From Mindfulness Practice to Contemplative Practices

Abstract

Contemplative practices are a wide range of techniques originating from contemplative traditions, incorporating mindfulness, self-regulation and / or self-awareness, embodiment, breathwork, movement-based, and dialogic exercises, and aiming to alter cognitive and emotional processes. Being a part of contemplative practices mindfulness represents one of the fastest growing areas of psychological research and practice. Evidence shows that mindfulness is effective in improving a wide range of biopsychosocial conditions in business, health, and education. The emergence of data on the effectiveness of mindfulness has led to the development of programs and interventions that utilize mindfulness and contemplative practices. In the Russian-speaking scientific community, however, contemplative practices are under-researched. In the field of mindfulness and contemplative practices in whole, there remain some current issues. Although considerable scholarly interest exists, research has largely focused on a narrow range of methods and traditions. Also, in the field of mindfulness, there are a number of important factors that reduce its effectiveness. These include the use of poor methodology, limited samples, insufficient consideration of religious and cultural context, the factor of trauma-informed practice, and the possible negative effects. The article discusses contemplative practices, their prevalence, and challenges, as well as gaps and trends in contemplative studies. Factors complicating the application and possible negative effects of contemplative practices in psychological care and counseling are presented. A perspective on contemporary contemplative interventions is outlined.