Wackfulness to Wisdom: Forging a Bold Future for Mindfulness

Disentangling Mindfulness from Buddhism

Mo Edjlali made the case for clearly separating secular mindfulness from its Buddhist origins. While acknowledging Buddhism as a valuable philosophical root, he emphasized that mindfulness, to serve broader and more diverse communities, must evolve beyond its religious entanglement. Drawing parallels to how algebra evolved beyond its Islamic origins, and how Buddhism itself grew from Vedic traditions, Edjlali argued that mindfulness can only grow if it is allowed to stand on its own — free of religious gatekeeping. This shift is essential to address ethical concerns, avoid covert “stealth Buddhism,” and make the practice truly inclusive.

Moving Beyond One-Dimensional Thinking

Edjlali critiqued the overly rigid and simplified teaching of mindfulness attitudes such as “non-judging,” “acceptance,” and “letting go.” He proposed a more psychologically sound and socially responsible framework grounded in dialectical thinking — for example, balancing acceptance with advocacy for change, or non-striving with goal-orientation. These both/and pairings reflect the complexity of real life, especially for non-monastics navigating jobs, parenting, and stress. This approach encourages flexibility, critical engagement, and adaptation to modern challenges.

Proposing Open MBSR: A Collaborative Future

The final section of the session introduced Open MBSR — a reimagined, open-source model for mindfulness instruction. Drawing inspiration from agile development and the open-source tech movement, Edjlali presented a decentralized, principle-based approach focused on transparency, equity, and continuous improvement. Open MBSR is designed to empower individuals rather than centralize authority, avoid guru-dependence, and promote a self-sustaining ecosystem of mindfulness practice. Core values include integrity, critical thinking, scientific grounding, and collective wisdom.

Final Thoughts

Mo Edjlali’s session offered a bold and necessary critique of the current mindfulness landscape, with a roadmap for its next evolution. Through disentanglement from religious roots, adoption of dialectical thinking, and the creation of a truly open, inclusive framework, Open MBSR aims to return mindfulness to the people — flexible, transparent, and grounded in community.

If mindfulness is to serve real people in real life — beyond rigid attitudes and hidden agendas — it must evolve. In Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness, Mo Edjlali offers a transparent, community-led framework grounded in dialectical thinking and collective empowerment. Move beyond guru culture, stealth Buddhism, and one-size-fits-all teachings — and help shape a flexible, inclusive, and truly open mindfulness movement.

This article is part of our Best of Summit series where we spotlight the most compelling sessions from our summit.