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Christine Wamsler

Christine Wamsler

Professor, Docent, appointed Excellent Teaching Practitioner (ETP)

Christine Wamsler

Mindfulness and sustainability at the crossroads: towards mindfulness curricula for human and planetary wellbeing and transformation

Author

  • Christine Wamsler
  • Liane Stephan
  • Margaret Fletcher
  • Jamie Bristow

Summary, in English

In light of the escalating global polycrisis—a convergence of environmental, social, and mental health crises—this paper explores the potential of mindfulness-based approaches for fostering human and planetary wellbeing and sustainability. We specifically investigate the linkages between Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and sustainability, and how they can be strengthened to support transformative education. Drawing on interviews with key informants and in-depth case studies of innovative courses, we assess historical connections and current developments, as well as the needs, gaps, and opportunities for adapting existing approaches to sustainability contexts. What is the curriculum of the present moment, in a situation where the whole world has become the hospital? Based on our findings, we identify possibilities and principles for modifying, expanding, upscaling, and transforming mindfulness-based practices, interventions, and curricula—offering pathways that other training institutions can draw on. We synthesize our results into a “taxonomy of mindfulness-sustainability integration,” outlining key features and ethical considerations at different levels. Finally, we caution against protocolizing mindfulness and instead emphasize its non-instrumental dimensions—embodiment, emergence, and relationality—for finding a path of hope, joyful engagement, and meaningful transformation towards sustainability that is grounded in the inextricable connection between our inner lives and the living planet.

Department/s

  • LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
  • LU Profile Area: Nature-based future solutions
  • LU Profile Area: Human rights

Publishing year

2026

Language

English

Publication/Series

Sustainability Science

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Environmental Studies in Social Sciences

Keywords

  • inner development goals
  • consciousness
  • mindsets
  • mindfulness
  • Mindfulness-based intervention
  • sustainability trabsformation
  • climate change
  • climate change adaptation
  • climate change mitigation
  • leadership
  • self-leadership
  • system change
  • culture change
  • paradigm
  • compassion
  • gratitude

Status

Published

Project

  • Agents of Change - Mind, cognitive bias and decision-making in a context of social and climate change
  • The Contemplative Sustainable Futures Program

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1862-4057