How are mindfulness meditation teachers implementing social justice literacy in their classes?

About the project

Mindfulness meditation is now taught in many settings, including healthcare, education, workplaces and community organisations. At the same time, teachers and practitioners are increasingly asking how mindfulness teaching should respond to social issues such as racism, gender inequality, environmental injustice and other forms of systemic inequity.

Bringing together perspectives from anthropology, gender studies, psychology and public health, this interdisciplinary project investigates how mindfulness meditation teachers understand and incorporate social justice literacy into their teaching. By social justice literacy, we mean the knowledge, awareness and practical skills that can help people recognise and respond to inequity, exclusion and oppression. This also includes issues around diversity and inclusion.

Why is this research needed?

Questions about ethics, values and social responsibility have become increasingly prominent in contemporary mindfulness. Some teachers and course developers have begun to address social justice explicitly in their programs, while others understand mindfulness as contributing to social change in less direct ways. However, there has been limited empirical research examining what mindfulness teachers are doing in practice, what has influenced their approaches, and what challenges they encounter. This study aims to document these developments and provide a clearer picture of how social justice is currently understood and approached within mindfulness teaching.

What does the study examine?

The project explores the range of perspectives, practices and experiences found across the field:

• what motivates mindfulness teachers to engage with social justice;
• how teachers understand social justice in relation to mindfulness;
• teachers’ experiences of social justice education and training;
• how social justice principles and practices are incorporated into mindfulness courses;
• the benefits and challenges teachers perceive when doing this work;
• how teachers adapt resources to different cultural, economic and national contexts;
• how social justice-oriented teaching may relate to compassion, empathy, ethical awareness, resilience and personal or community wellbeing; and
• what additional learning, resources or support teachers believe would be valuable.

How is the research being conducted?

The project uses several complementary methods.

International survey

An online survey gathered perspectives from mindfulness teachers interested in social justice. It asked about their backgrounds, teaching contexts, experiences of relevant training, current practices, aspirations, and perceived barriers and benefits associated with incorporating social justice into mindfulness teaching. The survey included both structured questions and opportunities for teachers to describe their views and experiences in their own words.

In-depth interviews

The research team also conducted in-depth interviews with mindfulness teachers and developers of programs that explicitly engage with social justice. These conversations explored how their approaches developed, what influenced them, how they adapted ideas to particular communities and settings, and what they had learnt through implementation.

Analysis of teaching resources

This part examines written, audio and video materials that offer guidance on bringing gender, racial and other social justice perspectives into mindfulness practice and teaching. Considering these resources alongside teachers’ accounts helps the researchers compare formal recommendations with the complexities of real-world practice.

Current project status

As of October 2026, data collection for the international survey and interviews has been completed. The research team is analysing the findings. The analyses are intended to identify patterns, perspectives and areas of difference The qualitative material is being examined thematically, with attention to participants’ social, cultural and professional contexts.

Funding

This project was funded by a PEACE grant from the Mind and Life Institute.