APPLICATION OF BUDDHIST MINDFULNESS (SATIPAṬṬHĀNA) TO CULTIVATE SELF-AWARENESS AND REDUCE WORKPLACE STRESS AMONG LEADERS IN THAILAND

บทคัดย่อ

Background and Objectives: Supervisory roles in Thailand's private organizations require rapid decisions, emotional resilience, and coordination across diverse teams. As workloads and interpersonal expectations intensify, supervisors experience rising stress, emotional fatigue, and diminished judgment clarity. These pressures undermine well-being and leadership effectiveness. Mindfulness, grounded in Buddhist contemplative traditions, has gained recognition as a practical method for cultivating present-moment awareness, stabilizing emotions, and supporting intentional action in demanding environments. However, prior mindfulness research in organizational and leadership contexts has predominantly emphasized secularized psychological models, often treating mindfulness as a generic attentional skill, while providing limited explanation of its Buddhist doctrinal mechanisms. Moreover, empirical studies integrating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna) into leadership and supervisory research remain limited, particularly in Thai organizational contexts. This study examines how daily mindfulness-based self-reflection grounded in Satipaṭṭhāna provides a structured doctrinal framework for supervisors' stress management and relational responsibilities. The objectives of this research article were to examine two key aspects. First, the study aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms through which daily mindfulness-based self-reflection, interpreted through the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna), cultivated supervisory employees' self-awareness and adaptive emotional regulation in high-pressure organizational environments. Second, the study aimed to examine how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness were practically applied in supervisory work to support stress coping and foster mindful and adaptive leadership behavior in everyday organizational contexts.

Methodology: This qualitative research employed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 purposively selected supervisory employees who regularly engaged in mindfulness-based reflection. Data were analyzed using iterative coding and thematic interpretation, guided by the doctrinal framework of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and contemporary psychological models of mindfulness-based self-regulation.

Main Results: Two major findings emerged. 1) Development of Self-Awareness through Satipaṭṭhāna: Supervisors cultivated awareness across four domains: Embodied awareness of tension and posture (Kāyānupassanā), early recognition of emotional cues such as irritation or pressure (Vedanānupassanā), monitoring of fluctuating mental states (Cittānupassanā), and insight into intentions, impulses, and habitual reactions (Dhammānupassanā). Collectively, these foundations operated as an integrated mechanism of self-regulation, enhancing cognitive clarity, reducing impulsive responses, stabilizing emotions, and enabling deliberate, adaptive leadership, and 2) Guidelines for Applying Satipaṭṭhāna in Supervisory Practice: Findings indicated that brief reflective routines, such as mindful pauses, emotional check-ins, intention setting, and end-of-day reviews, can be integrated into    daily work. These practices help supervisors regulate emotions, make clearer decisions, and engage with teams empathetically. These routines were viewed as feasible, culturally congruent, and suited to Thai organizational environments.

Involvement to Buddhadhamma: The findings were categorized as Applied Buddhism, representing the integration of core Buddhist teachings with contemporary supervisory practice and organizational management. Satipaṭṭhāna offers a doctrinally coherent framework for strengthening personal well-being, improving interpersonal harmony, and fostering ethical leadership. Its four foundations support emotional balance, resilience, and wholesome conduct, fostering wisdom and morality in everyday work and contributing to sustainable organizational functioning aligned with Buddhist aims of clarity, compassion, and right intention.

Conclusions: Daily mindfulness-based self-reflection, rooted in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, offers an effective method for enhancing supervisors' self-awareness and fostering healthier workplace interactions, intentional leadership behavior, emotional regulation, and leadership capabilities. The study demonstrates practical improvements and psychological resilience. These improvements contribute to healthier workplace interactions, as supervisors become attuned to team needs, capable of managing emotional tension, and prepared to guide others with patience and clarity. Satipaṭṭhāna thus functions as a bridge between Buddhist contemplative wisdom and contemporary organizational development, supporting well-being and adaptive functioning in modern Thai workplaces.