Blog
A Declaration of Interdependence: No Kings. No Dogma. No Gurus.
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness
A few days ago, we celebrated the 4th of July, that extraordinary moment when a group of rebels dared to imagine something different. I've always loved Thomas Paine, that brilliant troublemaker who had the audacity to challenge kings and question the divine right of rulers. "Common Sense" didn't just critique monarchy; it awakened people to the absurdity of being governed by those who clai…
Mindfulness: A Tool for Polarization or America's Political Healer?
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness
As I sit here, just outside the political pressure cooker of Washington D.C., I can't help but reflect on the state of our nation. The polarization in American politics has reached a fever pitch, and it's hard to ignore the tension in the air. It reminds me of a pivotal conversation I had years ago - one that challenged my thinking and led me to a profound realization about mindfulness in …
June Monthly Newsletter
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2025 Summit Final Days to save $300 with Super Early Bird (ends this Friday) Hello Mindful Leaders, Are you cultivating students' innate wisdom, or creating attachment to your guidance? Who decided that debate is not mindful and why are you buying it? What if the path to wiser leadership isn’t clarity—but the courage to sit with contradiction? A Note on This Moment Many in our community are watching the unfolding conflict involving Iran with heavy hearts. I was born in Tehran in 1977… |
POISE - A Dialectic Practice for Mindful Leaders
By The Mindful Leader Team
In our prior exploration, "Dialectic Thinking: The Secret to Exceptional Mindful Leadership," we explored the fascinating intricacies of dialectic thinking. We examined its impact on leadership, revealing the tug-of-war between binary and nuanced thinking in our society, politics, and personal decisions. Delving into neuroscience, we discussed how the prefrontal cortex overpowers our instinctual, primitive binary thinking. Importantly, we explored the paradox of acc…
Debate is Not Mindful
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR
Open MBSR isn’t even out yet, and already the backlash is here. But it’s not loud. It’s soft. It comes dressed in spiritual language and smiling concern, feedback that sounds supportive but subtly works to shut down critique.
“I was surprised by the language… it risks alienating those who might otherwise be open to conversation.”
“True dialogue eliminates the need for debate… conversation should evolve through mutual understa…
Please Shut Up: Your Guided Meditations Are Doing Harm
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR
A Crisis Across Mindfulness Education
"The teacher must vanish. The teaching must remain."
Every day, mindfulness teachers across the world are unknowingly sabotaging their students' progress. With the best of intentions, they're creating dependency instead of independence, replacing genuine skill-building with emotional comfort, and turning what should be empowering practice into guided entertainment. The very guidance meant…
May Monthly Newsletter
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Registration Now Open for the 10th Annual Mindful Leader Summit Hello Mindful Leaders, What would happen if mindfulness is absorbed by mental health care? How long do most people meditate and what are they practicing? Is mindfulness changing capitalism, or is capitalism changing mindfulness? |
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Critics vs Pioneers: Capitalism, Religion, Ethics, and the Future of Mindfulness
Session Summary
A powerful session at the 2019 Mindfulness at Work Summit, led by Candy Gunther Brown, PhD, Rich Fernandez, PhD, David Forbes, PhD, and Barnaby Spring, and moderated by Mo Edjlali, explored the evolving role of mindfulness in modern society. It discussed how mindfulness intersects with capitalism, religion, education, and civic engagement. Key principles highlighted include transparency, equity, and the potential for mindfulness to either reinforce or challenge dominant systems.…
2025 Meditation Practice Report
AI-generated Audio Overview
By The Mindful Leader Team
The 2025 Meditation Practice Report reveals key trends and preferences from 212 meditation practitioners surveyed in Q1 2025. Our findings help mindfulness professionals design more effective programs that align with actual practice patterns.
Key Findings:
- Most practitioners (56.6%) meditate daily, with 10-20 minutes being the most common session length (41.7%)
- Morning practice dominates (57.8%), suggesting optimal timing for group …
Mindfulness Is Not Mental Health Care
AI Generated Article Audio
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a perfect time to confront the question we've been avoiding:
What is mindfulness actually for, and where does it truly belong?
Headspace recently launched therapy services. Calm has been creeping toward clinical offerings for years. These platforms that once sold simple guided meditations now position themselves as mental health providers.
The evolution makes b…