The origins of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is rooted in early Eastern philosophy most commonly known for sharing links with Hinduism and Buddhism, and with Jon Kabat-Zin most widely credited for its popularisation in secular western culture (Selva. 2017). 

The exact root of mindfulness can be debated depending on the particular source of information that is consulted.  For example, Okafor (2020) states that mindfulness can be traced back to c.1500 – c.1100 BCE having been used by Buddhist masters to enhance their meditative practiced. Whilst others argue that the origins date back as far as c.2300 BCE as a yogic practice from Hinduism with Buddhism, and other religions such as Islam and Christianity, adopting the practice later (Giang. 2020).

Although the true historic inception of mindfulness practice could be debated, what is clearer though is the emergence of mindfulness in western culture, this can be more positively attributed to that which was practiced within Buddhism which was the focus of Jon Kabet-Zin.

It is generally accepted that the meditative practices and mindfulness, with Buddhist roots were introduced in the west by Jon Kabat-Zin in the late seventies. Kabat-Zin used mindfulness as a mode of treatment within his Stress Reduction Clinic which he opened in 1979, creating a programme known as Mindfulness based Stress Reduction (MBSR) (Matejko. 2022).  Jon, himself, says that the idea for MBSR and his clinic came from a vision whilst he was at a mindfulness (vipassana) retreat (Kabat-Zin. 2019).

It would be fair to surmise that the use of mindfulness has always centred on the practice of increasing ones awareness in the present whether that be focussed on spirituality, inner peace, or personal wellbeing, the latter generally being the focus on Kabat-Zin’s work.

One study which used MBSR as prescribed by Kabat-Zin over an 8 week period recorded a 3.2 point reduction in the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), with the number of participants recording high stress levels beforehand reducing from 38% down to 22% after the trial, all other scales used within the trial also recorded ‘statistically significant’ improvements (Juul et al. 2017).

An example of the incorporation of mindfulness into newer therapeutic approaches would be development of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) which was introduced in 2002 by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale (Schimelpfening. 2023) and which built on the foundations of CBT.  A study by Troy et al. (2013) showed significant improvement in the client’s ability to cognitively reappraise their emotional response when incorporating Mindfulness.

The popularity and uptake of mindfulness and mindfulness based therapies continues to grow.  A 2018 study in the United States by Clarke et al. (2018) supports evidence for the continuing growth in the popularity of mindfulness finding that meditation practice and yoga were the top 2 complementary therapies used with one just 0.1% separating them, furthermore the study showed that practice of meditation specifically grew threefold from 4.1% to 14.2% between 2012 and 2017.

Whilst mindfulness practice takes its roots from historic, and predominantly eastern religious based practice, the migration of mindfulness to western culture, largely attributed to Jon Kabat-Zin, has seen continued growth in uptake, popularity, and in evidence for its effectiveness both as a standalone practice, and when integrated into other therapeutic modes.

---

References

CLARKE T., et al. (2018). Use of yoga, meditation, and chiropractors among U.S. adults aged 18 and over. NCHS Data Brief, no 325. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db325-h.pdf. Accessed 12th June 2023.

GIANG C. (2020). What Are The Origins Of Mindfulness. Available from https://community.thriveglobal.com/what-are-the-origins-of-mindfulness/. Accessed 12th June, 2023.

JUUL L., et al. (2017). Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in a Self-Selecting and Self-Paying Community Setting. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6061242/. Accessed 12th June, 2023.

KABAT-ZIN J. (2019). Some reflections on the origins of MBSR, Skillful means, and the trouble with maps. Available from https://jonkabat-zinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/JonKabat-Zinn_SomeReflectionsOriginsMBSR.pdf. Accessed 12th June, 2023.

MATEJKO S. (2022). What’s the Background of Mindfulness? Available from https://psychcentral.com/lib/a-brief-history-of-mindfulness-in-the-usa-and-its-impact-on-our-lives. Accessed 12th June, 2023.

OKAFOR J. (2020). History of Mindfulness, From East to West to Mainstream. Available from https://www.trvst.world/mind-body/history-of-mindfulness/. Accessed 3rd June, 2023.

SCHIMELPFENING N. (2023). What Is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)? Available from https://www.verywellmind.com/mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy-1067396. Accessed 13th June, 2023.

SELVA J. (2017). The History and Origins Mindfulness. Available from https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-mindfulness/. Accessed 3rd June, 2023.

TROY A; SHALLCROSS A; DAVID T; MAUSS I. (2013). History of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Is Associated with Increased Cognitive Reappraisal Ability. Mindfulness (N Y). Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441334/. Accessed 13th June, 2023.