What Is the Difference Between Meditation and Mindfulness?

Overview

The two terms are often used interchangeably, but there's a difference worth understanding - because it changes the way you approach practice.

Meditation is formal practice. You sit, set a time, focus. This is the 'gym' for attention. There's a beginning, middle and end. There's a defined structure.

Mindfulness is a quality - conscious, non-judgmental presence in the current moment.(Further reading: what is mindfulness - a deeper look) You can practice it at any moment of the day: driving, eating, in conversation, washing dishes. No need to sit or close your eyes.

The connection between them: meditation is the tool that develops mindfulness. Like how lifting weights develops strength you use in daily life - not in the gym itself.

A common mistake: many people try to practice mindfulness in daily life without a meditation foundation - and get frustrated because they 'can't stay present'. That's like trying to run a marathon without training. The ability isn't there yet.

A simple way to remember: meditation is where you train. Mindfulness is what develops and goes out into the world.(Further reading: how to bring meditation into daily life)

With Nowvigation, the goal is to develop exactly this connection - formal practice that builds an ability that begins to seep into real-life moments.