Mindfulness as a Factor of Personal Stability in a Changing World

1

Abstract

The everyday world, the sociocultural reality surrounding a person and its conceptualizations can nowadays change several times during the life of one generation. At the same time, changes occurring in reality, in ideas about it and in ideas about the changes themselves are often not synchronized, creating gaps between objective reality and its subjective interpretations. The most constructive response to the challenges of a changing world is mindfulness as a cultural practice and a special state of consciousness. Today, there are two leading approaches to the phenomenon of mindfulness, one of which belongs to the Eastern philosophical and religious tradition, and the other to the Western psychological tradition. A deeper analysis reveals the diversity of facets and interpretations of mindfulness in modern research. Awareness as a complex socio-psychological phenomenon allows us to record the processes of transformation of the modern world into a new state. The observed increase in awareness (and mindfulness) in everyday life and the increased interest in this phenomenon among scientists represents a spontaneous coping strategy in a situation of turbulence. Along with this, the thoughtful observer reveals the antinomic nature of the transformations taking place in the world, where the fashion for mindfulness is accompanied by the opposite process — mindlessness, or unawareness. Lack of mindfulness is associated with behavioral automatisms and schematisms of consciousness, with the absence of doubts about the legality and adequacy of the categories describing reality. The availability of alternative modes of interpretation, sensitivity to context and to the fluidity of change can transform mindlessness into mindfulness. One of the cultural practices that foster mindfulness and awareness today is the Stoicism movement. In methodological terms, mindfulness refers to those categories that correspond to transdisciplinary approaches and tasks of integrating psychological knowledge. This integration takes place both at the interdisciplinary level and within psychology, where the development of mindfulness unites various psychological approaches and practices and allows us to bridge the notorious gap between the academy and applied fields of knowledge.

General Information

Keywords: methodology, mindfulness, person, transdisciplinary approach, stoicism

Journal rubric: Theoretical and Methodological Problems in Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu16.2024.302

Funding. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 22-18-00140 “Dynamic stability of personality in the space of sociocultural uncertainty”.

Received: 22.04.2024

Accepted:

For citation: Guseltseva M.S. Mindfulness as a Factor of Personal Stability in a Changing World. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Psychology, 2024. Vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 414–433. DOI: 10.21638/spbu16.2024.302. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

Andronnikova, O. O., Veterok, E. V. (2023). Mindfulness techniques as a means of developing reflexivity in patients with victim mentality. Vestnik Kemerovskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta, 23 (3), 652–660. (In Russian)

Asmolov, A. G. (2022). How not to become dehumanized in inhuman times. Psikhologicheskaia gazeta, June 21. Available at: https://psy.su/feed/10070/ (accessed: 01.03.2024). (In Russian) Baikhou, A. (2023). Mindful psychology. Proekt Baikhou. Available at: https://baihou.ru/wp-content/uploads/ 2024/06/Осознанная-психология.-Алекс-Байхоу_27062024.pdf (accessed: 01.03.2024). (In Russian)

Berezovskaya, E. P. (2020). When you are ready, or How to plan your pregnancy and tune in to mindful motherhood. Moscow, Eksmo Publ. (In Russian)

Berger, P. L., Huntington, S. P. (2002). Many globalizations: Cultural diversity in the contemporary world. New York, Oxford University Press.

Bukreev, V. (2011). Dehumanization of man in world history. Origins and global consequences. Moscow, Flinta Publ. (In Russian)

Bennis, W. G., Nanus, B. (1986). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge. New York; London, Harper & Row.

Bluth, K., Campo, R. A., Pruteanu-Malinici, S., Reams, A., Mullarkey, M., Broderick, P. C. (2016). A schoolbased mindfulness pilot study for ethnically diverse at-risk adolescents. Mindfulness, 7, 90–104.

Brown, K. W., Cordon, S. (2009). Toward a phenomenology of mindfulness: Subjective experience and emotional correlates. In: F. Didonna (ed.). Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness (pp. 59–81). New York, Springer Publ.

Cascio, J. (2020). Facing the Age of Chaos. Available at: https://medium.com/@cascio/facing-the-age-ofchaosb00687b1f51d (accessed: 25.02.2024).

Chaleff, I., Zimbardo, Ph. (2015). Intelligent Disobedience: Doing right when what you’re told to do is wrong. Oakland, Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Didonna, F. (ed.) (2009). Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness. New York, Springer.

Didonna, F. (2022). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for OCD. A Treatment Manual. St. Petersburg, Dialektika Publ. (In Russian)

Dean, Ch., Tarneberg, S., Lane, H. (2017). Dress [with] Sense: The Practical Guide to a Conscious Closet. London, Thames & Hudson.

