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This week's question asks: What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation? And, how do you practice each of these? Sometimes these two separate terms are used interchangeably; at other times, they are indeed one and the same. Sometimes meditation is mindfulness (and vice versa), though they can also stand alone. How do you understand these two terms to be different? Do you practice both mindfulness and meditation? Together or separately? Which (if one more than the other) do you feel more drawn towards? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

I'm curious if anyone has plans for Valentine's Day. Do you plan to do something special this year for it or not? I have a private yoga + meditation client coming to see me on Friday and she may bring her husband along. In any case, I think some type of metta meditation would be a nice inclusion to represent what this day symbolizes for a lot of people. Would anyone else have suggestions for a heart-centered yoga and meditation class?

Yes, a simple stop and breathe is what works best for me now. And when stressed I can tell because I take a lot of deep breathes at the same time. Usually a couple do it but if there are more, I have to lay down and really concentrate on breathing. It works.

Hi, I'm Kelly from Georgia. I am a wife, mother, nurse. I recently have been doing a lot of self-reflection and self-care and have decided to become a Health & Wellness Coach. As a nurse, I always took care of everyone else, but never myself. After a health scare, I realized that I had to make myself a priority. Developing a mindful mindset and incorporating self-care/meditation has been essential in decreasing my stress and making necessary changes in my life. I am looking forward to learning more from this community.

I think that mindfulness is a state of mind to strive towards. Mindful of our words, our deeds. Mindful of nature around us when we hike, mindful of an environment we find ourselves in (work, a bus station, a restaurant, etc). Mindfulness helps us remain present in our lives. Meditation helps us to quiet our minds so the mind/body connection can be strengthened, so we can find the space in our hearts and minds to work towards freedom of pain and suffering.

Hi Jonathan nice to have you on here. What is your website ?

Yes - here in Stockholm it's a bit backwards as well! It's snowed only a couple of times and only once did the snow stay. Days are much milder than I've heard they typically are in winter. A lot of people are saying that even though it's warmer, it's a heavier winter. The snow would brighten things up, whereas it's instead been dark and grey.

Thank you for sharing @Paige PIlege! What a beautiful expression of forgiveness and unconditional love

It is getting difficult with this weather and season changing. I think the planet is a little on the upside down. Where it should be warm it is colder. And colder it is warm. My son lives in North Carolina and they never wear tennis shoes. They were sandals year round. The past few years and today they have snow and have to wear snow boots. When it gets up to 50 degrees and stays a few days and then it drops to zero a week or so. It gets confusing within. My essence says, "open the winders for fresh air. and sunlight." But then it has to turn around and say, "nope, go to bed and read a bit more" it is still dark.

@Gillian [email protected] Yes, I resonate with this very much. Our parents did not have it very easy. Mine tried to move around and my dad ran his families business. We never had any money. My mom always wondered where it went. Dad's brother helping with the family business was taking all the money. But my folks did not see it until the brothers wife; she was in a wreck and the IRS came for him. Not having anything to start with. Nothing at the time and losing the business really took a toll on my dad. He was in the Vietnam War and came back a bitter angry man. He could not get help from the Vets Assoc. until we were already grown. It made a very big impact on their lives. At my dad's death bed he talked of his guys in the troops. Mom having us 5 kids and wanting to give us everything. They did not go out for anything. I remember a Rootbeer float once in awhile. They would have tears in their eyes and apologize in later years that we grew up like we did. As if they could have changed it. No they could not. Early on I expressed that they did what they knew to do. My eldest sister didn't see it that way. She had a whole different take on the growing up. Sorry I get windy writing. I do love to write. Yes we must FORGIVE them for acting childish ourselves thinking we deserved better. I didn't deserve better. There was worse going on. Counting my blessings. Nameste

I just begin and let my creativity flow. nothing special. I have done Literally 100 s of pictures. I love doing 2 colors and then just bold. Sometimes I end up with a picture I had no clue how would turn out. I love to color with markers. So far. I have not gotten into the shading yet. Maybe someday. My grand kids come over and also do them with me.

A lot of mindfulness-related notions and principles make a lot of sense when we're feeling balanced and, at minimum, 'okay.' But, it can be so hard to embody this knowing when anxiety or fear arises strongly. Does anyone have insights or specific practices that have proven helpful in these instances? I'm often amazed at how simple breath awareness - even for 10 seconds!! - can greatly reduce any feelings of stress and anxiety when it's risen. However, it's sometimes difficult to even remember this simple trick!

Hello, my name is Frances and I am happy to join this community. I am interested in learning more about mindfulness and incorporating it into my life.

