Science and mindfulness: Are they compatible?

Publications about mindfulness in academic journals soared from three in 1980 to 22 in 2000, then leaped to 535 in 2014, according to a graph from David S. Black and the American Mindfulness Research Association.

The November 2014 Scientific American cover story by Richard Davidson and others noted that studies show mindfulness may reduce anxiety and depression, decrease psychological stress and physical reactions to stress, improve sleep patterns, reduce the impact of pain and even slow processes of cellular aging. Studies also show mindfulness altering the brain’s physical structure in a positive way, fitting into the…