What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation?

The current common understanding in the circle is that mindfulness is one of the branch practice methods of meditation. However, many traditional practitioners believe that the sources and goals of the two are completely different and cannot be simply classified into a subordinate relationship.

The goal of meditation that many people first come into contact with is mostly to "quiet the mind." It is best to not have any thoughts and live in a state of emptiness. When I first came into contact with meditation, I sat in meditation with my seniors and my legs were numb. I was still struggling with the to-do tasks that popped up in my mind. Whenever I had a thought, I scolded myself for not paying attention. At that time, I practiced more traditional concentration-type meditation. The core is to anchor the attention on a single object and finally achieve a state of calm without thoughts.

Originally, I always thought that all such exercises to adjust consciousness were called meditation. It was not until I came into contact with Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) that I discovered that it was completely different. The core of mindfulness is never "elimination of thoughts", but "non-judgmental awareness". For example, in the most daily scenario, when you are squeezing the subway to and from get off work, you don't have to sit upright with your eyes closed, you can feel the cold touch of the handrails in your hands, the voice announcing the station in your ears, or even the words "I'll be late later" pop up in your head. You don’t have to chase away the anxiety of "getting money deducted". Just like looking at the floating clouds in the sky, you know "Oh, I am worried about being late now", and then gently bring your attention back to the feeling of grabbing the armrest. There is no need to force yourself to "stop thinking" or pursue any empty state.

It is precisely because of this that many people who insist on traditional meditation practice do not accept the statement that "mindfulness belongs to meditation." In their understanding, traditional meditation mostly has a clear religious background and ultimate direction, such as the pursuit of transcendental goals such as enlightenment and liberation, and strict ritual requirements for practice. However, the mindfulness that is now exposed to the public is basically completely de-religious. The goal is to help people relieve anxiety, regulate emotions, and better deal with daily trivial matters. There is no limit to the practice scene. It can be practiced while walking, eating, or fishing. It is completely different from the core of traditional meditation. Being lumped into one category only blurs the boundaries between the two.

To be honest, after practicing for a long time, you will feel that if you put all this kind of exercises to adjust the state of consciousness into the big basket of "meditation", then mindfulness will be more like the "wild path" that is the least particular in the basket. Other meditations may be like classical concerts that require you to wear formal attire and listen quietly. Mindfulness is like the pop songs you listen to with headphones when you go downstairs for a walk. There are not so many thresholds, and there are not such high goals. It focuses on being comfortable in the moment. I practice both now. When I want to pursue deep calm, I sit for 40 minutes of traditional meditation. When I am anxious about my schedule and feel bald, I take 3 minutes to do a mindfulness breathing scan. Whatever it is called, it just suits my current needs.