Mindfulness, Meditation and Christian Prayer: What’s the Difference?
"You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you."
-St. Augustine, Confessions
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When was the last time you took a breath?
I don’t mean the physical act of breathing. I mean, when was the last time you actually noticed taking a breath? If you’re like most of us, it’s been a while.
The modern mind is inundated by a seemingly endless supply of information and stimuli. As a result, we spend a lot of time in our heads and on autopilot.
That’s why things like mindfulness and meditation sound so appealing. In our age of distraction, something as simple as pausing and noticing our breath can seem to take on a spiritual quality. It’s small wonder, when we raise ourselves above the busyness and noise, we start to see there is something “more” out there.
We are going to examine mindfulness and meditation practices from three very different lenses: Buddhist meditation, psychological mindfulness practices informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Christian meditation and prayer. But first, we need to define some terms.
What Is the Difference Between Mindfulness and Meditation?
Are mindfulness and meditation the same? The short answer is no. Mindfulness is a quality of awareness, a process and an acquired skill. Meditation refers to a family of practices, found in many traditions that may cultivate mindfulness but also serve other purpose.
To understand both, we need to take a closer look at how the mind works.
Our modern age prides itself on multitasking. Context shifting (or set shifting) is the ability to shift attention from one task to the next very quickly. Every time we get alerted by a phone call, an email, a text notification, we shift from what we are doing to something else.
We can think of attention as a muscle. Constantly shifting between tasks means we are regularly keeping that muscle flexed. If you’ve ever held a plank position for a period of time this is exhausting!
Mindfulness is the opposite of this constant distraction. Mindfulness in its most basic form is, as defined by the American Psychological Association, an “awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings.” It is the opposite of being in a state of mindlessly responding to stimuli – or buying into every unpleasant thought or emotion.
In Paradise Lost, John Milton wrote, “the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” You could be watching the most beautiful sunset in the world, but if your mind is pulling you in a thousand directions, can you really enjoy it?
Mindfulness can counteract this tendency. A 2025 meta-analysis published in Psychiatry Research found that mindfulness-based interventions, including ACT, can reduce depressive symptoms across a wide-range of mental health diagnoses.
When we actually focus on what’s around us, we start to cultivate wonder. And from wonder, gratitude. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that people are so drawn to mindfulness practices.
And, while meditative and contemplative practices, both secular and religious, share some attentional methods they do not necessarily share the same goals, understanding of the human person, or the ultimate purpose of life.
Eastern Meditation: Liberation From Suffering
Many Eastern religions, including Taoism and Hinduism, incorporate forms of meditation and mindfulness practice, Buddhism is perhaps the most widely familiar to Western audiences. Buddhism is often described as both a philosophy and a religion. While Buddhism encompasses various schools and practices what follows is a very generalized summary.
Perhaps the central doctrine underlying Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths:
Life is full of suffering (dukkha). This concept broadly encompasses human conditioning towards dissatisfaction.
The origin of suffering can be known. It is caused by desires and attachments, ignorance, and aversions.
The cessation of suffering is possible. It is brought about by the cessation of desires and attachments.
The cessation of suffering is brought about by following the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path starts with having a right view. By this it is meant a right view of the world. The wrong view is imposing expectations about how things should be or fears about how things will be.
From this right view, the other seven points then follow: right intention (working with what is), right speech (being truthful), right action (ethical conduct), right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Concepts like simplicity and compassion for others are inherent in these steps as well.
The goal of following the eightfold path is to achieve Nirvana, which involves the cessation of craving and attachment, and liberation from suffering. This is enlightenment, which as Fung (2012) describes eliminates, “ignorance, which gives rise to desire and attachment, will be dispelled by wisdom, and hence, the end of suffering, enlightenment, and freedom from Samsara, the cycle of rebirth, will be achieved.”
Buddhism also teaches the concept of impermanence: that all conditioned things are constantly changing. In fact, in Buddhism it is taught there is no self, or rather, no permanent self. Rather, all things, include each individual person arise in dependence upon other conditions. Which is why there is a cycle of rebirth, one that can only be broken by understanding the true nature of things.
Direct experience plays a significant role in Buddhism, alongside study and intellectual understanding. Mindfulness is explicitly a component of Buddhism (it is after all the seventh point on the eightfold path). It is, to some extent, observation and attention shifting.
However, Buddhist meditation is not merely about observing thoughts or shifting attention. Such practices belong to a broader spiritual path directed toward the ultimate aim of awakening and liberation from attachment.
Mindfulness in ACT: Cultivating Psychological Flexibility
Psychological mindfulness interventions take several forms. It is true, some of these secular approaches – like Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – were derived from Buddhist traditions.
