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 our politically charged world.

Back in 2017, fresh off a contentious election and grappling with my own fears as an Iranian immigrant, I found myself advocating for a mindfulness organization to take a definitive political stance. I was angry, scared, and convinced that we needed to rally against what I perceived as a threat to my community. 

But an older, wiser board member gently pushed back with a simple yet powerful statement: "People on all sides need healing."

At the time, I dismissed his words as those of a privileged, white, colonizer who couldn't possibly understand my perspective. It took years for the wisdom of his statement to sink in, but now I see it as a cornerstone of what mindfulness can offer our divided nation.

You see, we humans are biologically wired for binary thinking. We naturally lean towards 'either-or' perspectives, seeing the world in black and white. This tendency is exacerbated by our current socio-political environment, where polarization seems to be at an all-time high and social media algorithms reinforce our biases. But as I've explored in my work on dialectic thinking, there's a more nuanced way to approach these complex issues.

Dialectic thinking recognizes that reality is multifaceted and often contains inherent contradictions. It's not about finding a wishy-washy middle ground or "thinking gray," as I once believed. Instead, it's about holding two seemingly opposing ideas simultaneously, recognizing the value in both. It's like a checkered plaid pattern - each square, whether black or white, retains its individuality while coexisting with its opposite.

In the context of our political divide, this means acknowledging that both progressives and conservatives have valid perspectives to offer. It's about recognizing that we can strive for change while also accepting certain aspects of our current reality. This is the essence of the paradox of acceptance and change - a concept I've found crucial in both personal development and organizational leadership.

But here's the rub - as much as mindfulness has the potential to bridge this divide, I've observed a troubling trend in our field. Too often, mindfulness communities preach unity and openness while subtly (or not so subtly) aligning with one political ideology. This hypocrisy not only undermines our credibility but also alienates those who might benefit most from mindfulness practices.

So, what can we do? How can we, as mindfulness practitioners and leaders, embody the antithesis of polarization? Here are three things that come to mind: 

1. We need to get honest with ourselves. We need to examine our own biases and ask tough questions. Are we truly creating inclusive spaces, or are we unconsciously discouraging those with different political views? Do we practice what we preach about openness and non-judgment when it comes to political diversity?
2. We need to embrace dialectic thinking in our approach to political issues. This means holding space for multiple perspectives, even when - especially when - they conflict with our own. It means practicing the kind of radical empathy that allows us to see the humanity in those we disagree with.
3. We need to remember that mindfulness is, at its core, about awareness and connection. It's about seeing clearly, without the distorting lens of our preconceptions and biases. By staying true to these principles, we can create spaces where people from across the political spectrum can come together, not to convert each other, but to remember our shared humanity.

As we navigate these turbulent political waters, let's challenge ourselves to be "radically anti-radical." Let's use mindfulness not as a tool for political conversion, but as a bridge to understanding. Only then can we truly begin to heal the divides that threaten to tear our society apart.

Learn more about the importance of political inclusivity and dialectic thinking, and how we can bring both into the mindfulness field in my upcoming book, Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Have you experienced political bias in mindfulness settings? Has mindfulness helped you connect with those of different political views? Let's continue this vital conversation, for the sake of our practice, our communities, and our nation.