An effective spiritual path is one that leads to liberation from suffering. The awakening in which it culminates is based on an accurate understanding of reality and a freedom from the disturbing emotions and obscurations caused by ignorance. We don’t need to give up what is good in our life, but to abandon the causes of suffering, to which we are so often attached. In following any path, there is no need to get stressed over what seems like a never ending series of books, commentaries and teachings on any particular path. We just need to master the specific knowledge that will enable us to get free from the cycle of lives conditioned by ignorance and pain. Ultimately, any lasting benefit of a spiritual path must not only improve our own lives, but that of others as well.
A structured path is the most beneficial because it takes into account the gradual nature of inner transformation. Each step leads naturally to the next. If is like building a house; you cannot put the roof on without having laid the foundation, raised the walls, and installed the timbers.
Anyone no matter their birth or gender can become enlightened, this angered the elite and many people tried to kill Buddha for upsetting the caste system and power structure of his time.
The basics in Buddhism including the mindfulness movement are easy to access because of the internet. However most of the mindfulness movement has stripped away the original message taught by the Buddha.
What is difficult to find is why Buddha taught the Dharma, the history of Buddhism, especially early Buddhism. That is one of the reasions I am posting these articles, Buddha was fighting a corrupt system, the Brahmans had a lock on the spiritual market and the teachings of the Vedas.
Buddha stripped away the corruption, threw away the empty rituals like bathing in a particular river or killing animals to win and better birth, starve the body to free the soul and taught the ordinary person to break free of their conditioning and self-caused suffering.