Contemplative Mind Project

The purpose of the Contemplative Mind Project is to examine how leading professionals in
several fields integrate contemplative practices in their lives in a manner that aids them in
carrying out high quality, creative work.

In the first phase of our research, we interviewed 91 high-achieving
professionals in journalism, jazz music, genetics, and ecology. We had no
advance knowledge whether subjects practiced a form of contemplation, and,
in fact, one purpose of this phase of the study was to discover how many
would reference contemplative practices. Perhaps not surprisingly, very few
mentioned involvement in contemplation. We did discover, however, that
most subjects have developed idiosyncratic forms of deep, thoughtful reflection
that they regularly make time for, despite how busy their lives are. Subjects
discussed using reflection to manage problems that arise in their work,
generate ideas for particular work projects, and conceptualize how their
personal identities are aligned with their professional objectives.
In the second phase, we interviewed professionals who were known to be
involved in formal contemplative practices. More specifically, we interviewed
a total of 46 individuals in two main groups: those who practice Buddhist
forms of meditation, particularly Vipassana (also known as Insight Meditation)
and Japanese Zen, on the one hand, and those who practice Jewish forms of
meditation, on the other. The interviews centered around the impact of
meditation on professionals' work lives and how the professionals became
involved in contemplation in the first place.