Meditation skills for the mediation process
Complementary practices and epistemological considerations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/mtp.32195Keywords:
relational mediation, mediation process, theory of knowledge, mindfullnessAbstract
This paper presents how meditation practices can be used throughout the mediation process. Skills for both mediators and disputants are presented. Additionally, different epistemological frameworks for mediation and meditation are provided and discussed. A postmodern critique of neoliberal ideals of individuals as objective and stable units independent of social context is presented. An approach of mediation and relational meditation is offered that acknowledges and incorporates cultural, historical, racial, gendered and other discourses as critical aspects to consider as the mediator facilitates alternative narratives and new relational positions for the participants. Regardless of one’s epistemological frameworks, this paper presents skills for all participants in the mediation process to practice deep listening, respectful communication, mindfulness and flexibility for achieving new resolutions.
References
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Bowling, D. (2003) Mindfulness meditation and mediation: where the transcendent meets the familiar. In D. Bowling and D. Hoffman (eds) Bringing Peace into the Room: How the Personal Qualities of the Mediator Impact the Process of Conflict Resolution 263–78. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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Bush, R. A. B. and Folger, J. P. (1994) The Promise of Mediation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Chiesa, A., and Malinowski, P. (2011) Mindfulness-based approaches: are they all the same? Journal of Clinical Psychology 67(4): 404–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20776
CMind (undated) Social justice program. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.contemplativemind.org/archives/socialjustice.
Coffey, F. G. and Kessler, M. C. (2008) The Reflective Counselor: Daily Meditations for Lawyers. Chicago, IL: American Bar Association Book Publishing.
Elwork, A. (1997) Stress Management for Lawyers: How to Increase Personal and Professional Satisfaction in the Law. Philadelphia, PA: Vorkell Group.
Fisher, T. (2003) Who’s minding the mediator? Mindfulness in mediation. ADR Bulletin 5(10): 1. http://epublications.bond.edu.au/adr/vol5/iss10/1
Forbes, D. (2015) They want kids to be robots: meet the new education craze designed to distract you from over testing. Salon (8 November). Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.salon.com/2015/11/08/they_want_kids_to_be_robots_meet_the_new_education_craze_designed_to_distract_you_from_overtesting.
Foucault, M. (1969) The Archeology of Knowledge (trans. A. Sheridan). London: Tavistock.
Freshman, C. (2006) After basic mindfulness mediation: external mindfulness, emotional truthfulness, and lie detection in dispute resolution. Journal of Dispute Resolution 2(2): 511–22.
Gale, J. (2008) Meditation and relational connectedness: Practices for couples and families. In F. Walsh (ed.) Spiritual Resources in Family Therapy 247–66. New York: Guilford Press.
Gershman, J. (2015) Lawyers go Zen, with few objections. Wall Street Journal (18 June). Retrieved on 18 September 2016 at www.wsj.com/articles/lawyers-go-zenwith-few-objections-1434586250.
Hanh, T. N. (1998) The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching. New York: Harmony Books.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D. and Wilson, K. G. (1999) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Experiential Approach to Behavior Change. New York: Guilford Press.
Herrman, M. S. (ed.) The Blackwell Handbook of Mediation: Bridging Theory, Research, and Practice. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Herrman, M. S., Hollett, N. and Gale, J. (2006) Mediation from beginning to end: a testable model. In Herrman (2006): 19–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/b.9781405127424.2006.00003.x
Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T. and Lazar, S. W. (2011) Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 191(1): 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1991) In the Dukkha Magnet Zone program supplements medical treatment with meditation. Tricycle: The Buddhist Journal 1: 86–90.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2015) Mindfulness has huge health potential – but McMindfulness is no panacea. The Guardian (20 October). Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/20/mindfulness-mental-health-potential-benefits-uk.
Kabat-Zinn, J. and Hanh, T. N. (2009) Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York: Delta.
Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M-A. and Hofmann, S. G. (2013) Mindfulness-based therapy: a comprehensive meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review 33(6): 763–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/j.cpr.2013.o5.005
Kirmayer, L. J. (2015) Mindfulness in cultural context. Transcultural Psychiatry 52(4): 447–69. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461515598949
Laclau, E. and Mouffe, C. (1985) Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. London: Verso.