We are going to focus specifically on mindfulness in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is considered part of the “third wave” of cognitive behavioral therapy, in that it advanced the theories and interventions of behaviorists like B.F. Skinner particularly around cognition and language.
The developers of ACT often describe parallels in religious traditions to many ACT concepts. This is not to diminish the differences between these traditions, nor does ACT make any religious claims. Nevertheless, ACT arrives at conclusions about certain aspects of the human condition that parallel insights found in great religious and spiritual traditions, while working within a scientific framework.
ACT was developed out of a behavioral theory of language and cognition called Relational Frame Theory (RFT). At its most basic level, RFT explains how humans learn to relate concepts and experiences through language and context. Accordingly, ACT deals with thoughts and perceptions rather than ontological truths. In other words, the focus of ACT is on what the mind tells us is true not The Truth.
That is an important distinction.
Why? Simply because language, thoughts and perceptions can be flawed. From an ACT perspective, much psychological suffering is maintained by psychological inflexibility, which includes holding too tightly too unhelpful thoughts and emotions. It also is maintained by experiential avoidance, disconnecting from values, and adhering to rigid behavior patterns.
All of these, run counter to living a meaningful, values based life – which for Christians, is a life grounded in virtue.
The goal of ACT, therefore, is to increase psychological flexibility: expanding our capacity to respond meaningfully even in the presence of unpleasant thoughts and feelings. Because of this, ACT is focused on mindful awareness of the present moment.
So often, when unpleasant thoughts or emotions show up we buy into them and mindlessly act on autopilot. Accordingly, mindfulness in ACT is paying attention very intently to the present moment. It requires a stance of curiosity, almost like a scientist observing a natural phenomenon.
ACT philosophically recognizes a psychological capacity called self-as-context or the observer self. The psychological inflexible equivalent of this is often termed self-as-content: “I am my thoughts and my thoughts are me.”
Adopting a self-as-context perspective allows us to recognize thoughts and feelings as changeable. They are something that we experience, rather than the entirety of who we are.
Often, the metaphor of a chessboard is used to explain this concept. Thoughts and feelings are like chess pieces battling it out on the board. We often get caught in the struggle. But the chessboard does not care what side is winning at any given moment. It remains a chessboard.
For a simple exercise, think of a recent stressor or challenge you had – maybe running late or a negative interaction at work or home – and notice what you experience as you bring this memory to mind.
Now, imagine your favorite childhood memory – maybe a family vacation, winning an important game or a special moment with a friend. Notice the thoughts and feelings you had at the time.
Both experiences are part of your story. There was a you who experienced each of those moments. There's also a you who can recall the thoughts and feelings associated with them. And importantly, right now, there's a you who can notice that you're remembering those experiences. That ability to take perspective matters.
While this capacity shows parallels in both Buddhism and Christianity (as we’ll see) this is distinctly not an ontological position, but purely a capacity which the mind possesses.
What does this look like? This is not an exhaustive list but it might mean:
Sitting and noticing thoughts and feelings while drawing attention to the breath. When distracted simply return to the breath.
Looking at thoughts and feelings and studying their qualities, giving them physical properties (size, temperature, color, etc.).
Washing the dishes and drawing your attention to the soap suds and warm water every time your mind wanders.
Intentionally slowing down and savoring a bite of food or a sip of water. Notice the smell, the taste and the sensation as it touches different parts of your mouth.
Mindfulness in ACT takes on the quality of training our attention – shifting away from the battle that may be raging within us towards what matters to us. In other words, we can remain attentive to what matters regardless of what the mind is saying. From that place, we can choose to live according to our values rather than be bullied by thoughts and feelings, no matter how recurrent or how painful.
Christian Meditation and Prayer: Relationship with God
While both Eastern meditation and secular mindfulness often involve self-awareness, Christian meditation is about something more profound. Fundamentally, it is not an inward journey, but an encounter.
Being aware of the present moment is important in Christian prayer. As St. Paul advises us, we are to, “pray without ceasing.” Yet, it’s starting point and objective are markedly different from both Buddhism and ACT.
Notably, within prayer, there are two distinct though overlapping categories that are often conflated:
Meditation: actively reflecting on sacred Scripture, the life of Christ, or particular mysteries of the faith. (CCC 2707-2709)
Contemplation: resting attentively in God’s presence through love and faith, receiving rather than trying to manufacture an experience. (CCC 2709-2715)
Both are good. Both are important. Perhaps a helpful distinction though: meditation is more of a doing on our part while contemplation is more a receiving from God.
Prayer in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (CCC 2559, emphasis added). On that level, one can say it requires a level of sustained attention similar to mindfulness. You need to be aware of what is present in order to raise it up.
That said, Christian prayer does not end with attention. Rather, it is really about Whom we are attending too. Or, as the Catechism states, “thus the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him” (CCC2565, emphasis added).
