Mindfulness-based Practices as a Holistic Philosophy and Method

Authors

  • Robert Gause Laurentian University
  • Diana Coholic Laurentian University

Abstract

While rooted in a holistic philosophy and history, mindfulness-based practices have been operationalized and adapted by many researchers/practitioners as a cognitive behavioral intervention, which has proven to be effective for a wide variety of people and problems. However, some researchers and practitioners express concerns with this direction and the separation of mindfulness from its holistic roots. This paper discusses some of these concerns and considers how holistic mindfulness-based methods can differ from mindfulness that is facilitated as a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Examples are discussed from our own experiences in facilitating and studying mindfulness. In general, a holistic approach to mindfulness can be flexible, creative, and meet people’s specific needs and goals. It also encourages spiritually-sensitive discourse, which for some people will be important as their spirituality can be intimately connected with the philosophy and practice of mindfulness.

Downloads

Published

2010-07-04

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2010)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by Currents. The journal editor(s) may grant permission for the reproduction of any manuscript accepted for publication in whole or in part. Any author(s) that has contributed to a manuscript published in Currents may request permission from the editor(s) of the journal for reproduction in whole or in part of any manuscript for which they are identified as a contributing author. This request must be made through the lead author (or the corresponding author if different than the lead). For the purposes of this notice reproduction refers to publication of a manuscript subsequent to publication in Currents.