Origins and History

Mindfulness has strong roots in Wales

Wales has been at the forefront of mindfulness research and practice.

  • Thomas William Rhys from Swansea coined the word ‘mindfulness’ in the 19th Century as the translation of a Pali term ‘sati’.
  • In 2000, the first research trial on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy was published[1] evidencing that the approach halves the likelihood of depression recurrence in those with a history of previous depression. Professor Mark Williams led the Bangor University arm of this trial, following a decade of development work, enabled by Welsh Office funding.
  • In 2001, Professor Mark Williams established Bangor University’s Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice – the first university-based mindfulness centre in Europe where a significant number of the UK’s mindfulness teachers have trained. It now has an international reputation for integrity and excellence, and a world-leading research and teacher training programme.
  • In 2012, the Welsh Government established a long term behavioural and cultural change programme to support civil servants in embedding reflective, mindful, attentive and related practices into their everyday work.
  • In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gave us a comprehensive plan for a sustainable world by 2030.  In the same year, these goals and the ways of working that underpin them were incorporated into Welsh law in the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
  • In 2019, the then First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, was the first national leader to speak to a national conference on Mindfulness where he launched the Wales Mindfulness Strategy.
  • In 2021 the Inner Development Goals (IDG) framework was published. 1000+ scientists, experts and HR and Sustainability professionals co-created this framework which describes the contemplative and inter-relational practices that are needed for us to become sustainable.  This was incorporated in the Welsh Government Culture Change Service that year and into the Welsh Government Policy Capability Framework in 2023.
  • In education, two of the main mindfulness programmes for primary schools – Paws b and The Present – were developed in Wales. The Nurturing Parent programme – a mindfulness programme for stressed parents – was also developed in Wales, while MBCT for people with cancer, which is now and is being taken up internationally, was developed in Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
  • HMPPS Wales is at the forefront of bringing mindfulness into criminal justice settings, recently running linked trials for men on probation, prison staff and prisoners.
  • Chris Ruane and other Welsh parliamentarians have been at the forefront of mindfulness in the UK parliament, which has inspired similar projects in parliaments around the world.
  • Mindfulness Without Borders, developed in Cardiff by Ariana Faris has pioneered mindfulness teaching with refugee communities.
  • At Aberystwyth University Dr Rachel Lilley, under Professor Mark Whitehead, has used an interdisciplinary social science approach to combine mindfulness practices with behavioural insights and run several courses for Welsh Government officials in collaboration with the Welsh Government’s innovative internal change programme
  • The prestigious International Conference on Mindfulness was held at the University of Bangor in 2024 attracting over 300 participants from all over the world (internationalmindfulnessconference.com)

 

[1] Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V. A., Soulsby, J. M., & Lau, M. A. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(4), 615–623. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.68.4.615

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