Secular and Spiritual Mindfulness: Is there a difference?

Explore whether secular and spiritual mindfulness differ in this in-person gathering facilitated by David Whitehorn and David Sable. Halifax Central Library, 2nd floor BMO Community Room This in-person gathering is for people interested in exploring mindfulness in secular and spiritual contexts. About the gathering Over the past fifty years, mindfulness in its many forms has become a familiar and respected part of Western cultures. Mindfulness has played a major role in Eastern cultures for several thousand years, and its initial introduction to the West came through spiritual traditions, particularly Buddhism. More recently, mindfulness has also become widely available in a purely secular context, without a spiritual overlay. Hosted by the Atlantic Contemplative Centre, and facilitated by David Whitehorn and David Sable, the gathering will use contemplative processes to explore the open question: Is there a difference between mindfulness taught and practiced in a secular context and mindfulness taught and practiced in a spiritual context? The question will be considered from personal and societal perspectives, including how mindfulness may help the human species adapt to the multiple challenges of a rapidly changing world. Facilitators • David Whitehorn, PhD, MSN, is cofounder of the Atlantic Contemplative Centre and has been a contemplative practitioner and teacher for over fifty years. • David Sable, PhD, is a long-time contemplative practitioner and Adjunct Professor at Saint Mary’s University. He is the author of Mindfulness and Contemplative Interaction for Higher Education: Reflections on Transformative Learning and Connectedness. Questions: [email protected]