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How Do Mindfulness Offerings Support Inner–Outer Sustainability Progress? A Sustainability Assessment of Online Mindfulness Interventions

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  • Kira J. Cooper

    (School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Robert B. Gibson

    (School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

Abstract

While there is growing optimism for inner transformations to catalyse systemic shifts towards more sustainable ways of being, no study so far has attempted to assess how well current interventions for inner development address core requirements for collective wellbeing. In this article, we apply a novel assessment framework to examine how mindfulness-based interventions address inner and outer sustainability criteria during a global health emergency. This inquiry informs a growing field of study concerned with leveraging inner transformations for systemic shifts towards sustainability progress. Using three prominent online mindfulness-based offerings as a case study, we demonstrate that mindfulness-based interventions have a broad range of potential desirable to detrimental implications for social and biophysical systems. We conclude by discussing how normative conceptions of inner interventions might be contextualised anew to effectively support more viable, just, and inclusive transformations towards long-term viability.

Suggested Citation

  • Kira J. Cooper & Robert B. Gibson, 2023. "How Do Mindfulness Offerings Support Inner–Outer Sustainability Progress? A Sustainability Assessment of Online Mindfulness Interventions," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:14:y:2023:i:2:p:26-:d:1135500
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Joseph Henrich & Steven J. Heine & Ara Norenzayan, 2010. "Most people are not WEIRD," Nature, Nature, vol. 466(7302), pages 29-29, July.
    2. Dhandra, Tavleen Kaur, 2019. "Achieving triple dividend through mindfulness: More sustainable consumption, less unsustainable consumption and more life satisfaction," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 83-90.
    3. Kira J. Cooper & Robert B. Gibson, 2022. "A Novel Framework for Inner-Outer Sustainability Assessment," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-27, December.
    4. Chad S. Boda & David O’Byrne & David Harnesk & Turaj Faran & Ellinor Isgren, 2022. "A collective alternative to the Inward Turn in environmental sustainability research," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(2), pages 291-297, June.
    5. Leach, Melissa & MacGregor, Hayley & Scoones, Ian & Wilkinson, Annie, 2021. "Post-pandemic transformations: How and why COVID-19 requires us to rethink development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
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    Cited by:

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