Episode 35 - Sarah Shaw: The Varieties of Mindfulness

In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Sarah Shaw, who is an Honorary fellow of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies; and a faculty member and lecturer at University of Oxford. We spoke about her new book, Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means – published in paperback by Shambala. This is a very accessible and very well researched book – and we explored the history of mindfulness as it first appeared in the English language, the important role of memory and the oral chanting tradition in early Buddhism – to the multiple functions of mindfulness. We also touch on the significance of the Abhidharma and Abhidharmakosha – and how mindfulness is situated and functions in these schools.

Sarah draws from her decade of practicing, researching, and teaching the history of mindfulness.

Sarah read Greek and English at Manchester University, where she took a doctorate in English. It was later in her career that she decided to study Pali and Sanskrit at Oxford. Sarah’s principal research interests are Southern Buddhist meditation and chant, as well as narrative and visual traditions. She has taught and published numerous works, including An Introduction to Buddhist Meditation, The Jātakas: Birth Stories of the Bodhisatta and The Spirit of Buddhist Meditation. In addition, Sarah is a longstanding practitioner and teacher with the Samatha Trust, UK, a charity that supports the practice and teaching of breathing mindfulness. She is also a member of a Buddhist chanting group that frequently visits Southeast Asia. Apart from research, study, and meditation, Sarah enjoys spending time with her friends and three grown-up children, walking her dog, and visiting Scotland.