Sacred vs. Secular Mindfulness Meditation: The Influence of Presentation Priming on Therapeutic Effectiveness
July 31, 2021 Shelley R. Upton, Tyler L. Renshaw, Amanda Morice preprint
Presenting mindfulness meditation as a 'scientifically proven tool' rather than a 'sacred Buddhist practice' can enhance its therapeutic benefits. College students who received a secular-primed mindfulness intervention reported greater increases in happiness compared to those who received a sacred-primed version, though both mindfulness conditions reduced depression, anxiety, stress, and negative affect while boosting positive affect and optimism relative to a control group. The findings suggest that how mindfulness is framed influences its effectiveness for specific outcomes.