Various mindfulness therapies have been practised for thousands of years, but recent evidence appears to suggest that the public is gaining a renewed interest in meditative activities.
In a recent report, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified meditation and yoga as two of the fastest growing "Complementary health" activities in the U.S.
According to the study, the use of yoga from 2012 to 2017 increased from 9.5% to 14.3%, while the use of meditation increased more than threefold from 4.1% to 14.2%.
The findings, which – for the authors of the paper – were a confirmation of the mainstream popularity of meditative pursuits, were not so different from those described in the 2017 National Health Interview Survey.
Published by the National Centre for Complementary Integrative Health (NCCIH) – a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – the survey found a significant increase in Americans' utilisation of 'holistic' or alternative treatments.
In describing the data, Dr David Shurtleff, acting director of the NCCIH, said they "suggest that more people are turning to mind and body approaches than ever before".
Although the reason for the apparent trend is not so clear-cut, there is a possibility that it could be linked to the rising popularity of the wellness market.
According to the Global Wellness Institute, the US$4.2tn (€4.7tn, £3.8tn) wellness industry grew 12.8% from 2015-2017, almost twice as fast as global economic growth.
