February 14, 2017

Dear Education Minister,

I would like to ask that you please do something to help remove Mindfulness
Meditation and Mindfulness-oriented programs, from all public schools in your
province or territory. I would also like to notify you of an online petition which is
seeking to remove all Mindfulness Meditation and Mindfulness-oriented programs,
from Canadian public schools. If you visit that petition here:
https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-education-please-remove-the-mindfulness-
program-from-canadian-public-schools you will see there is undeniable proof that
Mindfulness sessions are in fact Mindfulness Meditation sessions. Mindfulness
Meditation sessions qualify as Guided Meditation and Buddhist Meditation. The
aforementioned petition notes the following facts:

1) Jon Kabat-Zinn is the man accredited with popularizing Mindfulness Meditation.

According to Wikipedia, Mr. Kabat-Zinn was first introduced to meditation by a Zen
Buddhist Missionary. He later became a meditation instructor, and he reportedly is a
founding member of the Cambridge Zen Centre. Mr. Kabat-Zinn authored a three-
part CD series called Guided Mindfulness Meditation, and he authored a book
called, Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life; 2) In his book, Mindfulness for
Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment - and Your Life, Mr. Kabat-Zinn
said: Although it seems that there is plenty to do on these guided meditation
programs, none of it is about doing anything or getting somewhere else...; 3) In
Abhidharma Buddhism, the Four Stations of Mindfulness are the antidotes for what
they refer to as "Four Delusions;" 4) Buddha referred to the fourfold establishment of
mindfulness as a direct or one-way path for purification and the realization of
nirvana; 5) In Buddhism, Mindfulness is #1 on the list of The Seven Factors of
Enlightenment; 6) The Handbook of Mindfulness and Self-Regulation classifies
Mindfulness as meditation. And, it specifically refers to it as Mindfulness Meditation
on pages 16, 103, 280, and 282; 7) Wikipedia says Sati (Mindfulness) is an
essential part of Buddhist practice. And, it describes the connection between
Mindfulness and Buddhism; 8) In ancient Buddhism, Right Mindfulness is #7 of
the Noble Eightfold Path; 9) Mindfulness Meditation sounds very similar to
Vipassan-meditation. Wikipedia describes Vipassan-meditation as a Buddhist
practice that involves Insight meditation or inward vision; 10) This 2015 TED Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDMOc_WCTW0 shows a Deputy High Priest in
Zen Buddhism, saying (at 1:17): Mindfulness has been a part of Buddhist traditions
for many Centuries. Its a practice and a way of thinking that help us be present,
with an experience, in a non-judgmental way. And, at 3:25, he says: The main
practice of mindfulness is meditation.

In addition to all of this, I would like to make you aware that the aforementioned
petition clarifies how legislated meditation is not lawful in Canada (under Section
Two of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms). The petition also outlines how
all provinces and territories in Canada have their own additional laws that designate
public schools as secular schools. For example, Section 76 of the BC School Act says:
All schools and Provincial schools must be conducted on strictly secular and non-
sectarian principles. The highest morality must be inculcated, but no religious dogma

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or creed is to be taught in a school or Provincial school. This means Canadian public
schools can briefly teach students about what Buddhist Meditation is, but they violate
the rights of the students if they solicit them into practicing it.

The petition also outlines how the Media has reported how some people have
experienced negative side effects from practicing meditation. Here is one example:
A UBC psychiatrist told me on the weekend he has had six patients who had their
first psychotic episodes while meditating. To say the least, it was stunning to hear
such a high number. All in just a few years. However, it is not exactly new in the
world of psychology and psychiatry. vancouversun.com; Article: "Can Meditation be
Dangerous to Your Mental Health?" Publish Date: 01.23.2012.

Besides the above-noted News article, the Mindfulness Petition lists three other News
articles which outline the documented risks associated with practicing meditation:

1) https://health.spectator.co.uk/what-mindfulness-gurus-dont-tell-you-meditation-
has-a-dark-side/ 2) https://www.good.is/articles/when-meditation-is-bad-for-you 3)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/25/mental-health-meditation 4)
The Mindfulness Petition also notes this 2009 Case Study which highlights the risks
associated with meditation:
http://spu.edu/depts/spfc/happenings/documents/13_2009_Lustyketal_MM_safety_
AMBM.pdf

In light of this information, I think you are obligated to help remove Mindfulness
Meditation from the public schools you are responsible for. Mindfulness Meditation
should not be mandatory and cannot be legally legislated upon all students. At the
very least: 1) Parents should be informed that these programs involve meditation; 2)
Parents should be informed of the risks associated with meditation; and 3) Parents
should be required to sign waivers (opting their children in or out of Mindfulness
Meditation sessions). If you feel that your hands are tied, and the implementation of
these programs lie solely with Administrators and Trustees, then at the very least,
please do your part to denounce the practice. I would like to ask that you please
notify each district and remind them that meditation cannot be legally legislated in
Canada. Let them know that they cannot simply advertise meditation as not
meditation (since that is what many public schools are doing). If you are unwilling
to do any of this, please consider notifying the News Media and issuing a statement
regarding the unlawful practice of legislated meditation.

Thank you,

Sincerely,