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”if 20 executives are able to sleep and handle their stress a little better, there’s nothing wrong with that.” I think what’s wrong is that they don’t realize

”if 20 executives are able to sleep and handle their stress a little better, there’s nothing wrong with that.” I think what’s wrong is that they don’t realize that the environment that’s causing stress is very damaging and they should change that environment instead of putting a bandaid in the form of mindfulness on it. Even worse is that they keep pushing that stress down the hierarchy causing harm to their employees.

jes 7y ago
It may also happen that as they wake up they discover other aspects of Buddhism that lead them to continue to evolve their practice so they are not harming others.
- Ididntdothis 7y ago
  When I look at famous business people that claim to be practicing Buddhism and meditation I have my doubts. They still run greedy, selfish and exploitative companies. Steve Jobs is a good example.
  - collyw 7y ago
    Steve Jobs jumped into my mind as I read your first sentence. Then I see you were thinking of the same person.
- anbende 7y ago
  Yes, and while I don’t teach corporate mindfulness currently, I have colleagues who do, and I believe they do so responsibly. When done well, it will sometimes pick up speed and initiate rather profound changes in corporate culture. Not always or even often (usually it just fizzles), but sometimes. Corporate executives are people too, and somd of them (certainly not all) are good-hearted and honestly looking for a way to change their mild to severely toxic culture. And mindfulness training can help if done well, which it often isn’t.
  - sudosysgen 7y ago
    The very idea of "corporate mindfulness" goes against the logic that led to mindfulness, and ultimately it only helps in misdirection as to what the issue really is.
anbende 7y ago
Yes, and I saw that the author made this point as well. But again, mindfulness isn’t a stress lowering switch, it’s literally training in awareness of what is happening in one’s field of experience which includes a toxic environment if present. Awareness training should NOT render one insulated against your surrounding environment. It should highlight it as you become more aware and attentive. Now, a LOT of mindfulness programs and teachers ARE essentially selling relaxation practices as mindful attention training, and I would agree that THAT is a problem. But the problem there in my view is not that the practice is being taught without morality or moral principle, but without actual awareness training. It’s relaxation sold as mindfulness. And I think that’s a shame, but I still wouldn’t deny anyone tools to relax. I just wish they wouldn’t call it mindfulness.
- Ididntdothis 7y ago
  ”I just wish they wouldn’t call it mindfulness.” Yes, sell it as relaxation exercise or breathing practice. But don’t make people believe this has anything to do with Buddhism. We already watered down and distorted what people think yoga is. Let’s not do this to Buddhism.
  - chachachoney 7y ago
    Indeed. Embrace, extend, extinguish comes to mind.
  - vidarh 7y ago
    I don't think most people care that much about whether or not it has anything to do with Buddhism, and if anything a lot of the people "selling" mindfulness try to avoid the link, because it scares off a lot of people that don't want a religious practice (or don't want one associated with a religion other than "theirs"). I practice mindfulness, but I would never consider myself a buddhist - it took a "secularised" text to get me to pick it up (Mindfulness in Plain English; it's written by a buddhist monk, but makes clear from the beginning that it's a practical guide rather than a guide to the Buddhist spiritual background for mindfulness).

jes 7y ago

It may also happen that as they wake up they discover other aspects of Buddhism that lead them to continue to evolve their practice so they are not harming others.

Ididntdothis 7y ago
When I look at famous business people that claim to be practicing Buddhism and meditation I have my doubts. They still run greedy, selfish and exploitative companies. Steve Jobs is a good example.
- collyw 7y ago
  Steve Jobs jumped into my mind as I read your first sentence. Then I see you were thinking of the same person.
anbende 7y ago
Yes, and while I don’t teach corporate mindfulness currently, I have colleagues who do, and I believe they do so responsibly. When done well, it will sometimes pick up speed and initiate rather profound changes in corporate culture. Not always or even often (usually it just fizzles), but sometimes. Corporate executives are people too, and somd of them (certainly not all) are good-hearted and honestly looking for a way to change their mild to severely toxic culture. And mindfulness training can help if done well, which it often isn’t.
- sudosysgen 7y ago
  The very idea of "corporate mindfulness" goes against the logic that led to mindfulness, and ultimately it only helps in misdirection as to what the issue really is.

anbende 7y ago

Yes, and I saw that the author made this point as well. But again, mindfulness isn’t a stress lowering switch, it’s literally training in awareness of what is happening in one’s field of experience which includes a toxic environment if present. Awareness training should NOT render one insulated against your surrounding environment. It should highlight it as you become more aware and attentive. Now, a LOT of mindfulness programs and teachers ARE essentially selling relaxation practices as mindful attention training, and I would agree that THAT is a problem. But the problem there in my view is not that the practice is being taught without morality or moral principle, but without actual awareness training. It’s relaxation sold as mindfulness. And I think that’s a shame, but I still wouldn’t deny anyone tools to relax. I just wish they wouldn’t call it mindfulness.

Ididntdothis 7y ago
”I just wish they wouldn’t call it mindfulness.” Yes, sell it as relaxation exercise or breathing practice. But don’t make people believe this has anything to do with Buddhism. We already watered down and distorted what people think yoga is. Let’s not do this to Buddhism.
- chachachoney 7y ago
  Indeed. Embrace, extend, extinguish comes to mind.
- vidarh 7y ago
  I don't think most people care that much about whether or not it has anything to do with Buddhism, and if anything a lot of the people "selling" mindfulness try to avoid the link, because it scares off a lot of people that don't want a religious practice (or don't want one associated with a religion other than "theirs"). I practice mindfulness, but I would never consider myself a buddhist - it took a "secularised" text to get me to pick it up (Mindfulness in Plain English; it's written by a buddhist monk, but makes clear from the beginning that it's a practical guide rather than a guide to the Buddhist spiritual background for mindfulness).