Mindfulness, spiritual well-being, and visual impairment: An exploratory study

Abstract

Mindfulness is a form of meditative practice that involves paying attention to present-moment experiences in a non-judgemental way in order to cultivate a stable and nonreactive awareness. Although mindfulness has been studied in relation to various health conditions, no known published study exists which considers mindfulness in the context of visual impairment. Semi-structured interviews were therefore conducted with blind and partially sighted individuals who participated in regular mindfulness practice. Their narratives were then analysed thematically. The results suggest that mindfulness enhanced spiritual well-being by increasing their sense of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal ‘connectedness’, which was seen to be related to a self-perceived increase in emotional, social, and physical health. The findings of this exploratory study call for further research into the utility of mindfulness as a well-being resource for individuals with a visual impairment.