There is good evidence that mindfulness can make you happier. This Web site will make the case that you can make a permanent, positive shift towards joy. Mindfulness is often prescribed as a treatment for depression, anxiety and even physical pain. Does it really work? Is there good scientific evidence for it?
Often people study mindfulness under the direction of a paid counselor but many people are achieving good results on a self-help basis. Why not you?
Why Choose a Religious Framework When You Study Mindfulness?
Different types of mindfulness are now one of the most studied topics in medicine and the social sciences. There are now over 6,000 scientific articles on the subject. A summary of mindfulness research published in 20101 reviewed the findings of 39 different research projects. Of these studies 27 showed a reduction in anxiety and 31 of the studies showed that it lowered depression (these numbers only include research where the probability of a random result was under 1%). Some of the people in these studies had good reason to have negative thoughts (for example cancer patients).
Suppose you went to see your doctor to discuss depression. Suppose your doctor said there was a new anti-depressant drug that had the following benefits…
It had been studied in 147 articles which concluded the drug did reduce depression. There were so many people in these studies that the chance that the improvement was a random effect was less than one-in-a-million.
Your doctor goes on to claim the drug had …
… no known adverse effects
… can be taken safely for a lifetime
… no cost
… no need for a prescription
Imagine now that your doctor starts getting coy about sharing information about the drug. He tells you he’s not really allowed to mention its name but if you study the notice board in his waiting room you can work out what it is.
Would you stop and look at the board?
Well this wonder-drug does exist and no your doctor is not allowed to mention it to you.
The mystery drug is called “religion”. A hundred years ago your family doctor might have felt free to mention it to you but not so in the 21st century. In the UK you can get fired from your job as a nurse merely for offering to pray for a hospital patient. A psychiatrist who suggested religion as a therapy would risk losing his medical license.
Suggesting religion as an alternative to anti-depressants should in no way be taken as an implied criticism of those who take them. In general, it is a character strength to be brave enough to admit you are struggling with anxiety or depression. Medication is a reasonable option and any changes should be made in consultation with your doctor. It also makes sense to get a professional to walk you through the problem.
Is it fair and accurate to compare the effects of religion to anti-depressants? A review2 published in 2003 found 147 articles that studied the effect of religion and depression in combination. The combined total of the people participating in the various studies was 98,975. The overall effect was that religion was associated with lower depression and some of the scoring systems to measure depression are exactly the same measurements used in anti-depressant drug trials. Based on this quantity of data the probability that this was a random result was under 1 in a million.
Is there a metaphorical “God Pill” you can take to lower your depression? Most atheists and agnostics would object. If it means suddenly making oneself believe in God then medicine just won’t go down. The “God Pill” is the size of a watermelon. But what if you could take some aspirin sized “God Pills” gradually? Listening to meditations that quote the Bible might be one way of doing that. Reading some of the Christian books listed on this Web site might be another way. It is natural to hope for eternal life and the more you come to believe it is true you may experience small improvement in mood as you go. The New Testament says that God “rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6) (emphasis added). The word “seek” in this verse is something of a mystery. Most people are aware that the Bible describes eternal life as the reward for following Christ, but this verse implies there is a reward just for seeking. Maybe periods of happiness are the logical results of drawing closer to a belief in eternal life? To test this you could try reading a book that argues for the reality of Heaven and the Gospel. You can see a list of such books here. After finishing the book reflect on whether you have a more optimistic mood.
Do you feel closer to Christianity, Buddhism or Atheism?
It is certainly true that Buddhism and Christianity are not the only two religions in the world but if you are searching for books on mindfulness these would be the two main options if you are seeking a course with an overtly religious framework. If you really are not sure what religious framework you feel closest to I invite you to conduct a thought experiment. Read the two paragraphs in the table below. Try reading them out loud and for the sake of the experiment imagine that you believed each one for the time that you are reading it.
| The Annihilation Perspective | The Eternal Life Perspective |
| While mindfulness can do many things … “It is still unable to stave off the inevitable demise of our bodies. No matter how healthy we have been each of us will die. The practice of mindfulness cannot change that reality. Mindfulness can help us accept that fact and can prepare us for the moment for when we draw our last breath. One of the essential lessons these mindfulness practices reveal to us is that life is ephemeral and and denying that only causes great suffering and unhappiness. Genuinely accepting the impermanence of life however is liberating and allows us to be happy. Just as we learn to accept the loss of our bodies to death mindfulness practice helps us to accept the loss of everything. Life is such that every one of us must bear a tremendous measure of grief. In the end we must be separated from everything that we have ever held dear. Throughout our lives we have to say goodbye to loved ones, to cherished possessions, to our dreams and hopes. Mindfulness teaches us to prepare for that inevitability.”3 | Mindfulness can bring us in contact with the most joyful relationship that is available to us. However much we may have rejected God in the past there is a welcome hug available to you from the most loving parent that you can imagine. Any wrong that you have done in your past life can be forgiven (John 3:16) and that forgiveness does not depend on any good works you may try to do. It just needs to be accepted. Over the last two thousand years this has been believed by people of strong character and high intellect including many of the greatest scientists of each century. It is right to be thankful for the blessings this life has brought, to cherish the relationships we have had with others. We can have confidence that the best is yet to be. Heaven is this world made perfect. That world will include your eternal body which will be freed from any pains and imperfections: “When buried, it is ugly and weak. When raised, it will be beautiful and strong (1 Corinthians 15:43) |
The text in quotation marks that illustrates the annihilation perspective is from the USA’s most widely published Buddhists, Professor Mark Meusse, formerly of Rhodes College Memphis. If you think the word “annihilation” is an unfair description of the Buddhist view of eternity consider another quote by Mark Meusse when he described Nirvana as “the final depletion of all energies that have sustained existence…. Physical matter, sensations, perceptions, mental fabrications and consciousness have all been spent.”4 If that is not a description of annihilation what would one look like?
