Diverse Voices: Enhancing Meditative Diversity in Global Public Health through Decentering Mindfulness

Decentering mindfulness refers to reducing the dominance of Buddhist-derived mindfulness in global public health initiatives and promoting other religiously rooted and theoretically grounded meditative practices alongside it. In the article Decentering Mindfulness: Toward Greater Meditative Diversity in Global Public Health by Knabb et al. (2023), the authors Knabb and Vazquez advocate for this shift to foster greater meditative diversity and provide local communities worldwide with meditation practices that better align with their worldviews and religious beliefs.

Key Discussions on Decentering Mindfulness

Rethinking the Globalization of Mindfulness

· The authors acknowledge Oman (2023) for their work on Mindfulness-Based Programs (MBPs) and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), recognizing its thorough exploration of mindfulness’s benefits and limitations.

· However, they argue that globalizing mindfulness solely through a Buddhist-derived approach for public health is problematic, considering that Buddhism is not the dominant religious tradition worldwide.

· While some claim that mindfulness has been fully secularized (de-religionized), the authors point out that it still carries implicit Buddhist elements, assumptions, and worldviews, which could present barriers for non-Buddhists, particularly Christians and followers of other faiths, thereby excluding a significant portion of the global population.

"Supplement or Staple Food?" – A Metaphor for Mindfulness

· To illustrate their point, the authors use an analogy:

o Mindfulness is like a vitamin supplement extracted from a complete Buddhist "food system."

o Just as vitamins are best consumed through whole foods, the authors argue that mindfulness, when removed from its Buddhist context, may lose some of its effectiveness and intended purpose.

o Furthermore, people’s own religious and cultural practices not only help alleviate suffering but also provide deeper values and meaning.

The Need for Alternative Religious Meditative Practices

· Knabb and Vazquez advocate for developing and promoting meditative practices derived from other religious traditions, such as Christian meditation, for global public health use.

· They provide examples of their research on Christian meditation, including:

o Contemplative practices from The Cloud of Unknowing (a medieval Christian mystical text).

o The “Jesus Prayer” in Eastern Orthodoxy.

o Puritan meditation.

o Ignatian meditation and contemplation in Catholicism.

· The authors emphasize that these practices are deeply rooted in complete religious systems and reflect distinct worldview assumptions regarding God, reality, knowledge, values, humanity, meaning, and purpose.

Adapting to the Limitations of Mindfulness

· While the authors acknowledge that mindfulness can be adapted to non-Buddhists, they argue that whether through superficial adjustments or deep modifications, mindfulness remains tied to a specific religious worldview.

· They suggest that Buddhist-derived meditative methods may not fully accommodate individuals whose religious beliefs conflict with Buddhist teachings.

· They cite research indicating that strictly scripture-adherent Christians are less likely to engage in secular or Buddhist mindfulness practices.

Decentering vs. Co-Branding Mindfulness

· The authors propose that instead of co-branding mindfulness with other religious meditative practices, it would be more effective to decenter mindfulness entirely and present it alongside independent religious meditation methods.

· They argue that using the original religious language of each tradition and highlighting worldview distinctions is crucial for respecting and embracing religiously diverse communities.

Steps to Develop Alternative Meditative Practices

The authors outline a series of steps to promote non-Buddhist-based meditative practices within global public health, drawing on the developmental trajectory of Western mindfulness research:

1. Start with a specific non-Buddhist religious tradition.

2. Operationalize (systematize) meditation, prayer, or contemplative practices based on sacred texts and historical religious writings.

3. Identify target public health issues (e.g., stress management, anxiety reduction, emotional regulation).

4. Manualize (develop structured guides for) meditative programs with clear, step-by-step instructions.

5. Determine implementation strategies and target settings (e.g., churches, counseling centers, wellness programs).

6. Conduct pilot and experimental studies to evaluate the efficacy of these religiously based meditative practices.

7. Translate research findings into practice and disseminate them to religious communities.

Case Study: Christian Meditation

As a model for promoting meditative diversity, the authors provide detailed research and applications of Christian meditation, including:

· Contemplation from The Cloud of Unknowing (a medieval Christian mystical tradition).

· The “Jesus Prayer” in Eastern Orthodoxy (a repetitive prayer technique for meditation).

· Puritan meditation (historical Puritan spiritual exercises).

· Ignatian meditation and contemplation (part of Catholic spiritual practice).

Additionally, the authors conducted pilot and randomized controlled trials to examine the psychological benefits of Christian meditation, such as reducing negative thought patterns and stress management.

Their research included a four-week Christian meditation program based on Puritan spiritual exercises and The Cloud of Unknowing. This program aimed to help Christian participants reduce rumination and anxiety by focusing on God’s positive attributes.

Findings from the study showed that:

· Participants in the Christian meditation group outperformed the wait-list control group in areas such as humility, detachment, surrendering to God, and reducing negative thought patterns.

Potential Impact of Meditative Diversity on Public Health

The authors argue that promoting religiously diverse meditative approaches can benefit global public health in multiple ways:

· Better alignment with religious communities: Offering meditative practices that align with existing belief systems enhances acceptance and effectiveness.

· Avoiding the dominance of a single religious tradition: Encouraging diversity prevents one religious background (Buddhism) from monopolizing the public health discourse on meditation.

· Providing culturally appropriate mental health interventions: This approach is particularly beneficial for historically marginalized communities.

o For example, in the United States, many Black communities identify as Christian.

o Christian meditation may be a more culturally and spiritually relevant alternative to Buddhist-derived mindfulness, making it more accessible and impactful.

Conclusion: Building Meditative Diversity in Global Public Health

The authors conclude that global public health should not rely solely on Buddhist-derived mindfulness but should actively promote a variety of religiously rooted meditative practices.

Their research serves as a model for Christian meditation, and they encourage other religious traditions to develop and share their own meditation methods for the benefit of their communities.

Ultimately, they advocate for a landscape of meditative diversity rather than a singular dominant model, ensuring that global meditation practices better serve the cultural and religious diversity of the world.