As you say, Eliza, there need not be a god to become mindful. One piece of advice I did get from a Buddhist monk though was to be mindful of others as well as yourself. As you begin to meditate think why you are doing it, It is in most of our natures to perform better if we are doing it for someone else than if it is for purely selfish reasons. Nothing to do with divinity, just the simple wish to help others and the basic good in human nature. I hope :-)