Poetic Breath
Routledge eBooks April 27, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781003741886-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that poetry functions as a therapeutic, pedagogical, and contemplative bridge within secular mindfulness practice, conveying emotional and existential dimensions that programs like MBSR and MBCT often avoid by excluding religious language. Contends that forms such as haiku, tanka, free verse, and cinquain can cultivate awareness, express impermanence, and support trauma recovery, and that poetry is a vital mode of meaning-making rather than an aesthetic addition. |
Abstract
This chapter explores the role of poetry in secular mindfulness practice, highlighting its therapeutic, pedagogical, and contemplative power. While mindfulness-based programmes like MBSR and MBCT often avoid religious language, poetry offers a bridge to the emotional and existential dimensions of practice. Drawing on traditions from Buddhist verse to modern haiku, the chapter examines how poetry fosters presence, emotional processing, and radical acceptance. It outlines how poetic forms, such as haiku, tanka, free verse, and cinquain, can be used to cultivate awareness, express impermanence, and support trauma recovery. Through examples from clinical settings, group therapy, and mindfulness teaching, the chapter demonstrates how poetry can deepen insight, enhance self-compassion, and offer a secular form of spiritual reflection. Practical exercises and writing prompts invite readers to engage in poetry as a mindfulness practice. Ultimately, the chapter affirms that poetry is not merely an aesthetic addition to mindfulness, but a vital mode of meaning-making, one that speaks to the heart, honours ambiguity, and restores the mystery and depth of contemplative experience.