Assessing Mindfulness and Experiential Acceptance

Abstract

The Guest House, a poem by Rumi (translated by Barks & Moyne, 1997) that has been utilized in mindfulness-based therapeutic approaches (e.g., Roemer & Orsillo, 2002; Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002), conveys the essence of mindfulnessandexperiential acceptance. Such a stance stands in sharp contrast to the approach that many of us take toward our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, particularly those that we label unwanted. Bringing mindfulness and/or acceptance to our private experiences may fundamentally alter our relationship to these phenomena. How would we know if an individual was willing to welcome and entertain them all (Segal, 2003)? What might it look like to meet them at the door laughing ? How might we measure this critical shift via self-report or experimental designs?