What’s the difference between mindfulness & meditation?
Mindfulness: Becoming aware of what is; being present & fully engaged in whatever you are doing in the here & now; can be done anytime, anywhere, & with anyone or anything.
“The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment & non-judgmentally.” ~John Kabat Zinn
Examples of mindfulness activities:
Mindful awareness
Mindful observation
Mindful listening
Mindful walking
Mindful presence
Mindful coloring
Mindful eating
Mindful drinking (ie. sipping tea)
Meditation: The practice of training your mind to focus on one thing at a time, & being fully present in the moment to increase concentration, awareness, emotional balance, & serenity. Often done in a quiet setting with relaxed, deep, even-paced breathing in a seated position, but may be done laying down, walking, or in other positions or activities.
“Meditation will not carry you to another world, but it will reveal the most profound and awesome dimensions of the world in which you already live. Calmly contemplating these dimensions and bringing them into the service of compassion and kindness is the right way to make rapid gains in meditation as well as in life.” ~Zen Master Hsing Yun
Examples of meditation:
Guided meditation
Mantra meditation
Spiritual meditation
Visualization meditation
Loving-kindness meditation
Breath-awareness meditation
Progressive relaxation
Focused (on an image, candle flame, object) meditation
Examples of integrating mindfulness & meditation:
Body scanning
Walking meditation
Mindful meditation
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Health benefits of mindfulness & meditation (ref: nccih.nih.gov):
Improved sleep quality
Reduced blood pressure
Reduced stress, anxiety, & depression
Reduced PTSD symptoms
Helps promote abstinence from substance use
Improved pain tolerance/enhance pain reduction
Effectively aids weight control & managing eating behaviors
Reduced cravings & symptoms of withdrawal associated with alcohol use disorders
Improved outcomes for cancer patients: reduced psychological distress, fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, symptoms of anxiety & depression
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