If a person practices a religion, they have every right to choose how it is that they practice it. This holds true for every religion, as each person has freedom of religion (with the exception of select countries throughout the world).
The same holds true for Buddhism, the religion based upon the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. According to National Geographic, some of the foundations of Buddhism are that human life includes suffering, and that the way to achieve enlightenment is through meditation, spiritual labor, physical labor, and good behavior.
Over the years, a plethora of digital tools to assist in one’s practice of Buddhism have appeared, but many have mixed feelings about it.
The phenomenon of “digital Buddhism” has become more popular with the rise of smartphone usage and the convenience attached to it.
Digital Buddhism is inclusive of meditation apps, podcasts, and other computer-assisted devices for meditation.
Critics argue that it is the result of high tech advances reflective of capitalism, and on the same vein, others say that it dilutes traditional Asian practices of Buddhism.
Regardless of the firm belief of some, many use forms of digital Buddhism, and on the Apple App Store or Android Google Play Store, you can easily find at least 500 different apps associated with Buddhism, with a focus on mindfulness.
Even apps like Calm and Headspace do not advertise themselves as apps for Buddhists, however they target people who are indeed stressed (and it fits in well for the large population of Americans who consider themselves “spiritual” and unaffiliated with any religion).
Many find comfort in mindfulness amidst the stressful condition of today’s social climate, especially related to the pandemic.
One of the goals of Buddhism, however, is to relieve suffering in the world through enlightenment. And many believe that mindfulness meditation apps are not actually assisting in this process, but rather just placing a band-aid on the problem itself temporarily (to feel better for the moment).
Even further, with mindfulness apps that are not even associated with Buddhism, many view such apps as a Westernized version to benefit some in monetary gain (in other words, a form of cultural appropriation).
The important thing to remember is that if mindfulness meditation apps are helping people to find their center and attain a source of peace within this turbulent world, then it is each person’s individual decision to make.