projects

The Mindfulness Initiative

International

The world’s first policy institute focused on mindfulness and compassion training, dedicated to exploring the potential for mindfulness in politics and public life.

Founded in 2013, the charity grew out of a ground-breaking Mindful Nation UK report. Published by the Mindfulness All Party Parliamentary Group, the report looked at the evidence base for mindfulness across the health, criminal justice, workplace and education sectors.

The Mindfulness Initiative brings together a network of mindfulness champions, trainers and senior business leaders — together they explore the potential for contemplative practice, in politics and public life.

The Mindfulness Initiative Mindful Workplace Community Publication: Building the Case for Mindfulness in the Workplace BBC News, Interview with Jamie Bristow - Director of The Mindfulness Initiative

Supporting The Mindfulness Initiative

From 2018, for a period of three years, sankalpa supported the organisation with core funding.

The funding, which covered staffing and marketing costs, enabled the organisation to grow significantly and successfully reach an international audience through the development of the Mindful Workplace Community.

Major supported outcomes include:

Health Work
Advocating on the use of mindfulness in response to Covid-19, and extending accessibility to those communities of which Covid-19 has had a disproportionate adverse impact;

Creation and launch of the Mindful Workplace Community
An international network designed to explore, promote and support the sustainable application of mindfulness in the workplace, by connecting professionals and organisations via an online forum.

Jame Bristow, The Mindfulness Initiative (1) — sankalpa changemaker

BBC Breakfast, interview with Jamie Bristow - director of The Mindfulness Inititive

Although The Mindfulness Initiative now advises politicians and policymakers around the world, we are dependant on visionary funders who share our ambition to help create a more conscious and compassionate society — this makes a partnership with sankalpa a natural fit.

Jamie Bristow, The Mindfulness Initiative

The Mindfulness Initiative (3) — sankalpa supported activity

Parliamentary event with Goldie Hawn, organised by The Mindfulness Initiative

The Mindfulness Initiative, today

The charity now works with legislators around the world who practise mindfulness, helping them to make capacities of heart and mind serious considerations of public policy. Applying research, the team educate and support leaders, service-commissioners and the general public on accessing and implementing mindfulness training.

Launched in February 2020, the Mindful Workplace Community has become the primary forum for the international conversation on workplace mindfulness. Together individuals and organisations explore, develop and promote the sustainable application of mindfulness in the workplace.

Having been just an idea for so long, we are proud to have co-created The Mindful Workplace Community. As a ‘global first’, the platform is a way to grow a much needed international network and to integrate mindfulness practices into modern life.

It is extremely hard and lonely to ‘go against the stream’ and transform prevailing workplace culture on your own. But with a community to be inspired and supported by — you can be part of a movement.

Jamie Bristow, The Mindfulness Initiative

The Mindfulness Initiative (2) — sankalpa supported activity

The launch of the Mindful Workplace Community, February 2020

The Mindful Workplace Community would not exist without sankalpa.

Following support from sankalpa, it is predicted that the Community will be a net-contributor to the Mindfulness Initiative and so will form an important source of sustainable funding for work on advocating high-quality mindfulness training in the workplace far into the future.

Jamie Bristow, The Mindfulness Initiative

The Mindfulness Initiative (5) — sankalpa supported activity

Parliamentary hearing on ‘mindfulness and physical health’

The Mindfulness Initiative (1) — sankalpa supported activity

Delegates practice with guidance from Jon Kabat-Zin at the Global Mindfulness in Politics Day, October 2017

The Mindfulness Initiative (4) — sankalpa supported activity

Parliamentary event with comedian Ruby Wax and Prof Mark Williams, organised by The Mindfulness Initiative

The Mindfulness Initiative (7) — sankalpa supported activity

Politicians and senior civil servants

The Mindfulness Initiative (8) — sankalpa supported activity

Members of The Mindfulness Initiative team

School pupils speak at Mindful Nation UK launch