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Cultivating an Eastern self: A qualitative study of the impact of mindfulness meditation on Western-born practitioners’ views of self and well-being

Shane Alan Martin

Mental Health, Religion & Culture August 9, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2018.1538204 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size 7
Population Seven women and men residing in the USA who had practiced meditation for 10 to 45 years
Intervention Meditation
Topics Meditation
Citations 2
Key findings Participants described meditation as leading them to distinguish ego, seen as encumbering, mundane, and impermanent, from a transcendent, interconnected self. They viewed Eastern conceptualizations of self as advantageous for non-attachment, balance, compassion, interdependence, and spiritual bliss, but also as risking dis-identification with personal identity and emotion. Meditation was reported to have more favorable effects on the self, such as resilience, self-awareness, better relationships, and stronger mind-body connection, than unfavorable effects like emotional dysregulation.

Abstract

With increasing participation in Eastern contemplative activities by Western-born practitioners, psychological research is needed on how meditation influences conceptualizations of the self. Descriptive thematic analyses of one-on-one interviews with seven women and men residing in USA focused on how their perceptions of the self were affected by dedication to practicing meditation (from between 10 - 45 years). Through their practice, participants came to perceive the Eastern conceptualization as distinguishing ego (as encumbering, mundane, and impermanent) from self (as transcendent, idealized, and interconnected). They saw Eastern conceptualizations of self as advantageous (promoting non-attachment, balance, compassion, interdependence, and spiritual bliss) and disadvantageous (risking dis-identification with personal identity and emotion). They reported meditation practice had more favorable effects on the self (promoting resilience, self-awareness, better relationships, and stronger mind/body connection), than unfavorable effects (risking emotional dysregulation). Themes are discussed with regard to personality theory, clinical practice, and promotion of individual well-being through meditation.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

Citations in the library

Cited by 1

Cites 5

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