I get asked “what’s the difference between meditation and mindfulness?” so often and when someone asked me again this morning, I thought, “I should write about this for our Amodrn readers.”
So here it is. The simple truth, decompressed and given to you in a way that you can really use it.
Meditation vs. Mindfullness
Meditation is an action, whereas mindfulness is a state of being. In other words, meditation, yoga and other such practices are just vehicles through which we practice mindfulness.
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So then the bigger question is, “what exactly is mindfulness?”
Mindfulness is all about focusing your awareness on the present moment. It’s accepting each moment as it is and acknowledging each feeling – from the so called ‘good’ to the so called ‘bad’ without getting attached to any of them.
A study in the journal Health Psychology shows that mindfulness is not only associated with feeling less stressed, it’s also linked with decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Mindfulness is…
Connection to others
Having a conversation and really listening as opposed to wanting to have your say or wondering what you’re going to do for dinner. It’s looking that person in the eyes while they speak and letting them know they have your full attention.
Doing
It’s washing the dishes, giving your whole attention to cleaning, scrubbing and finishing the job without moving onto the next.
Resting
Really resting and doing nothing. The art of doing nothing is uber important for relaxation, productivity and creativity.
So to circle back, meditation is just another incredible vehicle to bring you into a state of calm – a place where mindfulness is most potent and powerful.
Related Article: Mindfulness: what is it and why is everyone talking about it?
