Reconciling and Thematizing Definitions of Mindfulness: The Big Five of Mindfulness

Abstract

Mindfulness is an emerging concept in many professions and spheres of social life. However, mindfulness (or sati in Buddhism) can connote many plausible meanings. Thus, the concept is not easily defined and the definitions provided in the literature easily confuse the reader. Some mindfulness researchers offer definitions whereas others do not and take the definition of mindfulness for granted. Beyond the problem of defining mindfulness, the fact that the phenomenon is of great interest to various disciplines, each of which has its own theoretical and methodological approaches, different authors use different terms in describing this phenomenon. In the present article 33 definitions of mindfulness were extracted from a pool of 308 peer-reviewed full-length theoretical or empirical articles written in English, published between 1993 and March 2016, after systematic searches in Google Scholar, PsycARTICLES, and SocINDEX. The definitions were analyzed with a particular focus on the defining attributes or core elements of the concept of mindfulness. The analysis yielded 4 core elements of awareness and attention, present-centeredness, external events, and cultivation. Furthermore, an additional core element emerged from this analysis as being absent in Western definitions of mindfulness. This formed the basis for formulation of a new definition of mindfulness with an emphasis on ethical-mindedness. We argue that this core element is instrumental in filling in the gap that exists in current Western definitions, and with highlighting this element we hope to bridge the Western and Buddhist notions of mindfulness.

Potential negative consequences of mindfulness in the moral domain

“…While there is an ongoing debate on the precise definition of the construct of mindfulness (Nilsson & Kazemi, 2016;Van Dam et al, 2018), in the present contribution we refer to the commonly applied operational definition of Bishop et al (2004) which distinguishes two components: self-regulated attention on present-moment experiences (e.g., emotional reactions, thoughts) and a specific open, accepting, nonjudgmental orientation toward these experiences. While there is an ongoing debate on the precise definition of the construct of mindfulness (Nilsson & Kazemi, 2016;Van Dam et al, 2018), in the present contribution we refer to the commonly applied operational definition of Bishop et al (2004) which distinguishes two components: self-regulated attention on present-moment experiences (e.g., emotional reactions, thoughts) and a specific open, accepting, nonjudgmental orientation toward these experiences.…”

“…Although mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist contemplative practices, most scientific studies on mindfulness are secular. While there is an ongoing debate on the precise definition of the construct of mindfulness (Nilsson & Kazemi, 2016;Van Dam et al, 2018), in the present contribution we refer to the commonly applied operational definition of Bishop et al (2004) which distinguishes two components: self-regulated attention on present-moment experiences (e.g., emotional reactions, thoughts) and a specific open, accepting, nonjudgmental orientation toward these experiences. The latter component in particular includes metacognitive awareness of one's internal mental experiences and observing them as such and to watch them come and go; that is, one takes the position of a neutral observer of one's own emotions and thoughts, without ruminating about and identifying with them too much, and without reflecting on their valence or their content in general.…”

Mindfulness Training at School: A Way to Engage Adolescents with Sustainable Consumption?

“…Most recent research that focuses on mindfulness as a facilitator of lasting individual or social transformation is informed by a more comprehensive understanding of mindfulness. It explicitly embraces cognitive aspects like attention and conscious awareness and socio-emotional or ethical qualities, such as benevolence and compassion, originally inherent in mindfulness philosophy [29][30][31]. Thus, mindfulness can be defined as "the unbiased awareness that emerges through intentionally and continuously paying attention to subjective momentary experience with an open, accepting, benevolent, and compassionate attitude" [32] (p. 6).…”

Integrating Flower Essences Therapy and Intuition into a Holistic Life Coaching Practice

“…There are however more than 33 definitions of Mindfulness available in literature, which can be synthesized to arrive at four core elements of the theme -presentcenteredness, attention and awareness, external events, ethical mindedness and cultivation [17]. On the other hand Concentrative Meditation (CM) occurs when there is a constant focus on one object.…”