Mindfulness has become a buzzword, and for good reason. Practicing mindfulness has been shown to improve psychological and physical health. It plays a central role in several effective therapies, such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Apps such as Calm and Headspace lead a growing mindfulness industry that is valued at over $1.2 billion.
The current mindfulness trend in the Western world has its roots in Eastern religions. The concept was popularized in the fields of psychology and medicine by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who was trained by Zen Buddhist teachers. To widen its appeal, Kabat-Zinn stripped mindfulness of its religious roots, focusing instead on the underlying psychological mechanisms. As defined by Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.”
The question for the Jews: How does this now-secularized concept fit within a Torah worldview?
For those steeped in the works of the chassidic and mussar masters, mindfulness is not new. This becomes clear in the works of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and more recently in Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Epstein’s book, Living in the Presence: A Jewish Mindfulness Guide for Everyday Life, where deeply insightful Torah teachings revolving around many important mindfulness techniques are elucidated.
Yet, despite the many overlaps, it is important to highlight potential points of distinction between Jewish mindfulness and secular or Eastern mindfulness. One such distinction becomes apparent in the beginning of Parshat Vayeishev.
After years of exile filled with painstaking labor, emotional distress, and physical pain, Yaakov finally returns home – “Now Yaakov was settled in the land where his father had sojourned.” The first Hebrew word of the parsha is “Vayeishev,” settled. Rashi, elaborating on a Midrash, sees within this word not just a physical description of location, but a longing for serenity (“shalva”).
But G-d does not respond to this desire kindly. The next world is for reward and relaxing, not this world, He says. The moment Yaakov thought he could finally experience tranquility, the incredibly painful challenge of the loss of Yosef begin to unfold.
Why did Hashem oppose Yaakov’s yearning for peace and calm? In the responses of the commentaries to this question, we find a fundamental distinction between a Jewish mindfulness approach and one rooted in secular or Eastern concepts. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz contends that the purpose of this world is not serenity, but spiritual growth borne out by challenges.
The Sefat Emet similarly suggests that the goal of life is to constantly toil for the sake of G-d, continually striving for perfection. The mentality of one who wants to dwell in peace, writes the Ishbitzer, usually leads to avoiding challenging situations, resulting in complacency stemming from fear.
The upshot of these responses is that tranquility and peace of mind can never be goals in and of themselves in Judaism. As Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb so eloquently puts it:
“The Torah’s ideal is a life of action and involvement in worldly affairs. The Torah rejects the attitude of detachment and passivity, which is implicit in the teachings of Eastern religions. The Torah cannot envision the good life if that life is without challenge. Achievement of inner peace is not the ultimate value, especially not if it results in withdrawal from responsible action within society.”
One of the closest religious terminologies that relates to mindfulness is yishuv hada’at, often misunderstood as “peace of mind.” Rabbi Dr. Epstein suggests that yishuv hada’at does not mean peace of mind, but the act of “settling into (unifying with) present moment awareness.”
“In cultivating yishuv hada’at,” he writes, “we do not aim like some Eastern religions…to remove ourselves from whatever predicament, situation, or condition in which we find ourselves. Rather our goal is to enter fully into whatever is occurring in our lives and meet it with full presence.”
This world is for resilience and growth, not peace of mind, serenity, or tranquility. Jewish mindfulness isn’t about detaching from the problems of this world, but actively meeting those problems by being cognitively and emotionally engaged with them. By acting in this fashion, we will be better prepared to confront and grow from challenges, improve ourselves, and work towards the betterment of society.