A bit more about mindfulness from the last RT:
Mindfulness is a religious practice (Buddhist meditation). It is the simplest baseline form of that practice that has been ripped from its cultural and spiritual context and presented as a uniform commodity for mass consumption.

This is morally and spiritually wrong. It is also dangerous.

Imagine if a single practice— say the confession— was ripped from the context of Catholicism and marketed via apps and seminars as a cure-all.

No absolution. No concept of sin. No forgiveness or miracle or divine grace or Christ. Just straight up saying what you did wrong to a minimally trained stranger then “thank you for the $500 see you next seminar.”

It would probably work for some people. Confession is powerful.

But it would leave a lot of people psychological wrecks. And rather than having a framework developed over centuries to cope, the poorly trained confessors (themselves victims of the seminar scam) would of course go right back to their cure-all: “you need more confession!”

It is much the same with mindfulness.

When I’ve had trouble with meditation in Buddhist religious contexts I have been met with understanding and compassion and possibly new approaches and solutions.

They have experience. I am not the first trauma survivor to have trouble.

But in the sales and marketing commidified world of “mindfulness?” It can’t be the fault of the product! It must be that I’m doing it wrong! The only solution to problems with mindfulness is more mindfulness!

Because it’s a product and their job is to sell it.

If you are interested in Buddhist meditation I urge you to seek it out not through an app or a de-spiritualized seminar but through a Buddhist temple near you and in its spiritual and cultural context.

Buddhism is a missionary religion. They will be glad to teach you.

(Please note that I am neither Buddhist nor Catholic and am speaking about them solely from my incomplete understanding and experience.)