The difference and connection between mindfulness and meditation

Meditation is a category of mental exercises that includes hundreds of different practice techniques. Mindfulness is one of the most popular branches of the meditation system.； But unlike other meditation techniques, mindfulness can break away from formal meditation scenes and penetrate into all daily behaviors.

When I gave introductory mindfulness classes in the community two years ago, people would always ask me this question after the first class - when I followed the guide to count my breaths and observe the rise and fall of my chest for 10 minutes, was it meditation or mindfulness? In fact, it is normal for everyone to be confused. In order to save trouble, many popular science contents on the market often tie the two words together, or even directly equate them. It is normal for novices to be confused.

To explain it clearly, we must first start with the origin of the two words. Meditation in a broad sense actually covers all mental practices that actively regulate attention, from meditation, mantras, and visualization in traditional religious systems to the popular sleep meditation, visual target meditation, and even the "wealth meditation" and "law of attraction meditation" you have seen, all fall into this category. To put it bluntly, meditation is like a huge fitness category, including yoga, weightlifting, Pilates, and marathon. Different exercises correspond to different goals, and the thresholds and requirements are also very different.

The source of mindfulness is "mindfulness" in the Eightfold Path of Theravada Buddhism. It is originally a link in the practice system, requiring practitioners to maintain continuous awareness of the body, feelings, mind, and dharma. In the 1970s, Dr. Kabat-Zinn of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology separated mindfulness from traditional religious systems and developed MBSR (Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction), which is now widely used in clinical psychological intervention and corporate EAP projects. His definition of mindfulness is "purposeful and non-judgmental awareness of the present moment", which is now a standard definition commonly used in academic circles.

I have a friend who practices Tibetan Buddhism and meditates for 40 minutes every day. During the whole process, he needs to anchor his attention on the seed words in his mind. When the thoughts run away, he immediately pulls them back. There is no need to be aware of the emotions or thoughts that come into his mind when he is distracted.

This is a very typical type of concentration meditation, but it does not fall into the category of mindfulness practice.

The same goes for many meditations that focus on "aiding sleep" and "increasing motivation". They guide you to relax your muscles step by step and imagine the scene of achieving your goals. The essence is to bring you into a specific state. It has nothing to do with the core requirement of "non-judgmental awareness" and naturally does not count as mindfulness.

Of course, the overlap between the two is very high. What we often call "mindfulness meditation" is a combination of the two: doing mindfulness exercises in a formal sit-down meditation setting, such as body scanning, breathing observation, and concept head. These exercises are both meditation and mindfulness. But the scope of mindfulness is much wider than "mindfulness meditation". Last month, I was walking on my freshly painted white shoes during the morning rush hour. My first reaction was to clench my fists and curse. At that moment, I suddenly realized that my back molars were clenched and my chest was congested. I stood still for two seconds and felt the rising feeling of anger without saying anything. Later, the anger disappeared inexplicably. I was definitely not meditating in those two seconds—there were so many people crowded around me that I couldn’t even stand still—but that was the most typical daily mindfulness practice.

This is a point that is currently causing much controversy in the industry: One group is a group of scholars who engage in traditional meditation and clinical intervention. They believe that without a long-term formal foundation of mindfulness meditation, the so-called "daily mindfulness" is simply untenable. When you encounter strong negative emotions, such as a breakup or being laid off, it is impossible for you to be aware of it in an instant. Only by practicing meditation for 15-20 minutes every day and developing your awareness into a natural ability can you use it at critical moments. The other group is a practitioner of mass science popularization. They feel that for most ordinary people in 996, it is difficult to squeeze in 10 minutes of meditation every day. It is better to start with small things such as "eating without checking mobile phones, walking without working", which can reduce mental exhaustion. There is no need to set such a high entry threshold. In fact, both sides are reasonable, but the applicable groups are different. People with conditions and clear emotional distress can certainly start with formal exercises. Office workers who are so busy that their feet are not touching the ground can take a sip of warm water without touching fish, which is already great.

There is another funny thing before I mention it. I have a client who has been suffering from insomnia for a long time. I recommended her to do 10 minutes of mindful breathing before going to bed. However, she went back and searched for a "meditation guide" and started to do some past life regression. This is a typical example of confusing the two. Not all meditation is mindfulness. If your goal is to improve anxiety and reduce internal friction, just choose the content marked "mindfulness meditation" and don't search for those flashy ones.

In fact, after all, there is really no need to get entangled in the definition of terms. Whether it is mindfulness or meditation, it essentially puts a brake on your high-speed brain. If you can sit still, take 10 minutes a day to sit down and count your breaths. If you can't sit still, don't watch short videos while eating takeout. Take a good taste of the food to see if it is salty or bland. When walking, feel the touch of the soles of your shoes on the ground. That's enough. After all, the ultimate goal of these exercises is to let you live in the present, right?