What is the Difference Between Mindfulness and Mindfulness Meditation by Betsi Dessauer

Life, Mindfulness & Meditation

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Ahh yes, thank you, Mary Oliver, for this poetic reminder of how we choose to live.

This is a question many of us consider as we make plans and set goals, looking toward becoming our best, future selves. Yet our lives are shaped by our day-to-day experiences, and we spend much of our time reflecting on or ruminating over the past, considering our family and friends, strategizing, analyzing, and planning. In other words—living with a busy mind.

One way to ground ourselves more fully in this moment is to be more mindful and to practice mindfulness meditation. These are concepts and practices we hear about often these days, from the health and wellness community to articles in mainstream publications to discussions in the C-Suite. But what does it mean to be mindful, and how is this different from mindfulness meditation? 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of paying attention to this moment, with an attitude of non-judgment and compassionate curiosity. However, instead of turning our attention to what is here right now, we often get caught up in a stream of thoughts—worrying about the future or rehashing the past. Simply put, when we are being mindful, we are open to the awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. We are seeing reality as it is.

While it may seem that focusing our attention on the present should be easy—for we logically know that the past is gone, never to return, and the future is unknown and uncertain—we see and often experience life through a screen of thoughts, concepts, and imaginings.

We may find ourselves spending plenty of time considering the past, maybe wishing we could create time machines and wondering: If given the opportunity, what would I have done differently?

Or we may get caught up in worrying, speculating, and planning for a future that may, or more often may not, unfold as we imagine.

We spend time trying to make ourselves feel better, attempting to control or bury our fears, and seeking out security and reassurance that everything will be alright. And even though we spend much of our days grasping for pleasure and gratification or running from unpleasantness, research suggests that the more we can rest our attention on this moment and accept reality as it is, the more we are able to reduce stress and anxiety.

Mindfulness Meditation

So, we all know the benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise for taking care of our bodies, but we often don’t consider the importance and potential benefits of exercising our brains. Mindfulness meditation can serve as a kind of gym for the mind, helping us strengthen our capacity to be more mindful of our lives.

Just like when you first go to the gym, you don’t begin by lifting 50-pound weights or running ten miles. You start slowly and build your capacity and strength over time. The same is true of mindfulness meditation. We start small and gradually increase our ability to become more aware through practice. 

Students often report being unable to pay attention for more than a few seconds while meditating. Yet the ability to notice and return our attention is something available to all of us. Over the years, we may simply have fallen out of the habit of doing so intentionally. 

There are many different forms of mindfulness meditation, and they all often begin by gently resting our awareness on something we experience through one of the senses. Through the senses, we draw our attention to what is happening right now. 

And while this is simple, it is not easy. 

When we practice, it is helpful to remember the importance of treating ourselves with kindness rather than judging ourselves when the mind wanders. The practice is not about maintaining perfect focus; it is about noticing when our attention has drifted and gently returning it.  

As we continue engaging in whatever form of mindfulness meditation works best for us, we may slowly begin to notice greater awareness carrying over into our daily lives. 

What Next?

Even though we increasingly hear about the benefits of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation, we live in a culture that often encourages the opposite, one that pulls us toward short attention spans and multitasking. 

By setting aside as little as five minutes a day to intentionally focus our attention as part of a mindfulness meditation practice, we can begin to strengthen our capacity for mindful awareness and develop the habit of returning to the present moment. 

There are classes where you can learn more about how to practice mindfulness meditation, as well as many great books that offer guidance, and you can also use your yoga practice as a form of moving meditation. 

There are many potential benefits to a regular mindfulness meditation practice, and the more we develop our ability to be mindful of this moment, the more readily we may be able to respond to whatever comes our way amid the constantly changing conditions we encounter in daily life.