Mindfulness techniques & practices are historically rooted in meditative traditions that are intended to reveal, through direct investigation, the truth of how things really are, with the ultimate purpose of liberation, not just for oneself, but for all beings. They are based within an understanding of our deep interconnectedness and the idea that our liberation is bound up with that of others.

Despite the many benefits of secular mindfulness, which include increased accessibility to those from a variety of religious and spiritual backgrounds, or lack thereof, and the amenability to scientific inquiry & research within a Western psychological framework, there are also some dangers. These include separation from the ethical framework within which these practices were originally intended and appropriating these practices solely for the purpose of individual gain.

The increasing popularity and commodification of mindfulness has also allowed it to be subject to the large blind spots of our capitalist culture, that is often invested in maintaining the status quo, rather than helping us clearly see suffering, especially that of those most marginalized with regard to race and inequity. One damaging manifestation of this is viewing mindfulness as an approach that places the burden of wellbeing and change on the individual, while concealing the role of institutionalized systems of oppression. The other is universalism, or the idea that everyone is the same and equally subject to the challenges of the human condition, thus centering the experience of those who are privileged enough to assume this, and excluding the suffering and marginalization of others.

Given these trends in the mindfulness movement and our current cultural and political climate, several providers at the Seattle Mindfulness Center have been engaged with looking more closely at our own privilege and conditioning with regard to social, political and economic structures such as Whiteness & Patriarchy, and how these show up in our communities & work. We are committed to ongoing conversations and continued exploration of these topics, along with taking active steps to counter their impact.