> You can easily practice Buddhism in the modern context without the baggage.

An excellent book on this exact topic is Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor[0]. Very readable & super short. Recommended!

[0]https://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Without-Beliefs-Contemporary...

But he explicitly says this!: "As a writer, I’ve come to feel that the best thing I can share with readers is ... those moments we all know when we sit, helpless, before ravenous flames, or sense that we can only bow before those turns along the road, harrowing and uplifting, we will never begin to understand." He's not just advising folks to cultivate some mental state, he's arguing for a way of attaining that mental state through the consumption of art. My point is that (1) anecdotally, this has not been successful for me, and, more importantly, (2) the proponents of mindfulness or related mental states are not convincingly pursuing a strategy for helping others to achieve it.

And I think the explanation is clear: proponents of mindfulness are generally not willing to apply analytical thinking even in the service of greater mindfulness. Attempts in this direction have been made, but I have not been impressed.

https://www.amazon.ca/Buddhism-without-Beliefs-Contemporary-...

http://slatestarcodex.com/2017/09/20/meditative-states-as-me...

(The particular examples I have are from the Buddhism-specific conception of mindfulness, but I don't think the more general conceptions you allude to have been more successful. I'd be happy to see links to the contrary.)

Zen is wonderful. In my opinion, a mindfulness or meditation program shouldn't just have a profound impact on your life - it should make your life start to have a profound impact on you!

I highly recommend the following books, which really help you chew through the layers of expectations, belief and doubt when it comes to Buddhism (and in particular, Zen):

http://www.amazon.com/Ending-Pursuit-Happiness-Zen-Guide/dp/...

http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-without-Beliefs-Stephen-Batch...