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Paradoxes of Mindfulness

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Abstract

This paper represents an attempt to highlight the paradoxes of mindfulness practice. Because mindfulness is a subtle form of awareness that does not stem from rational cognitive thought, its practice often involves embracing contradictions in a way that transcends logic. We first define mindfulness as involving three core aspects: intention, attention, and attitude. We then highlight four paradoxes of mindfulness that we believe to be especially salient for the field: (1) Acceptance vs. Change, (2) Escape vs. Engagement, (3) Effort vs. Non-Striving, (4) Self-Focus vs. Non-Self. Finally, we discuss the importance of ongoing dialog about these paradoxes both for practitioners and for those teaching mindfulness in clinical contexts.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA

    Shauna Shapiro

  2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Ronald Siegel

  3. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    Kristin D. Neff

Authors
  1. Shauna Shapiro
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  2. Ronald Siegel
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  3. Kristin D. Neff
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shauna Shapiro.

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Shapiro, S., Siegel, R. & Neff, K.D. Paradoxes of Mindfulness. Mindfulness 9, 1693–1701 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0957-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0957-5

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