"What we contact, we feel
What we feel, we perceive
What we perceive, we think about
What we think about, we proliferate
What we proliferate becomes the shape of our mind and the shape of our world."
—Christina Feldman, 2015

This talk explores the researcher’s journey through the practice and research of mindfulness. I will begin by defining mindfulness and examining its effects through contemporary neuroscientific, medical, and psychological research, as well as its broader applications. I will also trace the expansion of mindfulness interventions from medical contexts to a wide range of settings, including workplaces, educational institutions, and community programs.

The next part focuses on the role of mindfulness in fostering decentering and self-compassion—qualities that can transform mental reactivity—by drawing on qualitative data from two original mixed-methods mindfulness intervention research with undergraduate and postgraduate students in Hong Kong and Macau. Using ethnographic methods and discourse analysis, the research shows the moment-to-moment unfolding of mindful practices and transformation. The talk will also address current limitations of mindfulness interventions and future trends in the field.

The final section proposes a deeper exploration of early Buddhist concepts of mind and mindfulness. By revisiting these ancient teachings, we can further enrich contemporary mindfulness practices, revealing the potential of mindfulness to transform both “the shape our mind and the shape of our world” (Christina Feldman 2015).

Katherine Hoi Ying Chen is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and the Director of the English Language Centre at the University of Macau, and an Honorary Associate Professor of the School of English at the University of Hong Kong. She is a sociocultural linguist and linguistic anthropologist. Her interdisciplinary research integrates insights from linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience to explore the intersections of discourse, identity, and ideology. Her projects examine topics such as the discourse and practice of mindfulness, language identities and ideologies in multilingual Hong Kong, gender stereotypes surrounding "Hong Kong Girls," and the autobiographical narratives of Indonesian-Chinese transnational. She is a trained teacher in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Life and Interpersonal Mindfulness. Her research and teaching currently focus on the application of mindfulness in higher education. See her profile at bit.ly/kchen2024.