The network started in 2014 as a small group of individuals who practise or teach mindfulness and are interested or engaged in social change. Over the years, the network has grown slowly and organically, mostly through word of mouth, into an international community with over 200 members in more than 20 countries around the world.
All members have some form of mindfulness practice – and come from a diverse range of backgrounds including:
- NGO and civil society professionals
- Social and environmental activists
- Humanitarian, development or community workers
- Researchers, academics and writers
- Public sector workers and policy makers
- Mindfulness trainers
- Social change trainers and facilitators
We have organised, or taken part in a range of events and activities. In 2018, we launched our new community hub to better support the network to achieve our aims and purpose. As a network, we aspire to bring together individuals in a range of ways to explore the relationship between mindfulness and social change. We expect and encourage debate on definitions of mindfulness to be part of this exploration. Hence we do not promote a particular definition of mindfulness to which all our members should adhere but our common interest is mindfulness training and practice in contemporary, secular contexts. We are an independent, voluntary, non-profit network – sustained through the passion and commitment of our members, and small funds generated through events and voluntary donations.
Our values
The network is a diverse group of individuals who have varying levels of engagement with the network. The values below have grown organically from the inception of the network, to the present day – and will continue to evolve. They have been developed by a small group of members as our best attempt at articulating what has emerged during events and discussions. They are aspirational, and alive – and we hope they will be continually debated and adapted.
The network values:
Care, compassion and ethical conduct: expressed in how we treat each other and through our commitment to issues of social justice and environmental sustainability.
Community: acknowledging that every one of us is a part of something bigger and that we are all interconnected.
Diversity and inclusivity of people, views, approaches and traditions. Treating each other with respect, honouring different approaches and ways of communicating and being conscious of identities, power and accessibility. We aim for wide and open accessibility, reaching across borders and giving voice to progressive and alternative perspectives.
Equality: seeking to embody inclusivity through respect for individuals, a non-hierarchical structure, gaining critical awareness of power and privilege, and dismantling inequalities.
Innovation: creating new ways of thinking about and doing research, practice and social change, while at the same time…
Respecting traditions: appreciating the knowledge that has been passed down from previous generations.
Embracing complexity: considering holistic, systemic and transdisciplinary approaches that draw on a range of perspectives, including individual, social, political, economic and environmental dimensions.
Critical thinking: examining ideologies, orthodoxies and assumptions (including our own) through ongoing conversations around mindfulness, politics, economics, culture, science and environmental sustainability.
Mindfulness and Social Change Network 