An Observational Study to Assess the Reflection of Vipassana Meditation (VM) on the Perception of "Mindfulness" as a Tool for Health Promotion Among Beneficiaries of VM

Introduction Vipassana meditation (VM) is an ancient meditation technique based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha that involves becoming aware of the present moment and the associated experiences. Therapeutic psychology practices such as mindfulness show promise for improving mental health in terms of stress reduction, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Despite the increasing use of mindfulness-based interventions, relatively little is known about the unique contribution of VM to the development of mindfulness. Objectives The objective of this study was to measure the effect of VM on two key components of mindfulness, awareness and acceptance, using the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (PHLMS). Materials and methods A pre-experimental (pre-test and post-test design) study was conducted at Khadavali Vipassana Centre in Thane, India, over a period of 18 months. The sample (N=156) included participants from diverse socio-demographic backgrounds who engaged in VM for 10 days. The participants were assessed using the PHLMS, a self-report instrument for measuring mindfulness as present-centered awareness and non-judgmental acceptance. Both descriptive and inferential statistics and Wilcoxon's signed-rank test were used to analyze the pre- and post-test mindfulness scores. Results A significant increase in mindfulness was observed post-intervention across all participant groups. Specifically, the average total score for mindfulness increased from 61.47 to 81.09 (p < 0.001). Both the awareness subscale and the acceptance subscale increased significantly from the pre-intervention stage to the post-intervention stage, awareness from 30.76 to 41.11 and acceptance from 30.70 to 39.99. A significant proportion of the participants progressed from a lower level of mindfulness to a higher level, with 74.3% achieving a high level of mindfulness after the VM retreat. Conclusion VM appears to promote mindfulness, mainly because of the effect of acceptance. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the value of VM as an intervention in therapeutic work for enhancing mindfulness and, thereby, mental health.