Einstein on the difference between construct and principled thinking...

"We can distinguish various kinds of theories in physics. Most of them are constructive. They attempt to build up a picture of the more complex >phenomena out of the materials of a relatively simple formal scheme from which they start out. Thus the kinetic theory of gases seeks to reduce >mechanical, thermal, and diffusional processes to movements of molecules -- i.e., to build them up out of the hypothesis of molecular motion. When we >say that we have succeeded in understanding a group of natural processes, we invariably mean that a constructive theory has been found which covers >the processes in question.
Along with this most important class of theories there exists a second, which I will call "principle-theories." These employ the analytic, not the synthetic, >method. The elements which form their basis and starting-point are not hypothetically constructed but empirically discovered ones, general characteristics >of natural processes, principles that give rise to mathematically formulated criteria which the separate processes or the theoretical representations of >them have to satisfy. Thus the science of thermodynamics seeks by analytical means to deduce necessary conditions, which separate events have to >satisfy, from the universally experienced fact that perpetual motion is impossible.
The advantages of the constructive theory are completeness, adaptability, and clearness, those of the principle theory are logical perfection and security >of the foundations. The theory of relativity belongs to the latter class."

Mindfullness II

I see that I'm not a lone with my criticism of meditation. The following quote is specifically about mindfulness meditation...

Gudo Wafu Nishijima criticizes the use of the term of mindfulness and idealistic interpretations of the practice from the Zen standpoint:

However recently many so-called Buddhist teachers insist the importance of 'mindfulness.' But such a kind of attitudes might be insistence that Buddhism might be a kind of idealistic philosophy. Therefore actually speaking I am much afraid that Buddhism is misunderstood as if it was a kind of idealistic philosophy. However we should never forget that Buddhism is not an idealistic philosophy, and so if someone in Buddhism reveres mindfulness, we should clearly recognize that he or she can never be a Buddhist at all.^[25]

Muho Noelke, the abbot of Antaiji, explains the pitfalls of consciously seeking mindfulness.

We should always try to be active coming out of samadhi. For this, we have to forget things like "I should be mindful of this or that". If you are mindful, you are already creating a separation ("I - am - mindful - of - ...."). Don't be mindful, please! When you walk, just walk. Let the walk walk. Let the talk talk (Dogen Zenji says: "When we open our mouths, it is filled with Dharma"). Let the eating eat, the sitting sit, the work work. Let sleep sleep.^[26]