There are thousands of research papers on the effective application of Mindfulness training that has fuelled it’s interest in recent years. However, whilst the western scientific evidence base that supports mindfulness as an alternative and complementary practice to medication based interventions for mental health concerns is stong and building. There is still much to understand about the potential of mindfulness in the context of its application as a social and cultural change agent that leads to our pro social and collective wellbeing and flourishing.
This is something we feel is important to highlight, recognise and explore at the Urban Mindfulness Foundation becuase it is this gap in the evidence base that informs our practice, involvement and interest in mindfulness research and its applications. Read more here….
From an Urban Mindfulness Foundation perspective, mindfulness is, and has always been, deeply rooted in humanities traditions including the black, African, Caribbean, Indigenous, Asian and global majority traditions and experiences. We also believe that with a dveloped mindfulness practice, this can be clearly recognised in the various cultural practices, philosophies, principles and teachings that come out of those traditions and are often handed down orally from ancient times and ancestors to serve the present day.
This is considered importat if we are to make mindfulness practice more acsessible through its cultural relevance and appropriateness. For example, some basic understandings of ancient black history as communicated from a compassionate perspective rooted in the insight of our interconnected nature, makes it totally possible to link all things human to the origins and cradle of humanity that is known to have started in Africa which is the root of our common ancestry.
This is considered important when delivering mindfulness to the African and Caribbean diaspora particularly because it recognises, validates and honours the contributions of the diasporas ancestral lineage within mindfulness even as we currently know or practice it.
With the many ancient African philosophies, principles, practises, religions and spiritual systems arising in Sudan, Ancient Egypt, and from the Yuroba people for example. It is clear that mindfulness is an innate human capacity that must have been present ever since modern humans existed.
We often importantly highlight that mindfulness could not have been absent from the process and work it took to construct most of the ancient worlds spiritual and religious monuments and systems. Monuments such as the pyramids of Sudan and Egypt for example, or the Sphinx or hieroglyphic writings and other ancient architecture and spiritual and religious monuments from the Asian heritage. With ancient concepts such as Ma’at, Sankofa, Ubuntu, Umoja and the many other ancient Adinkra symbols best offered andpresent by Jessica McGinnis for example each offer insight into how mindfulness was and continues to be expressed from our most ancient collective ancestors.
By understanding the importance, value and meanings offered by some of these concepts that align with what we know from contemprorary mindfulness practice, the Urban Mindfulness Foundation offer people of African Caribbean heritage an authentic root into mindfulness that aids the access of the wisdom, self-worth and authentic guidance that can be critical for living in balance and flow with others more equitably.
We have also compiled some videos below of inspiring people of African heritage who engage in mindfulness and meditation practice. In particular we honour the late Kobe Bryant and his Daughter who made a massive contribution to this world and many lives in such as short period of time.