Langer, E. J. (1989) Mindfulness. Boston, MA: Addison Wesley.
Linehan, M. M. (1993) Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
Mindfulness Initiative (2015) Mindful Nation UK Report. London: Mindfulness Initiative. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.themindfulnessinitiative.org.uk/publications/mindful-nation-uk-report.
Neff, K. (undated) Test how self-compassionate you are. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from http://self-compassion.org/test-how-self-compassionate-you-are.
NIH (undated) Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) information. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from https://nccih.nih.gov/taxonomy/term/228.
Nobel, B. (2005) Meditation and mediation. Family Court Review 43(2): 295–302. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-1617.2005.00030.x
NSF (2013) Know thyself: how mindfulness can improve self-knowledge. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=127334.
Parker, S. C., Nelson, B. W., Epel, E. and Siegel, D. J. (2015) The science of presence: A central mediator in the interpersonal benefits of mindfulness. In K. W. Brown, J. D. Creswell, and R. M. Ryan (eds) Handbook of Mindfulness: Theory, Research, and Practice 225–44. New York: Springer.
Project Implicit (undated) Take a test. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html.
Reveley, J. (2016) Neoliberal meditations: How mindfulness training medicalizes education and responsiblizes young people. Policy Futures in Education 14(4): 497–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210316637972
Riskin, L. L. (2002) Contemplative lawyer: On the potential contributions of mindfulness meditation to law students, lawyers, and their clients. Harvard Negotiation Legal Review 7: 1–66.
Riskin, L. L. (2004) Mindfulness: Foundational training for dispute resolution. Journal of Legal Education 54: 79–90.
Riskin, L. L. (2009) Awareness and ethics in dispute resolution and law: why mindfulness tends to foster ethical behavior. South Texas Law Review 50(3): 493–503.
Riskin, L. L. (2010) Annual Saltman Lecture: further beyond reason: emotions, the core concerns, and mindfulness in negotiation. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from http://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/facultypub/273.
Riskin, L. L. (2012) Awareness and the legal profession: an introduction to the Mindful Lawyer Symposium. Journal of Legal Education 61: 634.
Riskin, L. L. (2014) Two (or more) concepts of mindfulness in law and conflict resolution. In A. I. Chistelle, T. Ngnoumen and E. J. Langer (eds) The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Mindfulness 471–86. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118294895.ch51
Rock, E. M. (2004) Mindfulness mediation, the cultivation of awareness, mediator neutrality, and the possibility of justice. Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution 6: 347.
Rogers, S. and Jacobowitz, J., (2012) Mindfulness and Professional Responsibility: A Handbook for Integrating Mindfulness into the Law School Curriculum. Miami Beach, FL: Mindful Living Press.
Ronkin, N. (2014) Abhidharma. In E. N. Zalta (ed.) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2014 edition). Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2014/entries/abhidharma.
Segal, Z. V., Teasdale, J. D., Williams, J. M. and Gemar, M. C. (2002) The mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy adherence scale: inter?rater reliability, adherence to protocol and treatment distinctiveness. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 9(2): 131–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.320
Senauke, A. (2013) Heirs to Ambedkar: The Rebirth of Engaged Buddhism in India. Berkeley, CA: Clear View Press.
Siegel, D. J. (2012) The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are (2nd edn). New York: Guilford Press.
Umbeit, S. M. and Coates, R. B. (2006) Restorative justice mediated dialog. In Herrman (2006): 175–90.
Winerman, L. (2005) The mind’s mirror: a new type of neuron – called a mirror neuron – could help explain how we learn through mimicry and why we empathize with others. Monitor 36(9): 48. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror.aspx.
Winslade, J. and Monk, G. (2000) Narrative Mediation: A New Approach to Conflict Resolution. San Francisco, CA: Jossey?Bass.
Winslade, J. and Monk, G. (2006) Does the model overarch the narrative stream. In Herrman (2006): 217–27.
