Cultural Appropriation of Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness practices, apps, or interventions are nearly everywhere in the wellness industry (Forbes, 2019) and used in new wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Hofmann, Sawyer, & Fang, 2011). Yet, the people who grew up deeply connected with mindfulness concepts and practices have largely been left out of the conversation, left out of opportunities to be a part of psychotherapy treatment development where mindfulness interventions are involved, and subsequently excluded from being a part of any social or tangible benefits seen in the explosion of the mindfulness field. To be clear, cultural appropriation has occurred and the people affected are the racial/ethnic minority group comprised of Asians, Asian Americans, and Buddhists who embody a cultural identity rooted in connection with mindfulness. Make note that mindfulness is just one component of Buddhism’s 8-step practice, the Eightfold path, towards liberation or end of suffering. Unfortunately, little is written or taught about the relationship between Buddhism and mindfulness (Fung and Wong, 2017) in modern psychotherapy treatment manuals or the wellness industry that incorporates mindfulness practices. As most mindfulness programs are taught in the mass market, it is without understanding the interconnectedness between mindfulness and the Eightfold path, or without knowing that "Mindfulness has to be practiced with...ethical principles" (Bhante, 2020).

Cultural appropriation, as Britannica outlines: 1) “takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way”; 2) “a member of a majority group profiting financially or socially from the culture of a minority group”; or 3) “a member of a majority group separating a cultural element of a minority group from its original meaning.” The mindfulness app industry was valued at 1.1 Billion dollars in 2021 (Market Data Centre, 2022) yet little is known about any significant involvement of Asians, Asian Americans, or Buddhists in the development of these apps or any mention of Buddhist principles. Furthermore, there exists a majority group in psychology who take mindfulness out of the full context of Buddhism (Giraldi 2019); therefore, when a majority group systematically rejects, chooses, and rebrands cultural practices, it results in the cultural appropriation of Asian Buddhist roots (Wang, & Stone, 2022) and perpetuates Asian Americans being made invisible.

So how do we as mental health clinicians attempt to rectify the issue of cultural appropriation in mindfulness practice and lean into the space of cultural appreciation, respect the roots of mindfulness, and essentially “strive to benefit those with whom [we] work and take care to do no harm (APA, 2017)” or to abide by the principles of Responsibility, Integrity, Justice, and Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity, all principles of the American Psychological Association’s ethics? Here are five recommendations to consider when one incorporates mindfulness as part of their practice:

1. Acknowledge the origin.

Acknowledge when implementing mindfulness interventions that mindfulness derives from Buddhism. Take time to read and educate oneself on the intervention from a place of wanting to understand the roots.

2. Involve Asian Americans who have experience with Buddhist practices in content, curriculum, and intervention development.

Be curious when authors, institutions, and organizations exclude the people who have a cultural connection to mindfulness when creating work on mindfulness. Invite and bring them with you in the creation and delivery process.

3. Genuinely acknowledge one’s limitations.

It is OK to be aware of one’s limitations. When working with Asian clients, acknowledge potential racial/ethnic differences as well as any potential limits to your understanding of mindfulness if such intervention is considered.

4. Examine your intentions.

Be curious about your intentions in wanting to create, disseminate, implement, or teach mindfulness practice and/or interventions. Ask whether your intentions may cause potential harm, ask whether you are open to consulting and sharing any benefits with the cultural group.

5. A commitment towards cultural appreciation.

Be an active participant in learning about mindfulness interventions. Seek out knowledge, engage with the people, which may include colleagues, and be willing and open to learning. Ask questions and be genuine and open to feedback.

As the mindfulness industry is projected to continue to grow, and as mental health clinicians’ work is also projected to maintain its high demand, it is even more important than ever to understand the implications of interventions such as mindfulness, with roots to Buddhism and the immigrants who brought Buddhism to the West. With modern day mindfulness practices, cultural appropriation has taken place and rather than perpetuating the issue, know that change can happen with your help. Many of us got into the mental health profession because ultimately we want to help end the suffering of others. To help is to reconnect the voice of the people who have been silenced, share in the space of appreciation, empathy, and understanding as together as a community, we are stronger. With that strength, and together, we have a better fighting chance in ensuring that all communities can be healthy.

References:

1. American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.html

2. Gunaratana, H., & Gunaratana, B. (2020). What, why, how: Answers to your questions about buddhism, meditation, and living mindfully. Wisdom Publications.

3. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia (2021, October 19). What Is Cultural Appropriation? Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-cultural-appropriation

4. Fung, K.P.-L., Wong, J.P.-H. (2017). Acceptance and commitment therapy and zen buddhism. In: Masuda, A., O'Donohue, W.T. (Eds.), Handbook of Zen, Mindfulness, and Behavioral Health. Springer International Publishing, pp. 271–288. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54595-0_21, 2017-33461-018.

5. Forbes, D. (2019, Apr 16). How capitalism captured the mindfulness industry. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/apr/16/how-capitalism-captured-the-mindfulness-industry

6. Giraldi, T. (2019). Psychotherapy, mindfulness and Buddhist meditation. Palgrave Macmillan.

7. Market Data Centre (2022, May 9). Mindfulness meditation apps market | Exclusive report on the latest revenue and future scope. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/05/09/2438958/0/en/Mindfulness-Meditation-Apps-Market-Exclusive-Report-on-the-Latest-Revenue-and-Future-Scope.html

8. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Appropriate. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved November 1, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appropriate

9. Oxford Reference. Cultural appropriation. In Oxford Reference. Retrieved 1 Nov. 2022, from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095652789.

10. Wang, V., & Stone, B. M. (2022). Invisibility of asians, Asian Americans, and Buddhist roots in western psychology. Psychiatry Research Communications, 2(3), 100064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psycom.2022.100064

Resources:

1. Buddhism's Eightfold Path

2. Doing No Harm: Mindfulness, (Western) Buddhism, Appropriation, Systemic Racism

3. Spotify Interview with Ronald Purser: McMindfulness

4. The Dalai Lama

5. Vipassana Meditation

Recommended Books:

1. The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation as Taught by S.N. Goenka

2. Meditation Now: Inner Peace through Inner Wisdom

3. What the Buddha Taught

4. Core Teachings of Dalai Lama