Mindfulness and wellbeing: towards a unified operational approach

Shonin, E, Van Gordon, W and Griffiths, M ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, 2016. Mindfulness and wellbeing: towards a unified operational approach. In: Ivtzan, I and Lomas, T, eds., Mindfulness in positive psychology. Routledge, pp. 280-292. ISBN 9781317600664

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Abstract

Mindfulness is arguably one of the fastest growing areas of psychological research. However, due to the rapidity at which mindfulness has been taken out of its traditional Buddhist setting and assimilated by allied psychological disciplines, operational issues have inevitably arisen. One such issue relates to concerns over whether the ‘spiritual essence’ of mindfulness has remained intact in its clinically-orientated Westernised form. Indeed, successive Westernised models of mindfulness have invariably failed to consider (i) the cooperating or mechanistic role of other meditative and spiritual-practice agents, and (ii) the fact that rather than a tool for treating psychological and/or somatic illness, mindfulness was traditionally practised to facilitate a realisation of a person’s full human potential and capacity for unconditional wellbeing. This chapter aims to establish robust foundations for the ongoing integration of mindfulness into Western psychological domains. Following an explication of a traditional Buddhist construction of mindfulness and how this differs from contemporary psychological interpretations, a model and definition of mindfulness is proposed which, whilst still applicable to secular mindfulness interventional approaches, is more congruent with the traditional Buddhist understanding. The proposed model is deemed to be suitable for investigating and relating to mindfulness as part of a positive psychological framework, and it acknowledges the aspects of mindfulness that are traditionally understood to foster flourishing and enduring happiness.

Item Type:	Chapter in book
Creators:	Shonin, E., Van Gordon, W. and Griffiths, M.
Publisher:	Routledge
Date:	24 March 2016
ISBN:	9781317600664
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.4324/9781315747217-22 DOI 2190521 Other
Rights:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Mindfulness in positive psychology on 17 March 2016, available online: http://www.routledge.com/9781317600664
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Laura Ward
Date Added:	16 Aug 2024 10:48
Last Modified:	16 Aug 2024 10:48
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/52026

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