Introducing Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing Enhancement: Cultural Adaptation and an 8-week Path to Wellbeing and Happiness

363 Pages·2023·37.722 MB·English

by  Kathirasan K., Sunita Rai

‘For good or ill, mindfulness has grabbed the popular imagination as therapy
or self-help. This book is a timely and much needed contribution to the feld,
which examines assumptions that have shaped our contemporary conceptions
of mindfulness, and so in a similar way will change the way we see ourselves.’
Mark Leonard. Director, Mindfulness Connected, pioneer in
‘social mindfulness’, writer and author, Social Mindfulness: A guide to
meditations from Mindfulness-Based Organisational Education
‘Mindfulness is used in many clinical environments to help people who are
mentally unwell get back to normal functioning. This book delivers the next
level; mindfulness groups that enhance wellbeing and increase the capacity for
joy. The experienced authors generously provide a treasure-trove of practical
materials. The appendices alone contain a schedule for an 8 week program,
plus the scripts for all the exercises, metaphors and stories. The preceding
chapters provide background, instructions and stylistic tips. Well worth buying.’
Dr Christine Dunkley, Consultant trainer, British Isles DBT Training Team
This fascinating book introduces an innovative Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing
Enhancement program. With deep knowledge of Advaita Vedanta, modern
Psychology, and lived experience in a multicultural setting, the authors are
uniquely placed in providing insightful guidance for cultural adaptations of
mindfulness based programs. Another salient aspect of this work is a scholarly
analysis of the history of mindfulness, giving lesser known facts and timelines.
This book would be relevant for both students and practitioners, engaged with
the feld of mindfulness and mental health.
Dr. Jyotsna Agrawal, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology,
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, India

Introducing Mindfulness-Based
Wellbeing Enhancement
Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing Enhancement (MBWE) integrates the science
of mindfulness and wellbeing to bring about human fourishing. This 9-session
program, conducted over 8 weeks, enhances wellbeing, happiness, and quality
of life through self-understanding and self-awareness.
The frst part of the book is devoted to presenting mindfulness, wellbeing,
the happiness paradigm and the curriculum of the Mindfulness-Based
Wellbeing Enhancement (MBWE) program. It presents the foundations of
mindfulness-based programs, and how mindfulness intersects with wellbeing.
The authors argue, with the support of evidence, that mindfulness is well
placed to promote human fourishing rather than limiting its relevance to
stress reduction and preventing depression relapse. Several chapters are devoted
to presenting the MBWE program comprehensively with weekly agendas,
homework, handouts, facilitation guides, and practice scripts.
The second part of the book presents the evidence base of mindfulness,
cultural adaptations for diferent populations, the therapeutic efectiveness of
group learning inherent in mindfulness-based programs and the often-untold
history of mindfulness. The authors present the often-neglected Asian roots of
mindfulness and justify how secular mindfulness, as taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn,
is infuenced by multiple wisdom traditions as opposed to it being a solely
Buddhist practice.
This book serves as a hands-on resource for trained mindfulness teachers,
psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers,
practitioners, educators, coaches, and consultants. It is also suitable for anyone
who is interested in the appreciation of mindfulness and human fourishing.
Kathirasan K. is the founder and Managing Director of the Centre for
Mindfulness (Singapore). He is the author of several books and a renowned
scholar-practitioner of Indic contemplative traditions. He is also a leadership and
culture consultant; and an executive coach. The Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing
Enhancement (MBWE) program was born out of his personal experience
with mindfulness and his interest in wellbeing and human fourishing.
Sunita Rai is the founder and Managing Director of the Holistic Psychotherapy
Centre. She is a psychologist, psychotherapist, author, consultant, lecturer,
and clinical supervisor. She created a unique model of wellbeing called the
Integrated Wellbeing Model (IWM) and another brainchild of hers is the
Mindfulness-Oriented Counselling and Psychotherapy (MOCP) program.