I have been going to write a book or autobiography/memoir for a long time. I began writing seriously 2004. Journaling I started in 1982 the beginning of my adult life. Marriage. To say it was not a smooth one is an understatement, I am not sure what smooth or rough is for life. I have a feeling (empathic)past lives may have been harder. So I wrote a story about the very first tragedy I experienced. I worked at a state hospital on an locked unit. Admissions. People came in off medicines and evaluations took place. I was attacked by a patient with steaming water that burned me bad, I was in the hospital and went through weeks of whirlpools to peel my skin. Anyway, painful, shocking stuff. I would wake up crying and screaming in my sleep. so PTSD set in. Who wants to sleep with that thought. Over the years. I think it took 5-10 years and now it is barely a memory, that I let invade myself. Writing a story about it made it much easier to evaluate and let the emotions float along. It is over, there is no reason for it to affect me anymore. A lesson learned? There is hope and forgiveness. I changed from that point on. Blessings.

@Paige PIlege Thank you for sharing this story Paige. What a very challenging and frightening experience to say the very least. So have you written about it already and are going to turn it into a full book?

@Kbelle68 Welcome to the community! Thank you so much for this wonderful introduction, and it's lovely to see a face with the name It sounds like you're doing wonderful work (both within and for others). Have you already begun your coaching or are you still training? If you have a professional website, there's a thread where people are posting them (one member asked to see some of our members' websites for inspiration). If you feel like jumping in on any conversation, I'd love to hear more about your experience, practice, and insights. You can browse yourself, but here are a couple of our current topics: What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation? What led you to mindfulness? Icebreaker: What is one thing most people don't know about you? Looking forward to connecting with you here!

Mindfulness to me is being aware of what is in front of you, and then around you. Most present to whom you are talking to with great intense attention. Each action and movement carefully thought of before done. Instead of just automatic running around. Meditation is a stillness within. Although you can meditate when moving. Be put in a trans, per say. For me it is being totally still physically as well as mentally and consciously. Being able to process all emotions and thoughts one at a time and letting them go, until none are left. Both have saved my autistic tendencies. The racing mind, and the leaning to depression as in my DNA history.

Hi Cecilia, How are you? I hope this finds you well. I just noticed you are from Arizona! I will be there in April getting Qigong Certification. Do You do yoga or dancing type exercise?

I agree. It helps to know that each has a commonality in issues and life in general, as well as spiritualism. We have a great group here.

Thanks for sharing your insights @SweetPea! There are so many overlaps between the two. Just to see what would happen, I flipped your first two statements around in my head: "Mindfulness helps heal us from our past. Meditation can help us be present in the moment." I think that can be true too I also feel there is a difference in that mindfulness is something we can practice in any moment, whereas meditation is more of a formal practice (though mindfulness can be formal too of course). Meditation seems to be more broad since there are so many techniques - mindfulness being one of them.

Hi Gillian, I am completely new to mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness can help us be present in the moment. Meditation helps heal us from our past. Both help increase the size of our hippocampus and reduce the size and use of our amygdala.. mindfulness is about awareness of our senses and where we are feeling them in our body; meditation is about detachment from thoughts.

@Paige PIlege - This is all so lovely to hear. Yes I agree, it is wonderful when conversation flows - when mindful, honest responses and insights are added to this group. It helps us to recognize our shared humanity. That's certainly what this community is here for

Welcome David, it is wonderful to be able to share our lives with people that care. People that understand. People that are also going through the same things. It is great that you joined us and looking forward to chatting with you.

tylerdawn.com

Welcome @MatildeM! We're happy you've found us How did you stumble upon the community? I'd love to hear more about your experiences and insights. Browse the forum topics if you have something you'd like to share, or you might consider some of these current topics: What led you to mindfulness? What does self-love mean to you? How do you handle the political climate? I hope you have a beautiful day! Let me know if you have any questions about the community.

Welcome @Belinda Tucker! Wonderful to have you here Have you checked out the member map to see who else is here from Australia? https://www.mindfulnessexercises.com/community/membermap/

@luma has mentioned zentangles and mandalas before in our creative arts forum. She's also shared some of her work in one of the Mindful Art gallery. Might be someone to connect with for pointers!!

Beautiful @Spaglua. I think many of us have learned that 'no' is bad/mean/unkind/etc. But in reality, the 'right' answer (if there is such a thing) is what comes from our hearts - whether that's a 'yes' or a 'no'.

Hello again! We've actually had a member ask to see some personal websites that offer mindfulness-based services. Would you like to share this link again in this thread?