In one sense there is a large area of common ground between Buddhists and atheists. If you are a materialist (you believed there is nothing other than physical matter) then it is natural to believe in annihilation (that is your consciousness ends at death). The only difference between this position and Buddhism is that you would experience a series of reincarnations before annihilation.
Let’s consider what type of mindfulness you should study based on one of four reactions to the annihilation and eternal life perspectives.
You want eternal life to be true and you believe it to be true
If this describes you then studying mindfulness within a Christian framework seems to be the obvious choice.
You want annihilation to be true and you believe it to be true
If this describes you then I predict there is nothing that will prevent you from studying mindfulness within a Buddhist framework. However, I hope you will remember this Web site exists and return to it if you do not experience the sense of wellbeing that you hope for.
You do not want eternal life to be true but you believe it to be true
If you fall into this category then I think you should work to bring your wants and beliefs into closer alignment. I would study mindfulness within a Christian tradition and if you are suffering from depression then I would consider reaching out to a Christian doctor or counselor.
You want eternal life to be true but you do not believe it to be true
I believe a growing proportion of people in the English speaking world are falling into this category. If I suggest the “God-and-Heaven” option to them I often get an angry reaction. “Philip that’s just not realistic. If I could swallow a God pill and suddenly believe in eternal life I’d do it but I just can’t. It’s not possible.”
If you were born in an English speaking country after the year 1955, I think this viewpoint is entirely understandable. The cultural messaging you have been exposed to make your belief system seem logical and, in a sense, right. But consider an alternative viewpoint. If you want eternal life to be true then pursuing that option is the only one that will lead you in the direction of happiness and emotional strength. If you do not even want annihilation to be true how can it be of any value to you? What reward will you get for clinging to the annihilation perspective if it is right? After death will your atheist friends be around to pat you on the back for making the right choice? You will have no consciousness that will enable you to be aware of any such back-patting. Why not observe what happens to your mood if you a) study mindfulness within a Christian framework AND b) read some of the Christian books that argue for the truth of Christianity. If your mood improves you could just dismiss it as an exercise in wishful thinking. You could also consider that you were created with the desire for eternal life planted inside you.
Throw Away Two Crutches
A common criticism of Christians is that they use their faith as a crutch because they cannot face the harsh reality of death. If that is something you believe then I challenge you to go on a life-journey with Dr. Francis Collins by reading is book “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief“. The link will take you to the audio version of the book which he narrates himself. He describes his journey from atheism to faith. Does it really seem plausible that this is a person with a weak character. He describes the trauma of his daughter surviving a rape and other challenges. After completing the Human Genome Project he went on the lead the National Institutes of Health from 2009-2021 which meant he was holding the poisoned chalice of health policy during the COVID-19 lockdown year. I think you will end his book accepting that some people of faith have both reason and strong character.
The second crutch I want to mention refers to your concern about the opinions of those around you. In the 1990s I was working with a group of volunteers trying to spread the Christian faith on the streets of London, England. One of the ministers at my church mentioned that a recent convert was interested in joining us but confessed, “when I thought about it I just couldn’t bear the thought of other people in my office noticing that I was a Christian.” I suspect a large number of other people will not consider the faith option for the same reason. The desire for popularity in this context is a character defect. It is a crutch. Throw it away. Your duty is to make the best decision for your wellbeing that you can regardless of the opinion of others. In any case if you are just researching the subject most of your activity will be in private.
If you are visiting this site because of a problem with depression I would like to leave you with a specific appeal. Don’t stop searching to you experience joy. The search is best expressed by the lyrics of the Stephen Curtis Chapman song “Don’t Lose Heart“. I am showing the lyrics below. You can hear Chapman performing the song by click the “play button”.
| Another sleepless night Praying hope comes with the morning light Right now you’re feeling like you’ve lost this fight And fear is screaming out your name So you say God help me You wonder if He’s even listening Truth is, I’ve wondered the very same thing So, you don’t have to feel the shame Let me walk with you through this valley And tell you all that I’ve learned to be true Don’t lose heart Don’t you dare let go I’ve been where you are You are not alone | I know it gets dark I know it gets hard But we’re gonna make it home (we’re gonna make it home) So don’t lose heart Don’t lose heart Don’t lose heart Take my hand (Take my hand) And I’ll show all the scars from where I’ve been (I’ll show you where I’ve been) Remind you how we both know this story ends (remember how it ends) I know you’ll do the same for me (I know you’ll do the same for me) These afflictions that are only temporary Are gonna turn to glory beyond compare | So don’t lose heart Don’t you dare let go I’ve been where you are You are not alone I know it gets dark I know it gets hard But we’re gonna make it home So don’t lose heart Don’t lose heart Don’t lose heart Don’t lose hope Don’t lose faith Just hold on tight To every promise God has made |
References
- Hofmann, S. G., et al. “The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, vol. 78, 2010, pp. 169–83. www.narcis.nl, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018555.
- Smith, Timothy B., et al. “Religiousness and Depression: Evidence for a Main Effect and the Moderating Influence of Stressful Life Events.” Psychological Bulletin, vol. 129, no. 4, 2003, pp. 614–36. APA PsycNet, https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.4.614.
- Muesse, Mark W. Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation. Teaching Co., 2011.
- Muesse, Mark W. Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. Teaching Co., 2010.