Abstract
This chapter outlines the vision for an ethical, sustainable society developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. I begin by briefly introducing Kabat-Zinn, his program and its rise in popularity. Following this, I show that he frames this vision with a vocabulary that includes elements from the medical field as well as from Buddhism. That Kabat-Zinn’s vision provides a deep well of ethical values without resorting to supernatural themes prompts me to question whether religious convictions are necessary for engendering an outlook which prioritizes ethical, sustainable forms of living.
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Notes
- 1.
See “America’s Changing Religious Landscape” in the references below.
References
Kabat-Zinn, Jon. 2005. Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness. New York: Hachette.
———. 2011. Some Reflections on the Origins of MBSR, Skillful Means, and the Trouble with Maps. Contemporary Buddhism 12 (1): 281–306.
———. 2013. Fully Catastrophe Living: Using Your Body and Mind to Face Pain, Stress and Illness. New York: Bantam Books.
Pew Research Center. 2017. America’s “Changing Religious Landscape.” Accessed July 10, 2017. http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/.
Williams, Paul. 1989. Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations. New York: Routledge.
Wilson, Jeff. 2014. Mindful America: The Mutual Transformation of Buddhist Meditation and American Culture. New York: Oxford University Press.
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Calobrisi, T. (2022). Awareness Is Our Birthright: Mindfulness Practice and the Sustainability of the Present. In: Sherma, R.D., Bilimoria, P. (eds) Religion and Sustainability: Interreligious Resources, Interdisciplinary Responses. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79301-2_14
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