Mindfulness and Judaism

Mindfulness was originally brought to the field of psychology from the Buddhist tradition. However, despite Buddhism’s great contribution to the development of mindfulness, which includes many simple and effective ways to bring mindfulness into many areas of life, Kabat-Zinn (2003) points out that there is nothing inherently Buddhist about it. When viewed in a cultural context, the growing demand for mindfulness becomes well understood. The fast-paced, internet-driven, consumer-focused mindset that pervades modern Western culture has created a type of “mindlessness” (Germer, 2004), in which people find themselves not fully engaged in whatever it is they are doing. One of the spiritual traditions with which mindfulness is being integrated is Judaism. This book elucidates how Mindfulness can be embraced by Judaic traditions and perspectives.