본 연구의 목적은 불교의 핵심 수행 방법인 마음챙김을 기반으로 만성 심신 질환에 고통 받는 환자들을 위해 개발된 마음챙김에 근거한 스트레스 완화(MBSR) 프로그램의 불교사상적 기반과 교과과정, 치유원리를 탐색하는 것이다. MBSR은 카밧진이 전통적으로 진리탐구에 헌신한 수행자들의 전유물이던 마음챙김 명상에 스트레스 의학과 교육적 요소를 보완하여 환자들이 쉽게 접근할 수 있도록 구조화한 심신치유 프로그램으로서 현재 미국을 비롯한 서구의 의학계에서 널리 운영되고 있다. 마음챙김 치료법 중 서구에서는 가장 임상적 연구가 많이 나와 있는 것으로 알려져 있고 불교명상의 영향을 받았음에도 MBSR 프로그램의 사상적 기반에 대한 국내 논문이 거의 없는 실정이다. 불교 명상의 치유적 응용에 대한 관점에서 관련 학자와 수행자들의 관심이 응집 된다면 현재 증가하고 있는 치유 프로그램 개발 논의에도 도움이 될 수 있을 것이다. 비록 동서양의 많은 지혜 전통들이 MBSR 프로그램에 영향을 주었지만 사성제, 대념처경, 호흡관법경 같은 불교사상이 그 근간을 이루고 있음은 명백하다. MBSR 프로그램은 불교적 영향을 인정하면서도 그 종교적 색채는 배제하고 인류 보편적인 측면을 강조하는 한편 임상적 연구 결과를 많이 축적하여 의료계를 비롯한 주류사회의 폭넓은 지지를 받고 있다. 본 연구는 마음챙김이 내재적으로 치유적이며, MBSR 은 초 종교적인 동시에 친 종교적 성격을 가진 프로그램이며, 그 치유기제로는 탈중심화 외에도 체화, 상상, 이성 등 다양한 요인이 작용한다고 시사하고 있다. 불교는 괴로움의 소멸을 목표로 동양을 중심으로 발전해 온 종교이지만 불교의 치료적 활용에 대한 연구는 현재 서양에서 더 활발한 관심을 끌고 있는 실정이다. 선원을 중심으로 행해지던 마음챙김 명상전통을 병원과 일상생활에 적용한 MBSR 프로그램에 대한 연구는 괴로움의 소멸을 궁극적 목적으로 하는 불교의 현대화 과제에 일말의 시사점을 줄 수 있을 것이다. 깨달음과 열반이라는 불교의 궁극적 목적을 잊지 않으면서도 일반인과 환자들을 위한 건강과 웰빙 증진, 자기조절 능력의 함양이라는 보다 현실적이고 실용적인 측면에 관심을 기울이는 것은 시대적 요청이자 불교인들의 과제이다.

This paper aims to shed light on the Buddhist foundations, the curriculum, and healing mechanisms of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Mindfulness is known to be part of the Eightfold Path, and is considered the heart of Buddhism. MBSR, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn to help chronic patients who suffer from physical and mental distress, has been increasingly accepted in many general hospitals all over the world and in particular, in North America as a mind-body medicine modality which complements Western modern medicine. However, little is known in the Korean Buddhist community about its connections with Buddhism, or its curriculum and healing mechanisms. In addition to decentering, long-considered as one of the primary healing mechanisms of mindfulness, this paper proposes embodiment as a main healing mechanism of MBSR, along with imagination and rationality. To achieve its professed goal, this paper describes the context in which MBSR originated in America, the definition and origin of mindfulness, philosophical foundation of MBSR, its curriculum, and the healing mechanisms. Since this paper was written from the perspective of an adult educator-cum-MBSR teacher, it would be of great help if in-depth studies of the program by Buddhist scholars could be available to the public, given the fact that MBSR owes much to Buddhist meditation. Although various wisdom traditions have influenced the MBSR curriculum, it is evident that the Buddhist tradition contributed the core model in the form of the Four Noble Truths, the Mahasaipatthana Sutra, and the Anapanasati Sutra. This paper briefly sketches out the influence of these sutras. Despite the fact that MBSR grants the license to MBSR teachers, these Buddhist underpinnings have never undergone any change. This paper is premised on the fact that mindfulness is intrinsically healing and liberating and that it is a state which is universal to every human being, not specific to any particular culture or religion. This suggests that even though MBSR dates back to the Satipattana tradition in early Buddhism in terms of its philosophical foundation, MBSR is a non-sectarian, non-religious educational program to help patients reduce suffering. This paper proposes that MBSR has many healing mechanisms beyond decentering, which is considered the main mechanism of mindfulness, such as embodiment, imagination, and reason, etc.

This paper aims to shed light on the Buddhist foundations, the curriculum, and healing mechanisms of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Mindfulness is known to be part of the Eightfold Path, and is considered the heart of Buddhism. MBSR, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn to help chronic patients who suffer from physical and mental distress, has been increasingly accepted in many general hospitals all over the world and in particular, in North America as a mind-body medicine modality which complements Western modern medicine. However, little is known in the Korean Buddhist community about its connections with Buddhism, or its curriculum and healing mechanisms. In addition to decentering, long-considered as one of the primary healing mechanisms of mindfulness, this paper proposes embodiment as a main healing mechanism of MBSR, along with imagination and rationality. To achieve its professed goal, this paper describes the context in which MBSR originated in America, the definition and origin of mindfulness, philosophical foundation of MBSR, its curriculum, and the healing mechanisms. Since this paper was written from the perspective of an adult educator-cum-MBSR teacher, it would be of great help if in-depth studies of the program by Buddhist scholars could be available to the public, given the fact that MBSR owes much to Buddhist meditation. Although various wisdom traditions have influenced the MBSR curriculum, it is evident that the Buddhist tradition contributed the core model in the form of the Four Noble Truths, the Mahasaipatthana Sutra, and the Anapanasati Sutra. This paper briefly sketches out the influence of these sutras. Despite the fact that MBSR grants the license to MBSR teachers, these Buddhist underpinnings have never undergone any change. This paper is premised on the fact that mindfulness is intrinsically healing and liberating and that it is a state which is universal to every human being, not specific to any particular culture or religion. This suggests that even though MBSR dates back to the Satipattana tradition in early Buddhism in terms of its philosophical foundation, MBSR is a non-sectarian, non-religious educational program to help patients reduce suffering. This paper proposes that MBSR has many healing mechanisms beyond decentering, which is considered the main mechanism of mindfulness, such as embodiment, imagination, and reason, etc.

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MBSR, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Satipattana, embodiment,mind-body medicine, decentering