“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”
We sometimes hear “mindfulness” and “meditation” used interchangeably, but they aren't exactly the same.
Mindfulness is an umbrella term for practices, whether formal or informal, that help us improve our non-judgmental awareness.
Meditation is one form of mindfulness. It encourages us to focus our attention on anchors like breath, body sensations, words (mantras), or sound. Meditation is one of several formal mindfulness practices, along with movement modalities like yoga, tai-chi, and qigong.
Mindfulness can consist of formal practices (meditation, mindful movement, journaling) or informal practices.
Examples of informal mindfulness practices include:
tuning into our bodies during an activity
pausing to notice and acknowledge our emotions as we are experiencing them
focusing on the present moment, rather than the past or future
deliberately slowing down to observe the world around us
