Enacting Social Change Through Buddhist Meditation
The Oxford Handbook of Meditation November 10, 2020 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198808640.013.38 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key points | Argues that meditation's adoption in North America follows two distinct currents—assimilative, which integrates it into existing institutions to foster social stability, and radical, which uses it for structural change and collective liberation—both rooted in the de-contextualization of Buddhist practice during colonialism. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter illustrates connections between meditation and social change, distinguishing assimilative and radical currents recognizable in the adoption of meditation as a tool of social stability and social transformation, especially within a North American context. The assimilative approach rests on the assumption that individual meditation practice will naturally lead to social transformation. It underlies the incorporation of meditation into established public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and the political arena. The radical current shifts focus from individual practice to structural change and collective liberation and is most visible in progressive social activist communities, which have adopted meditation as a strategy of self-care and a creative tool of protest. Both radical and assimilative currents have roots in the modernization of Buddhism that began during colonialism, which has led to the de-contextualization of meditation from its traditional religious matrix and its re-contextualization in various new matrices including ones primarily geared toward social transformation and justice.