Mindfulness, originally a Buddhist contemplative practice, has been adapted into Western psychology, neuroscience, education, and clinical work. This chapter examines its philosophical and cultural roots, along with debates about its secularization and reduction to a technique. Drawing on neurophenomenology, enactivism, and cultural psychology, it reframes mindfulness as both mental training and a culturally embedded existential stance that can reshape psychological models of consciousness and well-being. Critiques address its decontextualization and functional reductionism, while its potential to influence individuals and society is considered.
Western Buddhist scholarship and scientific psychology both arose in the late Victorian era and have influenced each other since psychology's beginning. This entry describes how and why psychologists became interested in Buddhism, Buddhism's history and core tenets, and its impact on psychological theory, research, and practice. It also addresses controversies in incorporating Buddhism into a naturalistic empirical framework and unresolved research issues, and outlines future directions for inquiry.