Mindfulness

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.

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Abstract

Mindfulness refers to a family of contemplative practices and states related to the cultivation of awareness, presence, and equanimity. Originally rooted in Buddhist traditions, mindfulness has undergone a significant transformation as it entered Western psychological discourse, particularly within cognitive, neuroscientific, educational, and clinical frameworks. This chapter explores the theoretical, philosophical, and cultural underpinnings of mindfulness, its epistemological ambiguities, and its impact on cognition, emotion, selfhood, and society. It addresses current critiques concerning its secular appropriation, functional reductionism, and cultural decontextualization, while considering its revolutionary potential in reshaping psychological models of consciousness and wellbeing for individuals and societies. Drawing from neurophenomenology, enactivism, and cultural psychology, the chapter reframes mindfulness as both a mental training and a culturally situated existential stance with a potential to affect society at large.