Mindfulness: Diverse Perspectives on Its Meaning, Origins and Applications

Mindfulness-based approaches to medicine, psychology, neuroscience, healthcare, education, business leadership, and other major societal institutions have become increasingly common. New paradigms are emerging from a confluence of two powerful and potentially synergistic epistemologies: one arising from the wisdom traditions of Asia and the other arising from post-enlightenment empirical science.

This book presents the work of internationally renowned experts in the fields of Buddhist scholarship and scientific research, as well as looking at the implementation of mindfulness in healthcare and education settings. Contributors consider the use of mindfulness throughout history and look at the actual meaning of mindfulness whilst identifying the most salient areas for potential synergy and for potential disjunction.

Mindfulness: Diverse Perspectives on its Meanings, Origins and Applications provides a place where wisdom teachings, philosophy, history, science and personal meditation practice meet. It was originally published as a special issue of Contemporary Buddhism.

J. Mark G. Williams, Ph.D. is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre at the University of Oxford, UK. His research focuses on how best to alleviate depression and suicidality. Previous publications include Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World (2011) and The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness (2007).

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. is Professor of Medicine Emeritus, and Founder of MBSR and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA. He teaches mindfulness meditation as a technique to help people cope with stress, anxiety, pain and illness. Previous publications include Mindfulness for Beginnners: Reclaiming the Present Moment - and Your Life (2012) and Letting Everything Become Your Teacher: One Hundred Lessons in Mindfulness (2009).