Can a Christian meditate or practise mindfulness?
Christians are commanded to meditate, on God's word, day and night. Attention and calm are good gifts. What matters is what fills the stillness.
The first Psalm describes the blessed person as one who meditates on God's law day and night. Buddhist meditation aims to see that nothing is self and to reach extinguishment. Christian meditation aims to know God and be changed by him. Breathing slowly and paying attention are not wrong in themselves; emptying the mind as a spiritual goal is not the Christian way.
1Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; 2but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.
Psalms 1:1-2 (WEB) · context
10“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted on the earth.”
Psalms 46:10 (WEB) · context
8Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 (WEB) · context
“Mendicants, the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.
Majjhima Nikaya 10:2.1, Mindfulness Meditation (tr. Bhikkhu Sujato) · context