Follow Up
In 2016, Van Gordon, W., Shonin, E., and Griffiths published an article titled “Are contemporary mindfulness-based interventions unethical?” (accessible via the Additional Resources drop-down menu).
Their argument was that, in an effort to be universally accepted and relevant, Mindfulness-Based Approaches (MBAs) have obscured their Buddhist origins, potentially misleading participants. They asserted that when mindfulness is detached from the ethical foundations of Buddhism, as seen in what they term "First-Generation MBAs," it becomes vulnerable to ethical issues and societal backlash. According to them, mindfulness without the Dharma (Buddhist teachings) is incomplete. They advocated for the development of "Second-Generation MBAs," which would reintegrate the Dharma into mindfulness practice or at least be open about it’s origins.
One might argue that the core idea of being present and aware transcends specific religions or cultures. Yet consigning Sati to this core idea alone throws the baby out with the bathwater’ and renders MIndfulness an ‘attention technology’ without ethical context or spiritual. Can we put the baby back without having to default to Dharma?
Coming to Our Senses integrates Context-Oriented Arts to enrich the core concept of mindfulness. By focusing on context, we not only become naturally more present and aware but are also invited to explore a deeper question: “Who is present, and who is aware?”
Over the course of eight weeks, the program reveals the root of our agitation—how it is fueled by craving and avoidance, which are forms of habitual “un-asking” of this fundamental question. This ignorance, far from being blissful, keeps us trapped in a cycle of self-perpetuation, or selfing. Through the Creative Challenges, Dialogue, practices and Journaling for Flow, the course affords us glimpses of our true nature, providing momentary relief from this endless Möbius loop of self-identification.
While Buddhists might refer to the Dharma as a convenient scaffolding to integrate these glimpses, we offer an alternative secular framework. It’s called Reciprocal Wellbeing.
A short introduction is presented below, but a link to a more detailed paper is available in the Additional Resources dropdown.
The Reciprocal Well-being Model
A Holistic Framework for Interconnected Well-being
The Reciprocal Well-being Model integrates personal, societal, and environmental dimensions, emphasizing their mutual dependence. This cyclical model replaces hierarchical approaches to well-being, framing human needs within a dynamic system of reciprocal interactions.
This model replaces Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs by reframing the human as a part of a creative cycle rather than an individual striving towards a pinnacle of achievement. While it updates Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs ‘as if the planet mattered’ it is also a model that unifies governance, economy and religion. These are the three universal orders that Yuval Noah Harari identifies as having driven the global expansion of civilization, for better or worse.
The cycle in the sweep of the right arm could constitute the ‘economy’; the ‘tattoos’ on the body as the ‘religion’ and the sweep of the left arm as the principles of ‘governance.’ That said, this is a whole systems approach and while it is not complete unless it addresses these universal orders, it only does so in order to transcend them.
The central column describes the 7 spheres or nested domains of activity.
The right column is what we derive or draw from those domains (the output).
And the left column is what we contribute (the input) to the domains that produce the output.
The bottom row is human activities, ways to wellbeing, that support the healthy flow of reciprocity around these nested spheres.
However, these are not prescriptive but arise spontaneously from the flow, just as greed, envy, shame, fear and control arise spontaneously from our current models.
Core Principles
Interconnection: Recognizing that well-being arises from the reciprocal flow between individuals, communities, and the environment.
Holistic Integration: Addressing well-being as a whole-system phenomenon rather than isolated factors.
Dynamic Flow: Maintaining balance across seven domains to foster resilience and sustainability.
Seven Domains of Well-being
Natural Environment (Re-enchantment)
Input: Resources
Output: Environmental sustainability and resilience.
Building a connection with nature to promote care and reciprocity.
Culture (Transformation)
Input: Values
Output: Societal cohesion and shared meaning.
Culture shapes our worldview and drives creative and equitable solutions.
Infrastructure (Creativity)
Input: Affordance
Output: Accessibility and innovation.
Infrastructure reflects societal values and enables transformative actions.
Society (Dialogue)
Input: Support
Output: Social cohesion and inclusion.
True society fosters dialogue and mutual support over transactional interactions.
Outer Self (Curiosity)
Input: Capacity
Output: Personal growth and exploration.
Curiosity drives learning and adaptation to challenges.
Inner Self (Participation)
Input: Well-being
Output: Emotional resilience and self-awareness.
Participation in inner reflection fosters genuine connection and growth.
No Self (Flow States)
Input: Everything/Nothing
Output: Fulfillment and flow.
Experiencing flow states dissolves boundaries between giving and receiving.
Applications of the Model
Policy Development: A guiding framework for sustainable, interdisciplinary strategies addressing health, equality, and environmental challenges.
Community Engagement: Encourages participatory approaches to decision-making, emphasizing shared responsibility and collective well-being.
Organizational Practice: Promotes holistic measures that integrate employee, community, and ecological health.
Conclusion
The Reciprocal Well-being Model shifts focus from individualistic goals to a systemic understanding of interconnectedness. It invites us to embrace reciprocity as the foundation for personal fulfillment, social harmony, and environmental stewardship. By fostering a dynamic balance across its domains, the model provides a roadmap for creating a sustainable, equitable, and thriving future.