A Critical History of Mindfulness-Based Psychology

Acknowledgements Over the past few months I've been asked a number of questions about my thesis. A common question has been: " Well, are you being mindful while writing about mindfulness? " I'd like to take this opportunity to thank a few people whom, without their support, I would have been rather mindless through the process. First, I must thank my advisors Jill Morawski and William Johnston for not only pushing me to think critically, but for providing me an opportunity to work between disciplines. I had heard rumors prior to this year that working with two advisors can be fairly challenging. However, my experience has been quite the opposite and my time with you both has been engaging, informative and inspiring. When I look back on my years at Wesleyan, I know memories of our meetings will be some of my fondest. I would like to express my gratitude to my writing tutor Kacey Wochna and housemate Sawyer Greene for reading drafts of my thesis and for giving me insight and encouragement along the way. To everyone at the Center of Humanities, thank you so much for the advice and kindness I received during my time as fellow in the fall. I am also indebt to the Inter-Library Loan Service. Thank you for handling what must have seemed like an endless list of requests. Lastly, to my mother and father for the wisdom, love, and support that made this project possible. I dedicate this project to you both. Introduction From yoga classes at local gyms, to neuroscientific research on meditating Buddhists, there can be no doubt that Eastern styles of meditation have had an increasing influence on Western culture within recent years. Even Jon Stewart's popular television show " The Daily Show " ironically references the movement in a regular comic feature called the " Moment of Zen. " While there is a long tradition of Eastern meditative practices in the United States, the extent to which it has become a cultural force today has not been seen since the heyday of the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. In its most current incarnation, however, the influences of meditation go far beyond a youthful and rebellious counterculture to the very mainstream of society, including the biomedical establishment. This thesis examines one of the more popular meditative practices being used in the medical world today called mindfulness meditation. The …