Wackfulness
A thoughtful, sometimes provocative, sometimes playful critique of the mindfulness field. Our opinion column.
"Daddy, You Were Mean to the AI" - We Need to Talk AI
By Mo Edjlali, Founder of Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR
"What do you think is my son's favorite color?"
I wasn't sure why I asked. We were somewhere on Route 66, heading toward the Shenandoah Valley, my Tesla driving itself through the grey winter afternoon. My kids and I had been playing trivia with ChatGPT for the past twenty minutes, animal facts, math problems, the kind of thing that keeps elementary schoolers engaged on a long drive without handing them a tablet.
"Red," the AI respon…
3 Lessons I Learned in 2025
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 …
The 3 “Orientations” of Meditation
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness
The False Divide
Maybe you've heard the arguments:
"Workplace mindfulness is a betrayal, McMindfulness!"
"Contemplative practices don't belong here, stealth Buddhism!"
The spiritual practitioners cry corporate sellout. The pragmatists warn against religious infiltration. Both sides patrol the borders, checking credentials, questioning motives.
These divides exist for real reasons. Con…
Open Source Explained: Why the Future of Mindfulness may Depend on It
By Mo Edjlali, Founder and CEO, Mindful Leader; Author, Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness
A New Trend Emerges
Something new is stirring in mindfulness: the language of open source. What began as a whisper is now entering real conversations. Ideas like community-centric and open-source alongside MBSR are no longer unthinkable, still not mainstream, but no longer off-limits. In August, Wiley published my book Open MBSR, a framework built on transparency, collaboration, and share…
Evolving Mindfulness: Lessons from the Buddha & Algebra (excerpt - Open MBSR)
An excerpt from "Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness" by Mo Edjlali
Unpacking the Buddhist DNA: A Blueprint for Transparency
Chapter 3 ripped off the Band-Aid. For the first time in print, the Buddhist skeleton of MBSR has been exposed.
This excavation revealed more than a sprinkling of Eastern spice. It unearthed a full-blown Buddhist blueprint that forms MBSR's very DNA. From the Three Jewels to the Four Noble Truths, from the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to the principle of…
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 …
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…