by keifermiller

Losing these religious, spiritual, ethical aspects of meditation as a practice when it's transformed into mindfulness is what worries many Buddhist teachers. Traditionally, Buddhist practice was meant to be radically transformative and a means, among other things, of awaking to the reality that, on the deepest levels, the "self" is an illusion. But by stripping away this context into just "mindfulness," many teachers fear the powerful transformative effects of the tradition will be watered down so completely that it becomes just a tepid form of "self-help."

I think this is a pretty valid point. I learned to do meditation as a child outside of the context of Buddhism to help me deal with anxiety. As I've grown older, I've discovered that even bringing in the little bits that I've managed really does matter.

A wrench is a useful tool. It makes for a serviceable hammer, but it isn't what it was designed for.