Work

How does meditation relate to quality of life, positive lifestyle habits and carbon footprint?

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Meditation has gained the scientific community's wide attention, which investigates behavioural modifications under the promotion of pro-environmentalism. The present research investigates relationships between Vipassana meditation experience (i.e. range of years of practice of continuous meditation preceding to the date of recruitment (RYP), average time duration of a regular meditation session (AtMS), trait mindfulness), positive lifestyle habits (PLH), quality of life (QoL) and per-head carbon footprint (CF) among 25 skilled meditators. Self-reported validated questionnaires were given to a group of native speakers of Sri Lanka to collect data on meditation experience, PLH, and perceived QoL. To collect data on CF, a booklet addressing the following four domains of CF was used: (i) CF associated with food and beverage consumption (CFFB), (ii)CF associated with electricity consumption at residence (CFEC), (iii) CF associated with travelling behaviour; (CFTB) and (iv) CF associated with solid waste disposal behaviour at residence; CF related to disposal at the landfill site (CFSWDS), open burning of solid waste ( CFOB). Correlation analyses revealed that trait mindfulness showed strong associations ( r > 0.4) with PLH. None of the temporal variables of meditation experience was significantly correlated with any domain of CF. Two facets of mindfulness (observing and non-reactivity to present-moment experience) demonstrated statistically strong associations (p < 0.05) with perceived QoL. It was identified that the PLH significantly mediates the relationship between the observing facet of trait mindfulness and CFFB (indirect effect - 0.002, SE = 0.001 95% CI [0.010, 0.417]). Further, the relationship between acting with awareness and CFSWDS was significantly mediated by the PLH (indirect effect – (-0.003), SE = 0.003 95% CI [-0.012, -0.0001]). The current study will serve as a foundation for future longitudinal studies on the same subject by providing evidence for the relationships between meditation experience and PLH, perceived QoL and CF.

Source: Heliyon

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41144

Authors: E.A.S.K. Somarathne, M.W. Gunathunga, E. Lokupitiya

Institution: University of Colombo

Language: English

Topic: Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Climate action, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,100