Batchelor, M. (2011) Meditation and mindfulness. Contemporary Buddhism 12(1): 155–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/14639947.2011.564832
Bowling, D. (2003) Mindfulness meditation and mediation: where the transcendent meets the familiar. In D. Bowling and D. Hoffman (eds) Bringing Peace into the Room: How the Personal Qualities of the Mediator Impact the Process of Conflict Resolution 263–78. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Brown, K. W. (undated) Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), trait version. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.kirkwarrenbrown.vcu.edu/wp-content/scales/MAAS%20trait%20research-ready%20+%20intro.pdf.
Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M. and Creswell, J. D. (2007) Mindfulness: theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry 18(4): 211–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/10478400701598298
Bush, R. A. B. and Folger, J. P. (1994) The Promise of Mediation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Chiesa, A., and Malinowski, P. (2011) Mindfulness-based approaches: are they all the same? Journal of Clinical Psychology 67(4): 404–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20776
CMind (undated) Social justice program. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.contemplativemind.org/archives/socialjustice.
Coffey, F. G. and Kessler, M. C. (2008) The Reflective Counselor: Daily Meditations for Lawyers. Chicago, IL: American Bar Association Book Publishing.
Elwork, A. (1997) Stress Management for Lawyers: How to Increase Personal and Professional Satisfaction in the Law. Philadelphia, PA: Vorkell Group.
Fisher, T. (2003) Who’s minding the mediator? Mindfulness in mediation. ADR Bulletin 5(10): 1. http://epublications.bond.edu.au/adr/vol5/iss10/1
Forbes, D. (2015) They want kids to be robots: meet the new education craze designed to distract you from over testing. Salon (8 November). Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.salon.com/2015/11/08/they_want_kids_to_be_robots_meet_the_new_education_craze_designed_to_distract_you_from_overtesting.
Foucault, M. (1969) The Archeology of Knowledge (trans. A. Sheridan). London: Tavistock.
Freshman, C. (2006) After basic mindfulness mediation: external mindfulness, emotional truthfulness, and lie detection in dispute resolution. Journal of Dispute Resolution 2(2): 511–22.
Gale, J. (2008) Meditation and relational connectedness: Practices for couples and families. In F. Walsh (ed.) Spiritual Resources in Family Therapy 247–66. New York: Guilford Press.
Gershman, J. (2015) Lawyers go Zen, with few objections. Wall Street Journal (18 June). Retrieved on 18 September 2016 at www.wsj.com/articles/lawyers-go-zenwith-few-objections-1434586250.
Hanh, T. N. (1998) The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching. New York: Harmony Books.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D. and Wilson, K. G. (1999) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Experiential Approach to Behavior Change. New York: Guilford Press.
Herrman, M. S. (ed.) The Blackwell Handbook of Mediation: Bridging Theory, Research, and Practice. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Herrman, M. S., Hollett, N. and Gale, J. (2006) Mediation from beginning to end: a testable model. In Herrman (2006): 19–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/b.9781405127424.2006.00003.x
Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T. and Lazar, S. W. (2011) Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 191(1): 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1991) In the Dukkha Magnet Zone program supplements medical treatment with meditation. Tricycle: The Buddhist Journal 1: 86–90.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2015) Mindfulness has huge health potential – but McMindfulness is no panacea. The Guardian (20 October). Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/20/mindfulness-mental-health-potential-benefits-uk.
Kabat-Zinn, J. and Hanh, T. N. (2009) Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York: Delta.
Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M-A. and Hofmann, S. G. (2013) Mindfulness-based therapy: a comprehensive meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review 33(6): 763–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/j.cpr.2013.o5.005
Kirmayer, L. J. (2015) Mindfulness in cultural context. Transcultural Psychiatry 52(4): 447–69. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461515598949
Laclau, E. and Mouffe, C. (1985) Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. London: Verso.
Langer, E. J. (1989) Mindfulness. Boston, MA: Addison Wesley.
