New Study Raises Concerns About Unexamined Assumptions in Mindfulness Practices
Recent years have witnessed a surge in the popularity of mindfulness therapy as a means to cope with stress and improve overall well-being. With the rise of therapy forms and meditation apps, millions of people around the world have reported significant benefits from practicing mindfulness. However, a philosopher from the University of Copenhagen is cautioning against accepting the philosophical assumptions underlying mindfulness practices without critical examination.
Mindfulness, inspired by Buddhist meditation traditions, has gained momentum in various spheres of life, including schools, healthcare, and workplaces. Popular meditation apps like Headspace and Ten Percent Happier are witnessing a substantial increase in downloads. The increasing demand for mindfulness techniques suggests that many individuals find value in its practices.
However, Odysseus Stone, Ph.D., from the University of Copenhagen, believes that the philosophical assumptions upon which mindfulness is based are questionable and need careful scrutiny. Stone, who has just completed his dissertation on mindfulness, questions the claim that all thoughts and emotions should be viewed as passing clouds in the sky without significance or relation to reality.
Stone argues that while it may make sense to acknowledge and avoid investing too much energy in certain thoughts and emotions, this approach becomes problematic when applied to deeply held convictions and attitudes about ourselves, others, and the social and political world. He believes that these thoughts and emotions shape our perspective and how we navigate the world, and thus, they should not be treated with suspicion or dismissed as transient phenomena.
Another aspect of mindfulness that Stone criticizes is its focus on individual attention and the control of one’s own attention. In the age of the attention economy, where major tech companies compete for people’s limited time, mindfulness offers exercises to help individuals regain control of their attention. While this may seem sensible, Stone argues that it shifts the responsibility for structural social problems, such as the attention economy, onto the individual rather than addressing them collectively.
Furthermore, Stone questions the notion of attention itself as a spotlight within the individual’s head that can be controlled. He argues that attention is highly dependent on our embodiment and is embedded in material and social contexts, challenging the idea that it can be solely controlled by the individual.
Lastly, Stone challenges the idea that humans spend too much time pondering the past and the future, preventing them from living in the present. While this belief is often based on the notion that the present moment is more real or fundamental, Stone argues that our narratives and sense of self as beings with a past and a future give our lives meaning and structure. It is unclear whether these narratives are mistaken or simply unreal. Additionally, he questions the concept of the pure now or absolute present moment and its supposed special reality.
This critical examination of mindfulness stems from Stone’s doctoral thesis, titled “Engaging mindfulness: a phenomenological investigation and critique,” conducted at the University of Copenhagen. His research urges individuals and practitioners to question the assumptions underlying mindfulness practices and not accept them as a matter of course.
As mindfulness continues to gain popularity and find its way into various aspects of life, it is crucial to engage in thoughtful dialogue and reflection to ensure that its practices are grounded in a solid philosophical foundation.