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aidrocsid  ·  3405 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Does Mindfulness Mean Anything?

Given the numerous studies suggesting that mindfulness meditation is quite useful from a medical or psychological perspective, more so than simple relaxation therapy, I'd say it probably means something. There may be people who misuse the concept and just turn it into a buzz word to make themselves feel mystical and interesting, but that doesn't strip it of its own meaning.

As far as Buddhism goes, if there's ever been a religion that's modular and adaptable it's Buddhism. There are numerous examples of local religions adopting Buddhist beliefs and incorporating them into their own cosmologies. Buddhism, at its core, is the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. There are all sorts of other beliefs and rituals and cosmologies that get attached to it. There's no reason you can't take those same ideas about the nature of suffering and how to overcome it and apply them to a secular context. Doubly so to the meditation techniques developed to further those ends.