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Mindfulness is a difficult concept to define (Van Dam et al., 2018) and there is not a full consensus on its definition (Anaˉlayo, 2016). Contemporary messages about mindfulness lead us to believe it is a panacea for all of our woes. The term frequently appears in media and pop culture as a noun, verb, adverb, and adjective. Time magazine covers (2014, 2016) featuring young thin white women seemingly meditating in ethereal poses, and media messages reproducing consumerism via individual wellness panaceas is not the message we hope to reproduce here. We recognize mindfulness as connected to a rich, deep cultural and religious history, and endeavor to shift toward a critically conscious (Freire, 1970) approach to mindfulness and family stress by recognizing the systems of oppression particular families face. In this chapter, we acknowledge cultural representations of mindfulness and do our best to conceptualize some of the ways mindfulness is situated within a Western secular format as a program, informal or formal practice, state (Lau, Bishop, Segal, Buis, Anderson, Carlson, Devins, 2006), trait or disposition (Brown et al., 2007; Kabat-Zinn, 1990), and skill. Additionally, we note its commodification and concurrently utilize a critical family ecological framework to consider how mindfulness occurs within families (Walsh, 2016; Wilson, 2016).

The origin of the term mindfulness derives from the Pali word Sati meaning “to remember.” When referenced in Buddhism, “as a mental factor it signifies presence of mind, attentiveness to the present” (Bodhi, 2000, p. 86). While it derives from Eastern religion, philosophy, and practices, it is also a component of Western Buddhism(s), Buddhist psychology, integrative health, education, business (and more) practices and programs. We refer to its Eastern roots as an ethical decision to honor the Central, East, and Southeast Asian peoples and cultures where mindfulness arose. Reviewing all types of meditation and the various instructions associated with particular types of meditation is beyond the scope of this chapter. This chapter is about mindfulness meditation although meditation generally is practiced among religious folks, atheists, and agnostics. The 2014 religious landscape research study (Pew Research Center, 2014) found the highest percentage of persons who meditate daily in the United States are Jehovah Witnesses (77%) and Buddhists (66%). Many other groups (historically Black Protestant, Evangelical Protestant, Catholic, mainline Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, agnostic, atheist, and those identifying “nothing in particular”) report meditating as well.

While mindfulness as a construct is based on Buddhism (Kabat-Zinn, 2003) many people in Western contexts learn about mindfulness as a component of a health-related program, experiential learning in P–16 education, or community education programs. Mindfulness as a robust academic theme and emerging discipline surfaced in the late 1970s with a few publications in the 1980s, incremental increases starting around 2010 and exponentially expanding through today (American Mindfulness Research Association, 2019). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is the prominent model emerging early in this trajectory. As the first and most researched of these evidence based programs, the creator of MBSR, Jon Kabat-Zinn, describes mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” (1994). Bishop and colleagues are attentive to the quality of one’s experience describing mindfulness as “a process of regulating attention in order to bring a quality of non-elaborative awareness to current experience and a quality of relating to one’s experience within an orientation of curiosity, experiential openness, and acceptance” (Bishop et al., 2004, p. 234).

Criticism of the empirical evidence for mindfulness includes poor methodology, lack of attention to potential adverse effects, and lack of information about teacher training (Van Dam et al., 2018). Facilitators with extensive mindfulness practice are more equipped to support quality program delivery (Segal et al., 2002). In this chapter, the mindfulness practices referenced in case examples were facilitated by a highly trained facilitator with extensive and ongoing practice history over 20 years. We utilize peer and systematically reviewed research citations when possible to support our claims that promote using mindfulness as a tool for managing stress in families.