Contemplative Medicine

The term 'Contemplative Medicine' did not appear in academic or popular literature until early in the second decade of the twenty-first century. Since then, its usage has become increasingly common as a descriptor for the application of contemplative practices, including meditation, prayer, and the sacred arts, to facilitating mental and physical health, and contributing to healing processes. The research and reporting in this area remain biased toward meditative practices derived from Indian Buddhism, which privileges a metacognitive form of introspection frequently described as 'Mindfulness Meditation'. However, many other traditions originating in diverse locations encompassing Asia, ancient Persia and Arabia, Europe, Antarctica, and the Pacific, are also characterized by contemplative practices that may be beneficially adapted and integrated into contemporary evidence-based medicine. The Contemplative Medicine Project seeks to study these ancient traditional practices, and identify their benefit as an adjunctive contributor to the relief of suffering that can complement clinical practice.