The Mindful Way From Information to Knowledge, to Wisdom, and to Life: Perspectives on Mindfulness (-Based Cognitive Therapy) for Higher Education

This article explores the potential relevance of Mindfulness-Based Programs, particularly Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), to support the mission of higher education by facilitating the journey from information to knowledge, and from knowledge to wisdom. It thus addresses the problems of distractibility and superficial engagement caused by information overload and aims to prepare students for a fulfilling life. Based upon an in-depth dialogue among authors belonging to different disciplines, this conceptual synthesis integrates the various perspectives of Buddhist studies, philosophy of education, anthropology of education, clinical psychology, and psychiatry, to construct a comprehensive view of mindfulness for higher education. The structure of its argument progresses from the languishing to the flourishing of students, and from mindfulness taught in the form of interventions, to mindfulness cultivated as the very thread of learning. The article starts by reviewing the evidence regarding students’ mental health and vulnerabilities, and moves to directly listening to their voices, larger aspirations, and more existential concerns. It next elaborates an epistemic and developmental model of mindful education, making creative use of T. S. Eliot’s questions regarding information, knowledge, wisdom, and Life, to capture some ongoing, complex issues. MBCT’s principles, formats, practices, and adaptations are then examined to envision skillful responses to these perceived challenges, with a proposal to further weave mindfulness into the constitution of higher education. Ultimately, in reference to Simone Weil, mindfulness training is conceived as guiding the “formation of attention,” along the “joy of learning,” to accomplish two interrelated humanistic ideals: academic excellence and human flourishing.