Paying attention, noticing distractions and letting them go is useful, but it is not the ultimate end. We are invited not to simply let these go, but to offer them up like incense, returning again and again to the God who, like the Father of the prodigal son, is patiently waiting for us in each moment.
In Faith Based ACT for Christian Clients Christian psychologist Joshua Knabb reminds us of this with the Gospel Story of Martha and Mary. It was Martha who invited and welcomed Christ into the home. While she goes off to do the necessary work of hospitality, her sister Mary sits attentively at Christ’s feet. Martha got so caught up in doing, even though that doing was inherently good, that she forgot about being with the One she invited in.
Our minds have a way of doing just that, in prayer and in ordinary life. St. Teresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church and profound mystic, wrote that, “just as we cannot stop the movement of the heavens, but they proceed in rapid motion, so neither can we stop our mind; and then the faculties of the soul go with it, and we think we have wasted time spent before God.” (The Interior Castle).
Things like work, service and even attention in prayer are important. They are good and useful things. After all, Christ says Mary chose the “better part” not “the only part that matters.” The key point is, we are to keep everything in life to focused on Him, rather than our own judgements, expectations, and desires. Remembering too, no time spent before God is ever wasted.
Examples of Christian Meditation and Prayer
Of course, just like in any relationship we do want to set aside time to explicitly be with the ones we love. The Church has a rich tradition of meditative practices that include:
Lectio Divina – involves slowly reading sacred Scripture. We are invited not merely to read, but to listen. In so doing, we are to reflect sentences and words and notices what moves us.
Imaginative Prayer – also called Ignatian Contemplation. It involves reflecting on Scripture and envisioning ourselves in the Gospel story. Common stories like the Prodigal Son or listening to the Beatitudes or being at the foot of the Cross are accessible. The purpose is to invite deeper communion and reflection.
The Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet – In the Rosary we are invited to reflect on the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus. We are also invited to reflect on the unique role of Blessed Virgin Mary in Salvation history. In the Divine Mercy Chaplet, we are invited to enter a deep understanding of God’s mercy. Since both involve holding a rosary, they carry an embodied quality to them.
The Ignatian Examen – In the Examen we reflect on the movement of God in our life over the course of the day. We identify our shortfalls and bring them before God, to better prepare us to live more faithfully tomorrow. It incorporates a posture of standing before God honestly and humbly rather than judgment and condemnation.
Adoration – sitting before the Blessed Sacrament in silence. Returning again and again to the One who is present.
The Jesus Prayer – one of the most ancient prayers of the Church. Simply repeating “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” This is one of my personal favorites and one I find fits most especially with St. Paul’s encouragement to pray without ceasing. In it, we are invited to invite God into the midst of whatever we are experiencing at the moment.
Anchored In Him (ABIDE) – a useful (though certainly not the only) way to invite God into the stormy moments of our lives. It incorporates ACT principles while accounting for our biological hardwiring toward anxiety.
Mindfulness can be an implicit part of Christian prayer. In fact, a recent 2025 study, found that praying the Rosary was associated with lower depressive symptoms and a greater sense of inner peace, even amid difficulties. Notably, these results are similar to studies on secular meditative practices.
Ultimately, Christian meditation is less about doing something and more about being with Someone. And not just anyone, but the Only one who can satisfy our deepest longings. As St. Augustine put it so long ago, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, oh Lord.”
Mindfulness and Christian Prayer: Can Techniques Help Prepare Us for Prayer?
Even before the internet and social media, human beings have been searching for peace and drawn to meditative practices. In 1989 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published Orationis formas to address this trend. In it, the Congregation acknowledges practices from other religious traditions can be useful provided that, “one can take from them what is useful so long as the Christian conception of prayer, its logic and requirements are never obscured” (emphasis added). That last part is crucial because contemplative practice is meant to draw us into deeper communion with God.
While various contemplative and meditative practices share commonalities, such as a mindful awareness of the present moment, they are not all the same.
Buddhist meditation is broadly a spiritual practice that seeks liberation from the self and achievement of enlightenment.
ACT-based mindfulness exercise aim to develop psychological flexibility – learning to respond from a place of values rather than be led by unpleasant thoughts and emotions. It is attention training.
Christian meditation and contemplation are about developing a relationship with God, and inviting Him into the very depths of our experience. Including in the here-and-now.
Practices - like noticing thoughts, paying attention to the breath, etc. that are common in many mindfulness techniques - can be helpful and predispose one to prayer. Outside of prayer, they can help us live a life according to virtue rather than being driven by unhelpful thoughts or impulses. Spiritually and psychologically, these practices may help us to remember that in our walk with Jesus it is, “in him we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)
But the Congregation encourages prudence and discernment. Christians can potentially make use of meditative techniques, but the techniques must remain consistent with the Church’s understanding of the human person. They must also be subordinate to the ultimate purpose of prayer – growing in communion with Christ and deeper engagement with the life of the Church. Certain practices that are inconsistent with these two points may therefore be problematic.
