Mindfulness is widely used and effective, but easily misunderstood in ways that limit its benefits. The concept rests on five seemingly contradictory dialectical positions: activity versus passivity, wanting versus non-wanting, changing versus non-changing, non-judging versus non-reacting, and active acceptance versus passive acceptance. Understanding these paradoxes is necessary for proper application. The article discusses practical implications and potential caveats for medical professionals.
A pilot intervention study tested whether Metta (loving-kindness) meditation strengthens sense of coherence, resilience, and self-compassion in people with cardiovascular disease. The health-promoting personal protective factors were not strengthened by the practice. However, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in perceived stress and improved stress coping skills compared to the control group. Frequency of rehospitalization also differed significantly between groups. Due to the small sample size (29 participants), results are exploratory and preliminary; correlations between the changes and meditation cannot be finally assessed.
An 8-week mindfulness program adapted for university students, Mindfulness-Based Coping With University Life (MBCUL), led to significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and perceived stress, along with increased mindfulness, compared with a wait-list control group. The study involved students from the University of Northampton (mean age 25 in the mindfulness group, 28 in controls). Attrition was high and the sample small, limiting generalizability, but the results suggest MBCUL is an acceptable and useful program that merits further study with larger samples.
Transpersonal psychology has grown in research and clinical practice. This overview traces its history and sources, discussing spirituality's role in psychotherapy and counseling, spirituality as a health resource, spiritual experiences as paths to consciousness, and the distinction between extraordinary states and spiritual crises. It addresses critiques, such as whether language-free experience is possible and how Eastern concepts can be translated into Western psychology. Positive aspects are presented, arguing that transpersonal psychology deserves serious scientific consideration.