Engel’ke, M. (2024). Think like an anthropologist. Moscow, Ad Marginem Publ. (In Russian)

Eriksen, Т. Н. (2016). Overheating. An Anthropology of Accelerated Change. London, Pluto Press.

Fatemi, S. (2021). The Psychology of Inner Peace: Discovering Heartfulness. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Fedunina, N. Yu., Vikhristyuk, O. V., Bannikov, G. S. (2019). Mindfulness practices in the prevention of suicidal behavior in adolescents (a review of foreign studies). Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Ser. 14. Psikhologiia, 2, 121–144. (In Russian)

Fi, N. (2020). How to Save the World for Free. Moscow, Bombora Publ. (In Russian)

Hayes, S. C., Follette, V. M., Linehan, M. M. (2004). Mindfulness and Acceptance. New York, Guilford Press.

Gafiyatullin, E. E. (2023). Prejudice through the lens of interpersonal mindfulness. Vestnik Omskogo universiteta. Ser. Psikhologiia, 4, 101–107.

Goins, J. (2020). Mindful choice. Moscow, Bombora Publ.

Gray, J. (2003). Enlightenment’s wake: Politics and culture at the close of the modern age. Moscow, Praksis Publ. (In Russian)

Greenberg, M. (2016). The stress-proof brain: Master your emotional response to stress using mindfulness and neuroplasticity. Oakland, New Harbinger Publications.

Grishina, N. V., Kostromina, S. N. (2021). Processual approach: Stability and variability as a foundation of wholeness. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal, 42 (3), 39–51. (In Russian)

Gusel’tseva, M. S. (2020). Self-discipline practices in a transitive society: Stoic renaissance and scandinavization of consumption. Psikhologiia. Zhurnal Vysshei shkoly ekonomiki, 17 (3), 478–499. (In Russian)

Johansen, P. B. (2007). Get There Early: Sensing the Future to Compete in the Present. San Francisco, Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life. New York, Hyperion; London: Piatkus.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2001). Wherever you go, there you are: mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Moscow, Klass Publ.; Izdatel’stvo Transpersonal’nogo instituta Publ. (In Russian)

Karvasarskaya, E. (2014). Conscious autism, or I lack freedom. Moscow, Genezis Publ. (In Russian)

Kingsinger, P., Walch, K. (2012). Living and leading in a VUCA world. Thunderbird University, July 9. Available at: http://knowledgenetwork.thunderbird.edu/research/2012/07/09/kinsinger-walch-vuca/ (accessed: 11.04.2022).

Langer, E. J. (2009). Counter Clockwise: Mindful health and the power of possibility. New York, Ballantine

Books. Langer, E. (2017). Mindlessness. Moscow, Eksmo Publ. (In Russian)

Langer, E. (1996). Mindlessness — mindfulness. Concise Encyclopedia of Psychology, eds R. J. Corsini, A. J. Auerbach. New York, John Wiley.

Levit, L. Z. (2019). Mindfullness: Rational Application. Vestnik Omskogo universiteta. Ser. Psikhologiia, 1, 68–73. (In Russian)

Levitin, D. (2017). Weaponized Lies: How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era. Toronto, Penguin.

McKeown, G. (2015). Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. Moscow, Mann, Ivanov i Ferber Publ. (In Russian)

Minakov, M., Rabkin, Ya. (eds) (2018). Demodernization: Future in the Past. Stuttgart, Verlag.

Mikulas, W. L. (2014). Tamong the Drunken Monkey: The Path to Mindfulness, Meditation, and Increased

Concentration. Woodbury, Llewellyn Publications. Mitina, O. V., Leontiev, D. A., Aleksandrova, L. A., Kostenko, V. Yu, Kosheleva, N. V. (2021).

Mindfulness in the context of self-regulation: Structure and psychometric properties of Russian version of Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Psikhologicheskie issledovaniia, 14 (76), 7. https://doi.org/10.54359/ps.v14i76.140 (In Russian)

Movchan, A. A. (2019). Russia in the post-truth era. Common sense versus information noise. Moscow, Al’pina Publisher. (In Russian)

Moier, M. V. (2022). How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes. Science-Based Strategies for Better Parenting. Moscow, Mann, Ivanov i Ferber Publ. (In Russian)

Milgrem, S. (2016). Obedience to Authority. A scientific view of power and morality. Moscow, Al’pina nonfikshn Publ. (In Russian)

