The fundamental techniques for developing mindfulness, while rooted in the teachings of Buddhism, are actually more scientific than religious in nature. Buddhist psychology asks one to deeply analyze one's own existential experience. In other words, unlike traditional religious belief systems, Buddhism is not a faith or dogma based system; nor do its practitioners seek special consideration from a higher power, nor do they seek to convert others to their way of thinking. It is, therefore, more akin to a deep philosophy and empirical understanding.
Modern clinical psychology and mind science have standardized and secularized many of these techniques for therapeutic use in the west. In the 21st century, mindfulness meditation is a type of cognitive technology. The psychological and physical effects of mindfulness techniques are well documented by cognitive neuroscience, and in combination with modern cognitive therapy, they are powerfully restorative and create tremendous psychological awareness. To learn more about mindfulness, including how to meditate, please listen to some of our audio files.