The idea of spiritual materialism in mindfulness culture is a curious and important topic to explore. At its core, spiritual materialism happens when people approach spirituality or mindfulness with the same mindset they have toward buying things or achieving status. Instead of genuinely seeking inner growth or connection, they treat spirituality like another product to collect or a way to boost their ego.
Mindfulness originally comes from ancient traditions where the goal is to be fully present and aware, letting go of attachments and self-centered desires. It’s about connecting deeply with yourself and the world around you without clinging to outcomes or possessions. But in modern culture, mindfulness has often been packaged as a trendy tool for stress relief, productivity enhancement, or even personal branding.
When this happens, mindfulness can lose its deeper meaning and become just another item on someone’s checklist—something they “own” because it makes them feel special or better than others. This is what some teachers call spiritual materialism: using spiritual practices not for true awakening but as a way to feed one’s ego under the guise of being “spiritual.”
This mindset can show up in many ways:
– Collecting meditation cushions, crystals, books, apps—treating these objects as if they hold power rather than focusing on actual practice.
– Boasting about how enlightened one feels after attending retreats or workshops.
– Using mindfulness language superficially without embodying its principles like compassion and humility.
– Seeking quick fixes through meditation apps while avoiding deeper self-reflection.
The problem with spiritual materialism is that it keeps people stuck in their sense of separate self—the very thing mindfulness aims to dissolve. Instead of opening up into awareness beyond ego identity, practitioners reinforce their attachment to identity by identifying as “mindful,” “woke,” or “spiritual.” This creates an illusion that progress has been made when really it may be just surface-level.
True spirituality involves surrendering this craving for control and recognition. It asks us to face our fears honestly without dressing them up in new clothes labeled “enlightenment.” Mindfulness at its heart invites us into presence where we see ourselves clearly—not through filters shaped by consumer culture but through direct experience free from judgment.
In essence, spiritual materialism is like trying to fill an endless hole with more stuff—it never truly satisfies because what we seek cannot be bought or owned; it must be realized within ourselves by letting go rather than accumulating more identities.
Recognizing this trap helps keep the practice honest: reminding us that being mindful isn’t about adding something new but peeling away layers until only simple awareness remains—a place beyond both material possession and egoic pride where genuine peace lives quietly inside everyone willing enough to look there.
