Melvin McLeod

2 months ago | lionsroar.com | Melvin McLeod |Jon Kabat-Zinn

Melvin McLeod: When did you start practicing meditation? Jon Kabat-Zinn: My first experience of formal practice—or even learning about it—happened one day in 1965. I was a molecular biology student in the laboratory of Salvador Luria, a soon to be Nobel Laureate, and I was depressed out of my mind over the Vietnam War.

Jan 29, 2025 | lionsroar.com | Jon Kabat-Zinn |Melvin McLeod

Melvin McLeod: How Do you define mindfulness? Jon Kabat-Zinn: Nowadays, the word mindfulness is used in a lot of different contexts. To some degree, its deep meaning has been obscured through becoming so popular in the mainstream world. That itself is not necessarily a bad thing. But it is best if one’s understanding of mindfulness comes out of one’s attempts to cultivate it in one’s life. The way I use the word, it basically means pure awareness.

Jan 28, 2025 | lionsroar.com | Melvin McLeod

I believe we are witnessing a momentous event in world spiritual history. It is the birth of an authentic new contemplative tradition. This new contemplative tradition, born on American soil, was founded by the man on this issue’s cover, Jon Kabat-Zinn. It is called secular mindfulness, or mainstream mindfulness, or just mindfulness. It is of historic importance because it is bringing the benefit of real meditative practice to millions of people in the modern world.

Jul 22, 2024 | lionsroar.com | Melvin McLeod

Mindfulness is both a basic power of mind and an intentional practice. It is the universal capacity of mind to be aware, focus, and use its natural intelligence. It is present not just in us but in all beings. Mindfulness is also a specific meditation practice that cultivates and develops our innate mindfulness. We train our mind by intentionally practicing nonjudgmental awareness of whatever is happening, moment by moment, inside and outside of us.

May 11, 2023 | lionsroar.com | Melvin McLeod