How does meditation relate to quality of life, positive lifestyle habits and carbon footprint?
E A S K Somarathne, M W Gunathunga, E Lokupitiya
Heliyon January 15, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41144 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Skilled Vipassana meditators who are native speakers of Sri Lanka |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Carbon footprint Greenhouse gas Pro-environmental behaviour |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Trait mindfulness showed strong associations with positive lifestyle habits, and positive lifestyle habits mediated the relationship between specific mindfulness facets and carbon footprint in food and waste domains. |
Abstract
There is increasing scientific interest in the potential links between meditation practice and pro-environmental behaviours. The present research investigates relationships between Vipassana meditation experience (temporal variables of meditation, five facets of trait mindfulness), positive lifestyle habits (PLH), quality of life (QoL) and per-head carbon footprint (CF) among 25 skilled meditators. Self-reported validated questionnaires were given to a group of native speakers of Sri Lanka to collect data on meditation experience, PLH, and perceived QoL. In estimating CF four domains (food and beverage consumption, electricity consumption, traveling and solid waste disposal) were considered. Correlation analyses revealed that trait mindfulness showed strong associations (r > 0.4) with PLH. None of the temporal variables of meditation experience was significantly correlated with any domain of CF. Two facets of mindfulness (observing and non-reactivity to present-moment experience) demonstrated statistically strong associations (p < 0.05) with perceived QoL. It was found that the PLH significantly mediates the relationship between the observing facet of trait mindfulness and CF associated with food and beverage consumption (indirect effect - 0.002, SE = 0.001 95 % CI [0.010, 0.417]). Further, the relationship between acting with awareness and CF associated with solid waste disposal at landfill sites was significantly mediated by the PLH (indirect effect - (-0.003), SE = 0.003 95 % CI [-0.012, -0.0001]). The current study will serve as a foundation for future longitudinal studies on the same subject by providing evidence for the relationships between meditation experience and PLH, perceived QoL and CF.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 15
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
and 10 more in the library