Abstract
The relationship between contemporary mindfulness practice and its Buddhist roots has generated debate as popularity in secular clinical contexts increases. Researchers, clinicians, and practitioners question the ethics of secularizing these practices, as well the potential barriers of offering mindfulness programs in the context of Buddhism, especially for individuals who practice or identify with non-Buddhist religions. However, to date, there has been little empirical exploration of these associations. Using a sample from a previous study of 173 inmates in a minimum-security correctional facility, the study compared individuals who voluntarily participated in an intensive Buddhist Vipassana mediation course (n = 57) with those who chose not to participate (n = 116). The associations between religious affiliation, participation in an intensive meditation course, and post-course changes in engagement in non-Buddhist religious practices were assessed. Results show that participation in the Vipassana course was not significantly associated with religious identification or level of engagement prior to taking the course or with engagement in religious practices 3 months following their release from jail. These results suggest that mindfulness meditation, even when taught in a traditional Buddhist context, may be attractive and acceptable to those of other religious faiths, and involvement in such practices does not threaten engagement in non-Buddhist religious practices.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amaro, A. (2015). A holistic mindfulness. Mindfulness, 6(1), 63–73.
Bowen, S., Chawla, N., & Marlatt, G. A. (2010). Mindfulness-based relapse prevention for substance use disorders. New York: Guilford Press.
Bowen, S., Witkiewitz, K., Dillworth, T. M., Chawla, N., Simpson, T. L., Ostafin, B. D., & Marlatt, G. A. (2006). Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20(3), 343–347. doi:10.1037/0893-164x.20.3.343.
Bowen, S., Witkiewitz, K., Clifasefi, S., Grow, J., Chawla, N., Hsu, S., Douglas, H., Harrop, E., Collins, S., Lustyk, K., & Larimer, M. (2014). Relative efficacy of mindfulness-based relapse prevention, relapse prevention and standard aftercare treatment in preventing relapse to substance use. Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry, 71, 547–556.
Brazier, C. (2013). Roots of mindfulness. European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, 15(2), 127–138.
Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., Loverich, T. M., Biegel, G. M., & West, A. M. (2011). Out of the armchair and into the streets: measuring mindfulness advances knowledge and improves interventions: reply to Grossman (2011). Psychological Assessment, 23(4), 1041–1046.
Chiesa, A., & Serretti, A. (2010). Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2010.08.011.
Connors, G. J., Tonigan, J. S., & Miller, W. R. (1996). A measure of religious background and behavior for use in behavior change research. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 10(2), 90–96.
Eberth, J., & Sedlmeier, P. (2012). The effects of mindfulness meditation: a meta-analysis. Mindfulness, 3(3), 174–189.
Greenberg, M. T., & Mitra, J. L. (2015). From mindfulness to right mindfulness: the intersection of awareness and ethics. Mindfulness, 6(1), 74–78.
Grossman, P. (2011). Defining mindfulness by how poorly I think I pay attention during everyday awareness and other intractable problems for psychology’s (re)invention of mindfulness: comment on Brown et al. (2011). Psychological Assessment, 23(4), 1034–1040.
Grossman, P. (2015). Mindfulness: awareness informed by an embodied ethic. Mindfulness, 6(1), 17–22.
Harrington, N., & Pickles, C. (2009). Mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy: are they compatible concepts? Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23(4), 315–323.
Hart, W. (1987). The art of living: Vipassana meditation (1st ed.). New York, NY: HarperOne.
Hathaway, W., & Tan, E. (2009). Religiously oriented mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(2), 158–171.
Hawker, D. M., & Hawker, D. S. (2014). Issues being discussed by Christian therapists in the United Kingdom. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 33(2), 168–170.
Himelstein, S., Hastings, A., Shapiro, S., & Heery, M. (2012). Mindfulness training for self-regulation and stress with incarcerated youth a pilot study. Probation Journal, 59(2), 151–165.
Hirst, I. (2003). Perspectives of mindfulness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 10(3), 359–366.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living. Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Kohls, N., Walach, H., & Lewith, G. (2009). The impact of positive and negative spiritual experiences on distress and the moderating role of mindfulness. Archiv fur Religionspsychologie / Archive for the Psychology of Religions, 31(3), 357–374.
Mikulas, W. L. (2015). Ethics in Buddhist training. Mindfulness, 6(1), 14–16.
Monteiro, L. M., Musten, R. F., & Compson, J. (2015). Traditional and contemporary mindfulness: finding the middle path in the tangle of concerns. Mindfulness, 6(1), 1–13.
Phillips, R. E., III, Cheng, C. M., Pargament, K. I., Oemig, C., Colvin, S. D., Abarr, A. N., & Reed, A. S. (2009). Spiritual coping in American Buddhists: an exploratory study. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19(4), 231–243.
Purser, R. E. (2015). Clearing the muddled path of traditional and contemporary mindfulness: a response to Monteiro, Musten, and Compson. Mindfulness, 6(1), 23–45.
Roemer, L., & Orsillo, S. M. (2009). Mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies in practice (p. 244). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.
Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: a new approach to preventing relapse. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Sobczak, L. R., & West, L. M. (2013). Clinical considerations in using mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches with diverse populations: addressing challenges in service delivery in diverse community settings. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 20(1), 13–22.
Spofford, J. L., Nevels, R. M., Gontkovsky, S. T., & Bell, T. P. (2014). Meditative practices predict spirituality but mindfulness does not predict alcohol use in African-American college students. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 17(4), 379–389.
Symington, S. H., & Symington, M. F. (2012). A Christian model of mindfulness: using mindfulness principles to support psychological well-being, value-based behavior, and the Christian spiritual journey. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 31(1), 71–77.
Tan, S.-Y. (2011). Mindfulness and acceptance-based cognitive behavioral therapies: empirical evidence and clinical applications from a Christian perspective. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 30(3), 243–249.
Vandenberghe, L., & Costa Prado, F. (2009). Law and grace in Saint Augustine: a fresh perspective on mindfulness and spirituality in behaviour therapy. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 12(6), 587–600.
Vohra-Gupta, S., Russell, A., & Lo, E. (2007). Meditation: the adoption of Eastern thought to Western social practices. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 26(2), 49–61.
Wiist, W., Sullivan, B., Wayment, H., & Warren, M. (2010). A web-based survey of the relationship between Buddhist religious practices, health, and psychological characteristics: research methods and preliminary results. Journal of Religion and Health, 49(1), 18–31.
Witkiewitz, K., Warner, K., Sully, B., Barricks, A., Stauffer, C., Thompson, B. L., & Luoma, J. B. (2014). Randomized trial comparing mindfulness-based relapse prevention with relapse prevention for women offenders at a residential addiction treatment center. Substance Use & Misuse, 49(5), 536–546.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bowen, S., Bergman, A.L. & Witkiewitz, K. Engagement in Buddhist Meditation Practices Among Non-Buddhists: Associations with Religious Identity and Practice. Mindfulness 6, 1456–1461 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0420-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0420-9