What is Meditation and Mindfulness?

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Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness meditation are both ways of training attention so the mind becomes steadier, clearer, and kinder. Meditation is “practicing how you pay attention,” and mindfulness meditation is a specific kind that focuses on the present moment without judging it.

What meditation is

Meditation is a deliberate exercise where you set aside time to sit (or walk, or lie down) and gently train your mind to return to a chosen focus.
That focus might be your breathing, a word or phrase, a mental image, sounds, or simply “what is happening right now” inside and around you.

What mindfulness meditation is

Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation where the main goal is to notice your experience in the present moment, exactly as it is, without trying to change it.
You pay attention to things like your breath, body sensations, sounds, thoughts, and feelings, and the key attitude is: “Let me notice this, not fight it or cling to it.”

Core ideas of meditation

Intention: You decide, “For these minutes, I will practice paying attention.”
Attention: You choose a focus (like the breath) and keep bringing your mind back whenever it wanders.
Attitude: You practice doing this kindly, without beating yourself up when you get distracted.

Core ideas of mindful meditation

Present moment: Staying with what is happening right now (not replaying the past or rehearsing the future).
Non-judgment: Not labeling your experience as good or bad, right or wrong; just recognizing, “Thinking,” “Worrying,” “Tightness in chest,” and so on.
Acceptance: Letting experiences come and go, instead of pushing them away or clinging to them.

Simple meditation: step by step

Sit comfortably
- Sit on a chair or cushion, back fairly straight but not stiff.
- Hands resting on legs or in your lap, eyes closed or softly focused.
Choose a focus
- Easiest is the breath: the feeling of air moving in and out, or your chest/belly rising and falling.
Notice the breath
- Feel one full in-breath and one full out-breath.
- You don’t need to breathe differently; just notice how it actually is.
Expect your mind to wander
- You will drift into thoughts, plans, or daydreams.
- The “workout” is noticing this and gently bringing attention back to the breath.
Keep returning
- Every time you notice you’ve wandered, mentally say something like “back to the breath” and return.
- That gentle returning is the heart of the practice, not a failure.
Time
- Start with 5 minutes a day and slowly build up if you like (e.g., to 10–20 minutes).

Simple mindful meditation: step by step

Take your seat as above.

Begin with a few breaths to settle.
Open your attention to whatever you notice:
- Body sensations (warmth, pressure, itch, tension).
- Sounds (near and far).
- Thoughts and images in the mind.
- Feelings (calm, boredom, restlessness, sadness, etc.).
Label gently
- When something stands out, you can softly label it in your mind:
  - “Thinking”
  - “Worrying”
  - “Tightness in stomach”
  - “Hearing”
Then let it be, and come back to the breath or the whole body.
Use three phrases if helpful
- “Notice.” What is here right now?
- “Name.” Give it a simple label (thought, feeling, sensation).
- “Nurture.” Respond kindly (“It’s okay that this is here right now”).

Difference between meditation and mindful meditation

“Meditation” is the big umbrella for many practices (breath-focused, mantra, loving-kindness, body scan, visualization, etc.).

“Mindful meditation” is one specific style under that umbrella that emphasizes present-moment awareness and non-judgmental noticing.

You can meditate without much mindfulness (for example, repeating a phrase with less focus on body and feelings), but mindfulness meditation always includes awareness of what is happening right now.

Common problems and how to handle them

“I can’t stop thinking.” – You don’t have to. The aim is not to have zero thoughts, but to see thoughts more clearly and not be dragged around by them.

“I feel restless or bored.” – Treat restlessness and boredom as part of the practice: “Ah, restlessness is here.” Notice where you feel it in the body.

“I keep judging myself.” – When you notice self-criticism, label it gently (“judging,” “self-criticism”) and bring some kindness: “Learning any new skill is messy at first.”