McMindfulness

McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became the New Capitalist Spirituality | Ronald Purser

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A fascinating look at how mindfulness gets corrupted when it gets parcelled up with corporate capitalism. I loved all the background and interviews with Buddhist thinkers talking about mindfulness today departing from the original Buddhist ideas that underpinned it. Also really interesting to see how it gets used in organisations like google and the army who now do mindful killing (that‘s literally true 😕). I recommend!

KathyWheeler This looks fascinating. 5y

SharonAlger This sounds like a thought provoking read. 5y

Weaponxgirl I downloaded this and really need to get to it. It‘s looks like it could help me explain why I‘ve often been iffy about how mindfulness and motivational stuff is presented to me 5y

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Emilymdxn @weaponxgirl I loved it so much. I think it‘s helped me get more into mindfulness and be clearer in my head about what I want mindfulness to be and what I want to learn from it, and avoid being sold random crap. I love that it‘s not anti mindfulness it‘s anti mindfulness being used for capitalism and the presentation of it 5y

Weaponxgirl That sounds like exactly what I‘m looking for. I feel like the self care movement has also been co opted recently too. Capitalism really can get its teeth into anything can‘t it. 5y

Emilymdxn @weaponxgirl yeah it concerns me so much. I find self care and spirituality really important for my wellbeing, they‘re a big factor in my mental health doing well atm, but it‘s so hard to avoid getting marketed a million expensive ‘mindful colouring books‘ and ‘mindful candles‘ and made to feel like im ‘bad at self care‘ according to others cause I‘m not spending a fortune, just trying to take time to be mentally physically and spiritually healthy 5y

Weaponxgirl @Emilymdxn yes, I feel the same. Some areas have turned it into just a big old treat yourself mentality and the things they recommend you need are never cheap really. My self care will be completely different from someone else‘s. I‘m also like you getting concerned with how spirituality is becoming so consumerist. I‘ve been making a concerted effort to not getting drawn in thinking I need for example a certain crystal or type of incense 5y

Weaponxgirl Especially since there are now lots of ethical issues around some so called essentials that are pushed for being a more spiritual person. It sucks as its something that used to be calming for my wellbeing but now it‘s as fraught as other areas in my life. Sorry for the essay btw 5y

Emilymdxn @weaponxgirl no I love the essays! I feel exactly the same and it‘s so refreshing to hear you feel the same. Spirituality is very important to me and self care matters hugely to me, but it‘s not something I really want to spend money on. Walking, yoga with a free YouTube video (tho admittedly I paid for the workout clothes and mat), cooking etc. are all free and I don‘t want spirituality - religious or otherwise - to become... 5y

Emilymdxn @weaponxgirl ...another bit of capitalism that makes people stressed and guilty. It‘s easy to feel like I‘m not ‘good enough‘ at self care or being spiritual which is such a bizarre concept but I have felt that sometimes. 5y

Weaponxgirl @Emilymdxn whenever we have one of these conversations I always think I‘d love to go to the pub with you! But I have felt those exact same feelings, I don‘t even have a bath in my flat and so many things are like do this in the bath and a shower really isn‘t the same at all 😆 5y

Weaponxgirl I‘ve been reading articles on cultural appropriation in the self care and spirituality communities and at how to decolonise my own practices. This has helped me a lot in not getting drawn into must haves ect. I‘ve also been looking at environmental impacts of certain things, stupidly such as candles and how lots are made from petrochemicals. I‘m looking at making my own with soy wax and some essential oils as I enjoy making things anyway 5y

Emilymdxn @Weaponxgirl absolutely! I‘d love a pub trip. So many suggestions don‘t take into account how difficult it can be to do with little money. I went to a very positive vibes salad place for lunch the other day but it‘s hard to feel zen when you‘re panicking over how much money you‘ve spent when a salad is £ 5y

Emilymdxn @Weaponxgirl I got some lovely natural candles from the amnesty international shop once but it‘s hard to find everyday cheap accessible candles that are ethical and okay for the planet. 5y

Weaponxgirl @Emilymdxn yes! Money is a huge issue for me too and some stuff comes off as way too privileged. I like colouring books but the setup for nice pencils ect doesn‘t come cheap and some people just don‘t acknowledge this. I also steer clear of the mindfulness ones, they don‘t do it for me. I have a Disney villains one I got cheap that I‘m in love with instead 5y

Weaponxgirl So if I remember correctly you live in London and I may be coming down to London in January to see a show. If you were up for it and about I‘d love to do a mini Litsy meetup? 5y

Emilymdxn @weaponxgirl yes I‘m in London! Would be delighted to meet up any time you‘re around! It can be quite disability exclusionary too - I have to be so specific pointing out I really really can‘t do colouring with chronic pain in my hands, or knitting or anything like that, it‘s just never going to be spiritual or relaxing for me and some people just won‘t get it. And the expensive notebooks and planners and apps and food is just so much, it makes... 5y

Emilymdxn @weaponxgirl ...you feel less good at it if you don‘t have money and that guilt is just the opposite of what I want self care to be. I agree that cultural appropriation is such an issue too particularly with yoga and other spiritual practices from other cultures 5y

Weaponxgirl @Emilymdxn that‘s such a good point, I‘m lucky in many ways but I have a friend who has chronic pain and an invisible illness and she has to do so much planning to do the things she wants to do and hope she has a good day even with all her planning in place and a lot of things just aren‘t feasible for her. Things like taking a walk, if she isn‘t careful she will set off her symptoms and be out of action for the next day. 5y

Weaponxgirl https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/commercialization-of-self-care-wellness I think you‘ll find this article interesting. It‘s one of my fave places on the internet for making me think more thoughtfully and coming at angles that aren‘t my own 5y

Weaponxgirl https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/heart-of-whiteness-spiritual-tourism-coloniza... sorry going to share some more articles from that site 5y

Weaponxgirl https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/commodification-witchcraft-sephora last one! 5y

Emilymdxn @Weaponxgirl thank you so much I‘ll read them after work! Love being able to share and discuss stuff like this with you on Litsy 5y

Weaponxgirl I look forward to hearing what you think! 5y

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