Moroshkina, A. (2023). R — retreat: How to get away from the hustle and bustle and reboot your consciousness. RBK-trendy, May 26. Available at: https://trends.rbc.ru/trends/education/6188c3f39a79472488ea3202 (accessed: 14.04.2023). (In Russian)

Naranovich, S. (2023). “This is an incredible journey that we did not expect at all”. Interview with philosopher John Sellars about modern Stoicism and Epicureanism. Knife, February 25. Available at: https://knife.media/john-sellars/ (accessed: 29.02.2024). (In Russian)

Newport, C. (2019). Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. Moscow, Mann, Ivanov i Ferber Publ. (In Russian)

Olendzki, A. (2009). Mindfulness and Meditation. In: F. Didonna (ed.). Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness (pp. 37–44). New York, Springer.

Potrekii, Ya. D. (2019). Zero Waste: conscious consumption without fanaticism. Moscow: Eksmo Publ. (In Russian)

Pugovkina, O. D., Shil’nikova, Z. N. (2014). The concept of mindfulness: Nonspecific factor of psychological well-being. Sovremennaia zarubezhnaia psikhologiia, 2, 18–28. (In Russian)

Rozin, M. V. (2022). Manifesto of the world Shiva. Ekopsi Konsalting, August. Available at: https://www.ecopsy.ru/insights/shivamir/ (accessed: 01.03.2024). (In Russian)

Rubinshtein, S. L. (2000). Foundations of General Psychology. St. Petersburg, Piter Publ. (In Russian)

Siegel, R. D., Germer, C. K., Olendzki, A. (2009). Mindfulness: What Is It? Where Did It Come From? In: F. Didonna (ed.). Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness (pp. 17–35). New York, Springer.

Skirbekk, G. (2017). Norwegian mentality and modernity. Moscow, ROSSPEN Publ. (In Russian)

Stiffelman, S. (2022). Parenting with Presence: Practices for Raising Conscious, Confident, Caring Kids. Moscow, Eksmo-Press. (In Russian)

Susoikina, E. A. (2023). Verbal representation of mindfulness in media discourse (based on Russian and American magazines). Molodoi uchenyi, 22 (469), 517–519. (In Russian)

Taleb, N. (2015). The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. Moscow, KoLibri Publ. (In Russian)

Tejaniya, A. (2012). Awareness alone is not enough. Moscow, Gorod pechati Publ. (In Russian)

Templar, R. (2022). The Rules of Thinking: A personal code to think yourself smarter, wiser and happier. Moscow, Al’pina Publisher. (In Russian)

Torrent, L. (2022). The Practice of Love: Break Old Patterns, Rebuild Trust, and Create a Connection. Moscow, Mann, Ivanov i Ferber Publ. (In Russian)

Ueks, R. (2016). A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled. Moscow, Mann, Ivanov i Ferber Publ. (In Russian)

Wiliams, M., Penman, D. (2011). Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

Moscow, Mann, Ivanov i Ferber Publ. (In Russian) Zaitsev, A. D., Kharina, V. A. (2019). Psychoanalysis of awareness of the internalization of sociocultural norms. Moia professional’naia kar’era, 4 (7), 250–253. (In Russian)

Zhdanov, V. A. (1993). Love in the life of Leo Tolstoy. Moscow, Planeta Publ. (In Russian)

Zimbardo, F. (2013). The lucifer effect: understanding how good people turn evil. Moscow, Al’pina non-fikshn Publ. (In Russian)

Zorin, A. (2020). The Life of Leo Tolstoy. Reading experience. Moscow, Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie Publ. (In Russian)

Yarmolyuk, R. R. (2022). Mindfulness practices in Russia: Between East and West. Vestnik Omskogo universiteta. Ser. Psikhologiia, 3, 55–63. (In Russian)

Yumartova, N. M., Grishina, N. V. (2016). Mindfulness: Psychological features and adaptation of questionnaires. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal, 37 (4), 105–115. (In Russian)

Yurchenko, N. I. (2023). Review of the Jamais Cascio’s article “Facing the Age of Chaos”. Novye psikhologicheskie issledovaniia, 4, 131–139. https://doi.org/10.51217/ npsyresearch_2023_03_04_08 (In Russian)

Information About the Authors

Marina S. Guseltseva, Doctor of Psychology, Leading Researcher at the Adolescent Psychology Laboratory, Psychological Institute, Russian Academy of Education, Leading Researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0545-0612, e-mail: mguseltseva@mail.ru

Metrics

Views

Total: 0
Previous month: 0
Current month: 0

Downloads

Total: 1
Previous month: 0
Current month: 1