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Last night I conducted a live webinar for the American Association of Christian Counselors on the topic of treating Borderline Personality Disorders (BPD). The gold standard of treatment for BPD is a therapy called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It is an effective therapy that teaches a core skill of mindfulness among a host of other skills.
However, the type of mindfulness being trained in most practice centers and academic institutions is incompatible with Christian theology.
When mindfulness is referenced in mental health and medical literature, it is usually based on some form of Buddhist philosophy or religion. And while there are many forms of Buddhism, there are basic tenets common to all. Buddhists believe that the visible world is constructed by the present moment. As one attends to the moment in focused concentration, the mind is calmed by closing off sensory outlets and becoming more alert. It is then that the inner life opens, a person is transformed and wisdom comes.[1] The goal of Buddhism is Nirvana, the perfect state of mind, a radical reordering of consciousness and new awareness that is an absolute truth to be realized. It is in this consciousness where suffering ceases and rebirth occurs.[2] The path involves virtue, mental development and wisdom.
While the definition of mindfulness in psychotherapy is not anti-Christian and usually refers to self-regulation and present moment orientation, the practice of Buddhist based mindfulness is problematic for Christians. In Buddhism, one empties the mind which means one is detached from all thoughts. Thoughts are not to be judged. Yet the New Testament refers to the mind as evil (2 Cor 3:14; 2 Cor 4:4; 2Tim 3:8; Rom 1:28) in need of renewal. Our thoughts are important and will be judged as Jesus noted in Matthew 5:28. And the Apostle Paul reminds us that nothing good lives in us (Romans 7:18). In other words, our unenlightened minds are not capable of enlightenment on their own. And while mindfulness practice may relieve stress, it does bring wholeness to the person because it does not bring life to the spirit. True rest comes from the person of Christ (Matt 11:28) and cannot be imitated through self-effort.
For Christians, mindfulness is an active process between God and man. God is mindful of us (Psalm 8:4; Hebrews 2:6) and we are to put on the mind of Christ. To do so, we meditate on who God is and listen to Him in prayer. Daily, we renew our minds by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.(Roms 12:2), love God with all our mind (Matt 22:37) and implant God’s laws into our minds (Heb 8:10). Meditation is a way to connect with God, to cling to God, to listen for His voice and to align our thinking to His. This creates greater intimacy not detachment.
‘Cease striving and know that I am God.” is our biblical instruction. And the prescription for peace is provided in Phil 4:4-9 and needs to be taught—pray, give thanks, let our requests be known to God and meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. The result of this spiritual practice is God’s peace (v. 9).
[1] Encountering Buddhism: western psychology and Buddhist teachings Seth Robert Segal editor, pp. 9-31 (2003) State University of New York Press
[2] Peter Harvey, Consciousness mysticism in the discourses of the Buddha. in Karel Werner, The Yogi and the Mystic; Studies in Indian and Comparative Mysticism.” Routledge, 1995, page 82;
posted March 1, 2013 at 6:22 am
Appreciate it. This is an important conversation to have with people. Let me know how it goes!
posted March 1, 2013 at 12:00 am
Linda,
Thanks for your insightful thoughts and writings. I would like to paraphrase your post with citation to you and your website for an online class discussion. It fits perfectly with the instructors prompt on “Internal Factors of Self-regulation” relating to psychotherapy and analysis of the life of a believer and how the Holy Spirit works within us. You know, I have a friend who is Buddhist and she says “meditate with me”. My reply is, “Let us hold hands and pray together”. God Bless.
posted February 14, 2013 at 12:21 am
Mike, just to state that mindfulness has been part of Christian Meditation practice for nearly 2000 years does not vindicate it. Semi-pelagianism has also been with the Church for the same period as has Arianism but their longevity does not mean they are correct.
Your next point relies on the benefits of being mindful which is being pragmatic rather than principled. Many wrong practices may also make us feel good that that is no proof that we should be doing them.
