Is mindfulness Buddhist? Is meditation religious?

Mindfulness has deep Buddhist roots: “right mindfulness” is one step of the Buddha’s Eightfold Path.But meditation itself shows up in many faiths, and the mindfulness taught in hospitals and schools today is usually a secular version with the religious parts left out. So it can be religious, or not, depending on how and why someone practices it.

1 · MindWhere it comes from

Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment without judging it. The National Institutes of Health describes it as one form of meditation, which is a broad family of practices that train attention, often by focusing on the breath, a sound, an image or a repeated phrase.

In Buddhism, mindfulness is ancient and central. “Right mindfulness” is the seventh step of the Eightfold Path, the Buddha’s guide to ending suffering. An early Buddhist text, the Satipatthana Sutta, lays out four “foundations of mindfulness” for meditation.

The version most Americans meet came later. In 1979, Jon Kabat-Zinn, an MIT-trained scientist who had practiced meditation and yoga for many years, created Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts. MBSR is taught “in a secular manner,” as one university program puts it, meaning as a health practice for anyone, not as religion. By the mid to late 1990s, MBSR programs could be found in a growing number of hospitals and clinics, and mindfulness has since reached schools, workplaces and phone apps.

Meditation is not owned by one religion. NIH notes many techniques began in Eastern traditions. Christians have their own long contemplative tradition: Centering Prayer, a silent prayer practice, was developed in the 1970s by three Trappist monks in Spencer, Massachusetts, drawing on much older Christian writings.

What each tradition or community says

Buddhist critics of “McMindfulness”

Buddhist voices differ on secular mindfulness, and some raise concerns. In 2013, writers David Loy and Ron Purser used the term “McMindfulness” to criticize a growing, profitable industry selling mindfulness cut off from its ethical roots, turning it into a simple self-help technique instead of a way to uproot greed, ill will and delusion.

Secular mindfulness teachers

Programs like MBSR teach mindfulness in a secular way, for stress and health. Supporters see it as a skill anyone can learn, like exercise for attention, with no religious belief required.

People of other faiths

Some Christians, Jews, Muslims and others practice secular mindfulness with no conflict. Others prefer meditation rooted in their own faith, such as Christian Centering Prayer, which focuses on the presence of God.

2 · HeartWhat it feels like

For some Buddhists, secular mindfulness can feel like a family heirloom that got sold at a yard sale. People love it, which is nice, but the meaning behind it sometimes gets left on the table. It can sting to see a sacred practice turned into an ad for productivity.

For someone of another faith, a mindfulness class at school or work can raise a real question: am I being taught someone else’s religion? That’s a fair thing to wonder, and it’s okay to ask what a program includes.

Breathing in, breathing out. Every tradition seems to rediscover that the quiet moment matters. Maybe we can share the quiet and still honor where each version came from.Neighbor Radio

3 · HandsHow to be a good neighbor

Give credit. If you teach or share mindfulness, it’s kind and accurate to mention its Buddhist roots, even in a secular class.

Respect opt-outs. If a coworker or classmate would rather skip a meditation exercise for religious reasons, let them, with no pressure or teasing.

Ask, don’t assume. If your Buddhist neighbor meditates, ask what it means to them. If they don’t, that’s normal too. Many Buddhists practice mostly through chanting, offerings and community.

This weekSit quietly for two minutes and just notice your breathing. Then look up one meditation practice from a tradition other than Buddhism.

Plain wordsWhat do these words mean?

Meditation: Quiet practice to focus or calm the mind. Central to Buddhism, and found in many faiths.
Secular: Not religious, or not tied to any religion. A secular government doesn’t take a side on faith.

All the plain words

Four questions to take with you

From the story of the Good Samaritan, the stranger who stopped to help. We call it the Good Neighbor Test.

Did they see? Or look right past?
Did they stop? Even when it was inconvenient?
Did it cost them? Time, money, comfort, reputation?
Did they treat the person like a person? Not like a label?

Try it on: something you enjoy that came from another culture. Do you know where it started, and who still holds it as sacred?

Quick questions

Can Christians meditate?

Many do. Christianity has its own contemplative practices, like Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina (slow, prayerful reading of scripture). Some Christians also use secular mindfulness, while others prefer to stay within their own tradition.

Who started secular mindfulness in America?

Jon Kabat-Zinn created Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in 1979. It teaches mindfulness in a secular way, as a health practice, and Lion’s Roar calls him the father of the American mindfulness movement.

Is meditation safe for everyone?

It’s usually considered low risk, but NIH notes that a 2020 review found about 8 percent of participants had a negative experience, most often anxiety or depression. If meditation makes you feel worse, stop and talk to a health professional.

Sources and research

How this answer was made

Fact-checked October 13, 2026 against Lion's Roar, Tricycle and National Institutes of Health. Written in plain words by the Neighbor Radio team. Every fact is checked against what each community says about itself, in its own official sources, plus a neutral reference. Part of this community and something doesn't sound like you, or spot a mistake? Tell us. We read every note and fix mistakes.