Are Mindfulness and Meditation the Same? Understanding Mindfulness and Meditation

Have you ever felt anxious, overwhelmed, or as if life is moving too fast? Are you looking for a way to slow down and be more present? If so, mindfulness meditation may be a great option. Many meditation practices used by business leaders and athletes featured in the media are in fact contemporary mindfulness-based methods. You may have heard of mindfulness meditation, but what exactly is mindfulness? What does meditation mean in practice? Are mindfulness and meditation the same?

In this article, we aim to help you build a foundational understanding of the concept, benefits, and mechanisms of mindfulness meditation, along with practical guidance for getting started.

Whether you want to improve work efficiency, manage stress, or enhance quality of life, these basics can help you begin your mindfulness meditation journey.

In the sections that follow, we’ll explain this ancient yet modern mental training method in a clear and practical way.

Is Mindfulness the Same as Meditation? Definitions and Essence

Put simply,

“Mindfulness” is accurate awareness. “Meditation” is inner training. Inner training that uses accurate awareness as its method is “mindfulness meditation.”

Although the terms “mindfulness” and “meditation” are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. Let’s start with the most basic definitions:

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the contemporary translation of the term “mindfulness.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, who first introduced it into a modern framework, offered an operational definition in 1994: “The awareness that arises from paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” From this definition, we can understand mindfulness as an accurate awareness of inner states, including bodily sensations, emotional changes, and thoughts that arise. It invites a spacious, accepting attitude toward whatever is present, and can further cultivate insight into the nature of experience. More simply, mindfulness refers to an inner state of clear awareness and steady focus. Research shows that consistently cultivating mindfulness can improve emotion regulation, reduce perceived stress, and enhance cognitive functioning. However, reaching such a state requires systematic practice—just as physical training strengthens muscles—and these inner practices are what we call meditation.

What Is Meditation?

“Meditation” is a broad translation of the English term “meditation,” which has also been rendered as “contemplative practice,” “Zen practice,” “sitting practice,” or “quieting the mind,” among others. In earlier times, people might have associated meditation with mysticism. Today, however, across translated literature, books, and media, “meditation” is widely used and has become more universal and less tied to any particular tradition. In a 2007 paper on meditation and the brain, renowned neuroscientists Richard J. Davidson and Julie A. Brefczynski-Lewis clearly stated: “Meditation refers to a family of mental training practices that are designed to familiarize the practitioner with specific types of mental processes.” In other words, meditation is a general term for inner training. A more concise translation could be “training the mind” or “cultivation,” and in contemporary mindfulness courses it’s often called “mindfulness practice.” Because “meditation” has become the most familiar translation for the public, we use it here.

From another angle, since meditation is a broad umbrella term, it includes many types and lineages—yogic, hypnotherapeutic, religious, and more—each with its own aims and methods. When speaking of traditional meditation, many people think of religious or monastic practices.

The Integrated Concept of Mindfulness Meditation

Among the many forms of meditation, mindfulness meditation focuses on training attention and awareness. It emphasizes seeing experience as it is rather than imagining, carries no mystical framing, and has strong empirical support, which is why it’s embraced by mainstream contemporary society. As noted above, “mindfulness” is accurate awareness. “Meditation” is inner training. Inner training conducted through accurate awareness is “mindfulness meditation.” Mindfulness meditation can be practiced in stillness or in movement. It may involve seated practice with the breath or mindful movement and stretching to observe the body–mind state and sensations in the present moment. Regardless of the method, the core is a non-judgmental attitude that observes genuine changes in the body, emotions, and thoughts. With consistent practice, people can enhance concentration and self-awareness, which tangibly supports stress management and emotional regulation.

In summary, mindfulness is a state of present-moment attention that is clear and objective, while meditation broadly refers to the methods of practice.

Through objective, accurate observation, we cultivate clear awareness—that is mindfulness-based meditation.