I think your last point is harshly put and doesn’t seek to allow the Christian tradition to use the term ‘mindful’ in ways that align with holy Scripture. Our distress does come at times because we forget the benefits we have received from the Lord (Ps 103). The unwavering law to ‘stay in the present’ btw, epitomises the whole error of Buddhism with its non-theistic framework leading to its wish to escape the dukkha of this present world. Christians are not obligated to follow Buddhism’s definition of ‘mindfulness’ but can meditate on the Word of God as it is implied we do in Psalm 119.
posted August 3, 2012 at 7:43 am
Skylar, DBT can be very helpful as a therapeutic approach. My only concern was that the mindfulness part line up with a Christian view of how to renew the mind versus the eastern view of emptying the mind. As long as that adaptation is made, I am comfortable using DBT and have. It has helped many.
posted August 2, 2012 at 2:47 pm
I would respectfully disagree. I think doing DBT has actually brought me closer to God. A lot of the ideas (and mindfulness-even though it a good percentage of it-is only on part) talk about loving yourself and others to an extent. It is has helped me get through my depression and has also helped me live a more Christian life through relationship building and self care.
Skylar
posted April 3, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Thank you we Christians need mindfulness. We need to see what is happening and how it is happening through the thoughts in our minds. To do this we need clarity in consciousness. Therefore, I look at meditation as an experiment in this ocean of consciousness.Peace
posted April 3, 2012 at 7:53 am
The Christian belief is that ALL things work together for our good if we love God. So to think that one is having a serious of unfortunate events happening to him without God in the picture is not engaging in Christian mindfulness. When bad things happen, God does not cause them but can use them to do good in our lives. That is the part on which to meditate.
posted April 2, 2012 at 8:55 pm
How Do I get to unmind jobed?
posted March 14, 2012 at 8:33 am
The Christian belief is that when a person accepts Christ, he or she is transformed. The old becomes new. It is God in us that corrects the sin nature. So we have life, purpose, direction and meaning–all factors important to preventing depression. And God values, loves, and accepts each person. He longs for relationship and to do His best work in us.
posted March 13, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Linda,
If one maintains the thought “nothing good lives inside us”, how does that prevent suicides?
It seems that religious illusions can provide a good reason to kill yourself, if so inclined.
posted December 12, 2011 at 7:28 am
Thanks Glenn. I actually did a Plenary talk on this topic for the American Association of Christian Counselors a few years ago and went into detail to compare a Christian concept of mindfulness versus an Eastern Religion view. I agree, it is important to know the differences because the narrative of Christianity is very different from the narrative of eastern religions.
posted December 10, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Linda,
Thanks for the discussion on mindfulnss. I think it is a very important topic? Why, I just searched Amazon for a Audiobook to listen to in the Religion and Spirituality Section. There were many books that were on the subject dealing with mostly Buddhist mindfullness.
I believe there needs to be a warning to Christians on the issue. Additionally, I believe non-believers need to be shown the differences.
Mike, I see your comments. I agree mindfulness has been in Christianity for centuries. Linda is not saying mindfulness was not Christian. She is clarifying the distinctions between psychology’s definition, the Buddhist Definition and the Christian concepts.
posted November 5, 2011 at 7:49 pm
I think you’re incorrect about Mindfulness being “incompatible with Christian theology”. Mindfulness may have begun as a Buddhist practice, but it has also been a part of Christian Meditative practices for almost two thousand years. While Christians may not have the goal of being enlightened, we can still benefit from watching our thoughts, being present, accepting our thoughts and feelings.
The second to last paragraph in this article is utter nonsense. It sounds like an attempt to use the word “Mindfulness” to describe our relationship with God. Why not just call it our relationship with God? Why use the word Mindfulness when that’s not what Mindfulness means. It means being present to the current moment in a non-judging way.
posted July 13, 2011 at 6:41 pm
LOL