ORIGINS OF MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION INTERPLAYOF EASTERN & WESTERN PSYCHOLOGY
R. Singla
Psyke & Logos July 31, 2011 DOI: 10.7146/pl.v32i1.8802 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that mindfulness and meditation practices, rooted in Indian and Buddhist traditions, are often applied in Western psychology without their original context, and proposes that they be understood as part of daily life and spirituality rather than mere techniques. |
Abstract
“The East and the West must unite to provide one another with what is lacking” Abdu'l Baha in Sinha & Sinha, 1997 Mindfulness & meditation are gaining popularity in the Western psychological practice in the past 4-5 decades, especially within psychotherapeutic approaches, health promotion, and stress reduction. The origins and the broader context, however, seem to be overlooked in some of these practices. This article focuses on the origin of these phenomena in the first part, as it is important for both their interpretation and application in the current Western context. As these practices, entered Western psychology through India, basic assumptions about human nature in Indian psychology, monoism of body-mind, centrality of consciousness and meditation as a part of daily conduct are presented. The basic constructs of Buddhism, an integral part of Indian psychology, in relation to mindfulness and meditation, are also delineated as illustrations of these assumptions. The second part reflects on the application of the meditative practices through cognitive existential study of mindfulness (Kabat-Zinn, 2003) and a study on the phenomenology of meditation (Madsen, 2007). Both emphasize an experienced instructor, regular practice as a part of daily life, conceptual consciousness understandings for beneficial effects of these practices. The last part reflects critically on perils of mindfulness and meditation in the context of modernity. There is an appeal for considering these as a part of daily life, not just a technique, along with considering their origin and aspects such as spirituality considered as compassion and interconnectednes, spirituality as compassion, interplay between the Eastern and Western psychological understandings and the broader context.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Conscious, Pre-Conscious and Unconscious Mechanisms in Emotional Behaviour. Some Applications to the Mindfulness Approach with Wearable Devices Applied Sciences December 8, 2017
- The role of meditation and mindfulness in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome: a scoping review. Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024
- Non-dual awareness and sensory processing in meditators: Insights from startle reflex modulation Consciousness and Cognition July 8, 2024
- The Influence of Prior Sensory Context on Meditative Neural States Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science 2025