Linehan, M. M. (1993) Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
Mindfulness Initiative (2015) Mindful Nation UK Report. London: Mindfulness Initiative. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.themindfulnessinitiative.org.uk/publications/mindful-nation-uk-report.
Neff, K. (undated) Test how self-compassionate you are. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from http://self-compassion.org/test-how-self-compassionate-you-are.
NIH (undated) Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) information. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from https://nccih.nih.gov/taxonomy/term/228.
Nobel, B. (2005) Meditation and mediation. Family Court Review 43(2): 295–302. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-1617.2005.00030.x
NSF (2013) Know thyself: how mindfulness can improve self-knowledge. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=127334.
Parker, S. C., Nelson, B. W., Epel, E. and Siegel, D. J. (2015) The science of presence: A central mediator in the interpersonal benefits of mindfulness. In K. W. Brown, J. D. Creswell, and R. M. Ryan (eds) Handbook of Mindfulness: Theory, Research, and Practice 225–44. New York: Springer.
Project Implicit (undated) Take a test. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html.
Reveley, J. (2016) Neoliberal meditations: How mindfulness training medicalizes education and responsiblizes young people. Policy Futures in Education 14(4): 497–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210316637972
Riskin, L. L. (2002) Contemplative lawyer: On the potential contributions of mindfulness meditation to law students, lawyers, and their clients. Harvard Negotiation Legal Review 7: 1–66.
Riskin, L. L. (2004) Mindfulness: Foundational training for dispute resolution. Journal of Legal Education 54: 79–90.
Riskin, L. L. (2009) Awareness and ethics in dispute resolution and law: why mindfulness tends to foster ethical behavior. South Texas Law Review 50(3): 493–503.
Riskin, L. L. (2010) Annual Saltman Lecture: further beyond reason: emotions, the core concerns, and mindfulness in negotiation. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from http://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/facultypub/273.
Riskin, L. L. (2012) Awareness and the legal profession: an introduction to the Mindful Lawyer Symposium. Journal of Legal Education 61: 634.
Riskin, L. L. (2014) Two (or more) concepts of mindfulness in law and conflict resolution. In A. I. Chistelle, T. Ngnoumen and E. J. Langer (eds) The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Mindfulness 471–86. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118294895.ch51
Rock, E. M. (2004) Mindfulness mediation, the cultivation of awareness, mediator neutrality, and the possibility of justice. Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution 6: 347.
Rogers, S. and Jacobowitz, J., (2012) Mindfulness and Professional Responsibility: A Handbook for Integrating Mindfulness into the Law School Curriculum. Miami Beach, FL: Mindful Living Press.
Ronkin, N. (2014) Abhidharma. In E. N. Zalta (ed.) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2014 edition). Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2014/entries/abhidharma.
Segal, Z. V., Teasdale, J. D., Williams, J. M. and Gemar, M. C. (2002) The mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy adherence scale: inter?rater reliability, adherence to protocol and treatment distinctiveness. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 9(2): 131–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.320
Senauke, A. (2013) Heirs to Ambedkar: The Rebirth of Engaged Buddhism in India. Berkeley, CA: Clear View Press.
Siegel, D. J. (2012) The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are (2nd edn). New York: Guilford Press.
Umbeit, S. M. and Coates, R. B. (2006) Restorative justice mediated dialog. In Herrman (2006): 175–90.
Winerman, L. (2005) The mind’s mirror: a new type of neuron – called a mirror neuron – could help explain how we learn through mimicry and why we empathize with others. Monitor 36(9): 48. Retrieved on 8 May 2017 from www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror.aspx.
Winslade, J. and Monk, G. (2000) Narrative Mediation: A New Approach to Conflict Resolution. San Francisco, CA: Jossey?Bass.
Winslade, J. and Monk, G. (2006) Does the model overarch the narrative stream. In Herrman (2006): 217–27.
Published
2017-06-16
Issue
Section
Practice Articles
How to Cite
Gale, J. E. (2017). Meditation skills for the mediation process: Complementary practices and epistemological considerations. Mediation Theory and Practice, 2(1), 54-68. https://doi.org/10.1558/mtp.32195
