I spent a day recently doing my research about mindfulness and meditation. I’ve long felt something uncomfortable within me about the said practices that seem to abound these days, though I just couldn’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong with them.
Wikipedia defines mindfulness as follows:
“Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention in the present moment without judgment, a skill one develops through meditation or other training.”
The American Psychological Association (APA.org, 2012) defines mindfulness as follows:
“…a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. In this sense, mindfulness is a state and not a trait. While it might be promoted by certain practices or activities, such as meditation, it is not equivalent to or synonymous with them.”
I started by re-reading some posts by Connie Rossini who writes about Contemplative Prayer (and discusses more about it in her Facebook Group Authentic Contemplative Prayer). She explained how mindfulness and Eastern forms of meditation can be problematic in terms of the Catholic faith. By problematic meditation, I don’t mean to refer to Christian meditation but to practices that are more from Buddhist origins.
True enough, there were dangers to the said type of meditation. And the risks range from spiritual to psychological and physical levels. I have read several articles that document people who are adversely affected by it, especially those who are more vulnerable like those with PTSD.
Here are some examples:
Is mindfulness making us ill?
The dark side of mindfulness: It’s supposed to be calming. But there’s growing evidence the fashionable therapy can be harmful
More and more, mindfulness and meditation have been penetrating the realms of psychology. It is no wonder that people see it as merely secular or scientific, forgetting their Buddhist origins.
Here is an excerpt of its historical development as per Wikipedia:
Mindfulness as a modern, Western practice is founded on Zen and modern vipassana, and involves the training of sati, which means “moment to moment awareness of present events”, but also “remembering to be aware of something”…
Sati is one of the seven factors of enlightenment. “Correct” or “right” mindfulness… is the seventh element of the noble eightfold path.
In addition, therefore, to the psychological risks cited by some sources as in the above, mindfulness and meditation also have deep spiritual repercussions especially for Christians.
Here are some of its spiritual risks:
1. The attraction to Buddhism
As mindfulness and Eastern meditation both came from Buddhist origins, it can’t be helped that some may be attracted to Buddhism itself. With it comes a total turnaround from the values and beliefs of Christianity to a whole new spirituality that opens the following themes:
– belief in karma and reincarnation (both have their own spiritual dangers)
– belief that the self is but an illusion or that there is no true individual soul, which is contrary to the Christian belief that man was created in the image and likeness of God.
2. Tendency to lose one’s sense of right and wrong
A description of mindfulness that often comes to the surface is one similar to that given by the APA: “a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment.”
The key phrase is “without judgment”. In the long run, people may have such a confusion of mind as to no longer be able to distinguish between right and wrong. While we do have to avoid “misjudging” people and circumstances, we do have to possess a good kind of discernment to distinguish good from evil, the things that could harm us and the things that could bring us good.
3. Addiction to spiritual pleasures
While it is not the purpose of Buddhism to lure one into the addiction of spiritual pleasures, it is a natural tendency for human beings to be attracted to that which gives them delight. Without a proper grounding and a stable path to spiritual growth, it is a danger to one’s spiritual life to be exposed to pleasurable sensations brought about by meditation.
This is very different from the prayerful contemplation of the Catholic saints, whose end is to love God. While such contemplation may also be associated with a heightened sense of joy, it is grounded in one’s relationship with God and a kind of surrender that is willing to suffer for His sake. These saints are willing even to endure spiritual periods of dryness for the sake of love. It is also a kind of love that pours forth to other people, not being confined to oneself but always expresses itself fully in one’s love of neighbor not only in thought but in word and action.
4. Tendency to be trapped in one’s inner world
It is another human tendency to escape from the suffering of life. Once some relief is tasted, it is a temptation to remain in one’s inner world and forget other aspects of one’s life. In a way, this can also lead some to a form of self-centeredness where one is no longer interested in forming healthy relationships around him or her. Instead of addressing one’s problems, one becomes too focused on one’s meditation practices, seeking only temporary relief from one’s troubles.
Final words
I just pray that people, especially Christians could just avail of the practices that are within the safety of the Church. Instead of meditating in a lotus position, trying to rid your mind from all thoughts, why not bow down on your knee and pray to God? Pray and surrender to Someone who loves you and sees you.
Christianity is quite simple in many ways, so simple that it is available even for the likes of young children. Instead of mindfulness, why not practice being the very presence of God? Through His presence, we are assured that we are not abandoned. Through His love, we are comforted that we are not alone.
“It is, however, necessary to put our whole trust in God, laying aside all other cares, and even some particular forms of devotion, though very good in themselves, yet such as one often engages in unreasonably, because these devotions are only means to attain to the end. So when by this exercise of the presence of God we are with Him who is our end, it is then useless to return to the means; but we may continue with Him our commerce of love” – Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
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