History of Mindfulness: From East to West and Religion to Science

History of Mindfulness: From East to West and Religion to Science

Where did mindfulness come from? And why have so many people in the West recently become so interested in it? There is no easy answer to this question, but one solution is to trace the lineage of mindfulness from early Eastern religions to its modern, secular presence in Western science.

The History of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice involved in various religious and secular traditions-from Hinduism and Buddhism to yoga and, more recently, non-religious meditation.

A Take-Home Message

Mindfulness is a tradition that has a rich history steeped in religious and secular institutions

Brief History of Hinduism

Hinduism is widely considered to be the oldest extant religion in the world, but it is hard to trace its history

Mindfulness’ Role in (Positive) Psychology

Mindfulness meditation has become a useful tool in positive psychology for anyone looking to increase their levels of wellbeing

History of Buddhism

Buddhism was founded around 400-500 BC by Siddhartha Gautama, who became referred to as the Buddha.

Mindfulness Practice and Philosophy

Mindfulness can come in lots of different forms-it could be a yoga practice that involves mindfulness, it might involve setting aside time for mindfulness meditation sessions, or it could involve practicing mindfulness during everyday activities (such as washing the dishes).

How Mindfulness Relates to Yoga

Many yoga practices incorporate mindfulness and some mindfulness meditation practices, such as the body scan, are very similar to yoga as they both involve awareness of one’s body.

How Mindfulness Moved From East to West

Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

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