Secondly, a danger is we place the importance of the practice above the outcome. In other words, mindfulness practices inadvertently become an idol. A metaphor may be helpful here. The Eucharist, i.e. the Sacrifice of the Mass, is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). Accordingly, we try to dress respectfully in a way that honors that reality. Dressing properly also has a way of predisposing us toward that reality. It is an outward sign of our inward disposition.
But imagine becoming so preoccupied with dressing well that we run late or begin judging others who aren’t dressed according to our standard. We may even fail to show up because we, “have nothing to wear.”
In a similar way, mindfulness and secular attentional techniques can be a way of predisposing us towards communion with God, but they are not the encounter themselves. Without prudence and discernment, we may risk confusing the outcome of such practices. To that point, Christ said, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” (John 14:27). We may very well obtain a sense of peace, relaxation or ease by noticing the mind and being more in touch with the present moment. That is a wonderful thing. After all, Christ reminds us in the same passage, “do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.”
But Christians must never confuse psychological peace that may arise from a mindfulness practice with the peace of Christ which is from Him and Him alone. For our part, we can simply (and humbly) make ourselves more open to receive what is already offered. As the Congregation writes:
“While he raises us up, God is free to "empty" us of all that holds us back in this world, to draw us completely into the Trinitarian life of his eternal love. However, this gift can only be granted "in Christ through the Holy Spirit," and not through our own efforts, withdrawing ourselves from his revelation.” (Orationis formas)
Ultimately, mindfulness practices can help us become aware of the present moment. In our age of busyness this is a welcome tool for living more intentionally. Christian prayer invites us to go deeper and to recognize Who is present in that moment. Perhaps Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart summed it up best. She regularly prays:
“Lord, empty me, fill me, use me.”
In the Christian life, we humbly ask God to empty us of attachments that do not draw us closer to God. With thanksgiving we ask to be filled by His grace. And, we ask for the courage to cooperate with His will for each and every moment of our lives. If we sometimes feel better in the process, we can consider that another blessing.
Sometimes, though, we may not feel psychological relief. At times, it may even seem as though God is silent. Yet, as we often say in science, “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.”
Further Reading and Additional Resources
For those interested in exploring mindfulness, Christian meditation, and contemplative prayer more deeply, here are a few books and resources I have found particularly helpful.
Recommended Books
Faith-Based ACT for Christian Clients: An Integrative Treatment Approach — Joshua J. Knabb. An excellent exploration of how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be thoughtfully integrated with Christian faith and practice. Although written primarily for clinicians, it offers valuable insights into the relationship between psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and Christian spirituality.
The Sacrament of the Present Moment — Jean-Pierre de Caussade. A spiritual classic on discovering God's presence in the ordinary circumstances of everyday life. De Caussade reminds us that holiness is not found by escaping the present moment but by faithfully responding to God within it.
The Practice of the Presence of God — Brother Lawrence. A beautiful, accessible collection of conversations and letters from a Carmelite lay brother who learned to encounter God even in the monastery kitchen. A wonderful reminder that prayer is not confined to silence or solitude.
Church Teaching and Online Resources
Catechism of the Catholic Church: Meditation and Contemplative Prayer. Paragraphs 2705–2719 offer a concise and beautiful explanation of Christian meditation and contemplation, including the importance of attentiveness, relationship, and openness to grace.
Orationis formas: On Some Aspects of Christian Meditation — Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. An important Church document offering guidance on the relationship between Christian prayer and meditative practices from other religious traditions. Particularly helpful for understanding the distinction between technique and genuine communion with God.
Further Reading from Take Courage Resilience Center
Anchored in Him: A Christian Practice for Anxiety, Anger, and Overwhelm. A practical introduction to the ABIDE exercise, combining ACT-based attentional skills with Christian prayer. Designed to help us remain present to God and respond faithfully even during life's emotional storms.
A Silence Observed: Christian Contemplation and the Gift of the Present Moment. Reflections from my time on a silent retreat at a Camaldolese hermitage. An exploration of how silence, solitude, and contemplative prayer can help us rediscover God's presence in the ordinary moments of life.
How to Calm the Nervous System: 5 Ways to Find Peace in Body and Soul. A look at the relationship between our biology, psychological well-being, and spiritual life. Includes practical ways to cultivate stillness, care for the nervous system, and become more attentive to God and others.
Finding Meaning in Suffering: Grace, Faith, and Life's Unexpected Challenges. An everyday encounter with an unexpected inconvenience becomes a reflection on ACT, gratitude, and finding God in the present moment, even when life doesn't unfold as planned.