Introducing Mindfulness-
Based Wellbeing
Enhancement
Cultural Adaptation and an 8-week Path
to Wellbeing and Happiness
Kathirasan K. and
Sunita Rai
Designed cover image: Shutterstock
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Kathirasan K. and Sunita Rai
The right of Kathirasan K. and Sunita Rai to be identifed as authors of
this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978-1-032-34594-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-34593-2 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-32295-5 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003322955
Typeset in Bembo
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
List of Figures x
List of Tables xii
Preface xiv
Part I 1
1 Foundations of Mindfulness 3
1 Defning Mindfulness 4
2 Mechanisms of Mindfulness 8
3 Pedagogy of Mindfulness 13
4 Are Mindfulness and Meditation the Same? 19
5 Distinguishing Features of Mindfulness Meditation 21
6 Secular Mindfulness and Its Appeal 25
7 Diference between Secular and Religious Mindfulness 31
8 State and Trait Mindfulness 33
2 Mindfulness and Wellbeing 40
1 Positive Psychology and Wellbeing 42
2 Limitations of Wellbeing Interventions and
the Mindfulness Response 45
3 The Happiness Experience 51
4 The Happiness Paradigm 55
5 Insights into Wellbeing and Happiness 58
6 Mindfulness and Happiness Myths 72
7 Socially Engaged Mindfulness or Social Mindfulness 74
viii CONTENTS
3 The Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing
Enhancement (MBWE) Curriculum 80
1 Defning a Mindfulness-Based Program (MBP) 80
2 Two Types of MBPs: Restorative and Appreciative 81
3 The Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing
Enhancement (MBWE) 83
4 Distinctive Features of MBWE 84
5 MBWE Teacher Competencies 86
6 Preparing for the MBWE Sessions 87
7 The MBWE Session Plans 91
8 Program Adaptations for One-on-One MBWE 118
9 Teaching the MBWE Online 119
4 Facilitating the MBWE Program 122
1 Facilitating Mindfulness Practices 123
2 Inquiry 132
3 Didactic Components 132
4 Competencies and Attitude of a Mindfulness Teacher 133
5 Tools for a Mindfulness Teacher 134
6 Postures for Mindfulness Practices 135
7 Mindfulness Practices 136
8 Metaphors 145
9 Poems 146
10 Exercises 147
5 Inquiry and the Generation of Insights 152
1 Knowledge 152
2 Attitude 160
3 Skills 162
Part II 181
6 Enhancing Group Learning in Mindfulness-Based
Programs 183
1 The Group 184
2 Pros and Cons of Group Learning 185
3 Group Typology 186
4 Group Developmental Stages 186
5 Group Leadership Style and Embodiment
of the Teacher 190
CONTENTS ix
6 Therapeutic Factors of MBPs 192
7 Working with a Group 194
8 Exceptions to Group Settings 198
7 Cultural Adaptations 200
1 Culture 202
2 Original Cultures of the MBPs 204
3 Considerations for Adaptation 205
4 Hofstede’s Six Dimensions of Culture 207
5 Cross-Cultural Sensitivity 214
8 Efectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Programs 217
1 Efectiveness of MBPs 217
2 Outcomes and Evidence 226
3 Measuring Mindfulness 227
4 The Brain and Mindfulness 228
5 Adverse Efects of Mindfulness 230
6 Popular Criticisms of MBPs 231
7 Ethics of Teaching Mindfulness 234
9 The Untold History of Mindfulness 237
1 Mindfulness in Indic Religions 238
2 Meditation and Mindfulness in the Abrahamic Religions 239
3 Roots of Secular Mindfulness 240
4 The Lineage of Kabat-Zinn 247
5 The Myth of Buddhist Origin 248
Appendices 259
Appendix 1: Intake Process 261
Appendix 2: Scripts for Moving into Specifc Postures 264
Appendix 3: Scripts for Formal Mindfulness Practices 268
Appendix 4: Scripts for Informal Mindfulness Practices 294
Appendix 5: Metaphors, Visual Illusions, and Stories 312
Appendix 6: Poems 318
Appendix 7: Exercises 323
Index 339