I often marvel at how far the practice of mindfulness has reached. From helping patients with chronic pain to supporting mental health and trauma healing, the power of mindfulness has found its way into modern society.

At the same time, there are valid critiques about the commodification of spirituality. The “mindfulness business” has become a foundation of the multi-trillion dollar wellness industry. This is a far cry from the Buddha and his disciples receiving alms for their daily meal at the edge of a village.

With so much money behind modern mindfulness, it’s worth paying attention to how meditation is marketed and the way that can limit—or even derail—one’s spiritual practice. For in spite of the wholesome intentions of teachers and practitioners, the economic machine fueling the wellness industry (and portions of the mindfulness world) is driven by one thing: profit. 

The next time you see, hear, or read something advertising meditation, pay attention to how it’s marketed. It gets packaged differently: better sleep, more focus, less stress. You can usually boil it down to one simple message: “This will make you feel better.” 

And why not? Who isn’t interested in those things? Of course—meditation CAN help with all of those.

The voice inside is so seductive: “If only I were less anxious… more calm… less busy, THEN I’d be happier… people would like me…” The imagined state of fulfillment takes many forms. Whether it’s sparked by the spell of advertising or our own longing for ease, love, or acceptance, the risks are the same. 

The problem is that the self-improvement project never ends. When meditation becomes co-opted by the impulse to become anything, we rob ourselves of contentment. Aiming for an imagined future, we overshoot and miss the true happiness and well-being that is available in the here and now.

The next time you sit down to meditate, whatever your goals and aspirations are, consider this: can you touch a place of being ‘okay enough’ right now?

There’s room for improvement in all of us, and that can certainly come to pass. But in the meantime, don’t forget to step back and notice that you’re alive, awake, and breathing right now. This is a miracle, an unearned gift, worth noticing and appreciating. From this place of presence, we begin to water the seeds of awareness, joy and peace in our own hearts.

If you’d like to explore this more, join me tomorrow for some meditation and a talk, "Beyond the Self Improvement Project." (The session will be recorded, but you must pre-register with Sangha.live to get access to the recording).

Sunday Meditation

Warmly,

Oren

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