qualitative information indicated improvement in some aspects of cognitive ergonomics among practitioners, including relief from stress during practice sessions, improvements in commitment to work, and team spirit. A demand for further training was observed. A quasi-experimental study to test the improvements is underway.