Mindful Leadership

By Mo Edjlali, Founder of Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR

It's 2026, and I believe when we look back, this will be the year it became undeniable: we are living in the dawn of the Age of AI.

Many have already come to understand this. And as vogue as it is to AI-bash, let's be honest. Most of us now use AI daily. For many like me, it's integrated into how we work, live, and serve.

I believe we are entering a mental health crisis unlike anything we've seen, alongside the most extraordinary adv…

By Mo Edjlali, Founder of Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR

When you have spent 15 years in the mindfulness field, people start imagining you glide through life, calm, steady, perfectly regulated at all times. Maybe you meditate on mountaintops before breakfast. Maybe you never get annoyed in traffic. I wish.

2025 reminded me, loud and clear, I'm still a work in progress.

This was one of the most demanding years of my life. A book launch, an app launch, and the daily circus of trying to be a …

By The Mindful Leader Team

The 2025 research landscape reveals a fork in the road for our field. One path races toward transactional efficiency: AI facilitators and 5-minute micro-doses designed to "fix" individual stress as quickly as possible. The other path points toward relational depth: a growing body of evidence suggesting that the true power of mindfulness lies not in optimizing the self, but in connecting with the community.

The question this year is no longer just "does it work?" It i…

By The Mindful Leader Team

Can mindfulness training truly ease the epidemic of loneliness among older adults? Does caring for others enhance our own well-being as much as self-compassion does? Could an AI voice guide meditation as effectively as a human teacher? This month’s studies invite us to explore how awareness, compassion, and technology intertwine to shape the future of mental health and human flourishing.

Mindfulness Training (MBSR) Proves Effective Against Loneliness Crisis in Older …

By Piero Falci, Open MBSR Teacher

As we celebrated ten years of the Mindful Leader Summit in Washington, D.C., one theme resonated throughout the weekend — the growing need for wisdom, connection, and mindful leadership in our world.

Below, Open MBSR teacher Piero Falci shares his reflection on the experience.

I’m deeply grateful for the experience of being part of the 10th Mindful Leader Summit — a gathering that felt both intimate and profoundly energizing.

As an Open MBSR teacher, it wa…

By The Mindful Leader Team

Quick Summary

• Engagement crisis: Global employee engagement fell to 21% in 2024, with managers hit hardest. Closing this gap could unlock $9.6 trillion in global GDP (Gallup, Apr 2025).
  
• Change and AI pressures: 89% of U.S. workers experienced organizational change last year, while rapid AI adoption boosted productivity for some but fueled job insecurity for many (APA, Jul 2025).
  
• Benefits gap: 36% of employees cannot access mental health benefits due to cos…

AI-generated Audio Overview

By The Mindful Leader Team

What if mindfulness doesn't just help us cope with work stress, but actually changes how we perceive our jobs entirely? Can a smartphone app delivering just five minutes of daily meditation create lasting workplace transformation? Why are bite-sized mindfulness sessions proving more effective than traditional lengthy programs? And does workplace mindfulness function as a stress buffer, a resource builder, or both?

This month's research …

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 …

AI-generated Audio Overview

By The Mindful Leader Team

What if the key to workplace success lies not in resolving tensions, but in embracing them? Does who we eat dinner with affect our happiness more than our income? Why are remote workers looking to quit more than those going into the office? And what explains the disconnect between employees' supportive attitudes toward colleagues' mental health and their reluctance to address their own?

This month's research roundup explores these criti…

AI-generated Audio Overview

By The Mindful Leader Team

Do long-term meditators' brains function differently even when they're not meditating? After just one session, can first-time meditators show measurable changes in deep brain regions? Could mindfulness-based self-help interventions provide rapid relief for anxiety and depression? Might mindfulness training help reduce opioid cravings in patients receiving medication treatment? And what happens when you combine humor with traditional mind…