Hi Everyone! I’m a certified MBRP leader in the DFW area. Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention is a relatively new practice and there are fewer than 1,000 leaders worldwide. For me, meditation has been the cornerstone for my recovery and I honored to share this practice with others in treatment facilities and in community! My website is: www.mbrpnorthtexas.com

Oh! This also invites me to share that during kirtan when we chanted to a particular deity, I would connect more so with the meaning ('meaning' once again) and symbolism of that particular mantra/God/Goddess. So Ganesha, for instance, is about overcoming obstacles. I would connect with that energy within myself, and let the power of the music, devotion, and the group singing to move me

Thank you for your kind words. I think it's also worth keeping in mind that Dalai Lama himself always mentions that specific meditation techniques are not what makes Buddhism a religion and that he sees them as mind training and mind training can equally be useful to anyone regardless of their religion. Buddhism is a bit more complex than what we are used to in the West, and it encompasses its own psychology, epistemology, etc. And if you draw on psychology you are not using anything religious. And I agree with what you said - it's really all about meaning, and you can actually come up with a mantra that holds special meaning for you, so it will be spiritual and you won't have any doubts about it. At the end of the day, we all do something similar when we modify and create our own phrases to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. From my perspective as a teacher and a therapist, what's important is that when you use them ,you feel that they resonate with you. One of the way that I use to "judge" mantras and phrases is how my body reacts to them.

Thank you! Your insight is extremely helpful for me. I am a spiritual being that has felt somewhat trapped by conditioning. Somehow my idealistic nature sees a forest and not only a tree wants to capture TRUTH without limitations. So many spiritual teachers came through this world with so much good offered. Unfortunately guilt and fear (ego) got nurtured very young yet I want to breath light and God and embrace everything that feels right and healing. We all have our paths and I am learning slowly my identity that feels conflicted. I really like how you mentioned the word “meaning” ...that word is everything to me. It also inspired me to try to bring forth my own song of light. Something to create musically with meaning without voices of the past telling me what is right or wrong. I will explore as well the non specific mantras as you suggest too. Thank you!

Perhaps you don't have to use those complex mantras where meaning plays a role. For example, if I were Christian I wouldn't use mantras associated with deities like Blue Buddha or Green Tara. But there are plenty of mantras that are non-specific or even without meaning, so you can easily use those. On the other hand, Christianity also has its own version of mantra meditation, at least in Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. I read a little about it so I can't offer any in depth advice. I believe it's called monologistic prayer, where you use one word like "Lord" or "Jesus" or a verse and then repeat it a certain number of times. I don't know much more about it but maybe it's something you can research. I think it's really important to adjust your meditation practice to your spirituality if it's in any way possible, it will make it much more powerful and effective.

I discovered Mindful Art Journaling by Rachel Rose on her website or on vimeo under Workshop Muse, yesterday evening and today my first experience : the freedom to mix medium watercolors, a charcoal crayon and color crayons and back to watercolors , energizing effect now about 20 min later ( the picture shows it) also surprising how the « rational » mind at moments wanted to interfere, where the aim of the exercise / practice is to let things emerge as they unfold, letting the impulse bubble up and follow the movement of the hand for me like letting express what is there even if I don’t have words for it, let myself be surprised and go with the process, no results ( ie a production / picture which I might put up on the wall or offer to someone) requested … just let it unfold … Who knows maybe it will talk to you too ?

Welcome Maureen!! It's great to have you here. If there is anything you need, please let me know. In the meantime, feel free to jump in on any forum conversations as you feel called to. Also, what ages do you teach? The main reason I ask is because @luma had a great question a while back about teaching mindfulness to kids under the age of 8. Here's the question and thread: Have a great day!!

Your sharing was beautiful, thank you!

More so garden snakes are but if you head West you can see a rattler snake. But I'm thankful for winters then I don't see them at all

Hi Robyn! I love what you said about helping to reduce some of the suffering that comes with being a human being. Offering mindfulness services is truly a way of doing this. I also like the quote in the link to your page - "Mindfulness is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the quiet that is already there..." Is that your own image you have saved? If so, feel free to upload it in our Inspirational Quotes section.

I like your emphasis on my - what works for each one of us is truly personal!

Fantastic, thanks so much @Gillian Sanger!

I'm following this discussion & can't wait to learn more tips! I've actually had lifetime struggles with GAD and social phobia. Following a suggestion of trying guided meditations led me here. I'd love to try this. Are there any additional resources for breath awareness you might be able to link me to? (I'm learning!) I did find a fantastic guided meditation but I don't always have 30 uninterrupted min when I need it most.