Practice is... [fill in the blank]

Quick answer: Mindfulness practice is the ongoing effort to become aware of the present moment without clinging to it—and it is not the same thing as meditation. Not all meditations are mindfulness, and not all mindfulness is meditation; what matters most is building a non-reactive, present, balanced way of living rather than getting stuck on definitions.

In the third episode of the Mindfulness Off the Cushion podcast, we pick up right where episode two left off: defining the term "practice" as it applies to meditation and mindfulness. Lance kicked off the conversation with a pop quiz of sorts—questions worth pondering as you read: Practice is... fill in the blank. Practice is important because... fill in the blank. Is mindfulness the same as meditation? And when we sit in formal meditation, are we actually practicing mindfulness?

What is mindfulness practice?

Mindfulness practice can be understood as two not-so-simple steps: becoming aware of the present, and not clinging to the present.

That framing, which Claudio paraphrases from Insight Meditation Society co-founder Joseph Goldstein, sat alongside Christina's warmer definition—practice as the creation of a capacity for love and attachment. However we define it, we all agreed on one point: mindfulness practice is important to living a more balanced, non-reactive, present life. We can work with our very human habit-making nature by deliberately building more constructive habits, mindfulness practice being one of many. Practice provides a useful framework for understanding—and accepting—what it is to be human.

Is mindfulness the same as meditation?

No—meditation and mindfulness are neither mutually inclusive nor mutually exclusive: not all meditations are mindfulness, and not all mindfulness is a meditation.

Take soundbathing meditation, where participants lie down and relax while musicians play gongs, bells, and tuning forks meant to calm and cleanse the mind. That experience may contribute to a more mindful state for some, but it isn't necessarily a mindfulness practice. The same goes for kundalini meditation, rooted in Hindu tradition, which involves prescribed yoga poses, mudras, mantra repetition, and deep breathing. Both may encourage mindfulness without being mindfulness practice in themselves. The two words simply aren't synonyms—and admitting that took us a bit of good-natured backtracking.

Are we practicing mindfulness when we meditate?

It depends—practice is both a verb and a noun, and formal meditation only becomes mindfulness practice when awareness stays engaged.

If you're doing a body scan meditation and your mind, though it naturally wanders, stays committed and attentive to each step—are you practicing? Are you being mindful? Now take the reverse: someone spends the entire sit thinking about hotdogs, drifting from the condiments to the bun to grilled versus broiled. Are they still practicing mindfully? These philosophical, if silly, questions led us to an important realization: overthinking the semantics may actually disrupt the intention behind mindfulness. If we're consumed with judging what does and doesn't count as practice, we're getting in our own way. The real question is how to practically and efficiently learn these tools to ease suffering and allow greater balance and acceptance in life.

Why does letting go of rigid definitions help?

Letting go of rigidity and judgment about definitions frees the conversation—and the practice—to move into more practical, experiential territory.

Once we made that commitment, our discussion ranged from the mind-body connection, to clinical situations where acceptance may actually be counterproductive, to the representation of mental illness in graphic novels, to personal experiences with trauma that led to feelings of gratitude. Whether you call it a meditation practice or mindful living, our vulnerability is enhanced when we are more present and aware of our conditions—and that vulnerability is a strength. It lets us see and be with the emotions that arise in us and in others, and stay grounded in our bodies and our realities. This is also the heart of mindfulness-based therapy.

Practice, practicing, or otherwise—we're learning together

Practice is awareness of the present without clinging to it; it's a noun and a verb; and it matters far more that we do it than that we define it perfectly. No matter your mindfulness experience, we are all learning together—and looking for help in your daily dance with suffering is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Getting started. If you'd like support building a mindfulness practice that actually fits your life, our mindfulness therapy team in Austin can help.

Frequently asked questions

Is mindfulness the same as meditation?

No. The two are neither mutually inclusive nor exclusive—not all meditations (like soundbathing or kundalini) are mindfulness, and mindfulness can be practiced entirely off the meditation cushion.

Does my mind wandering during meditation mean I'm doing it wrong?

No. Minds naturally wander; what matters is remaining committed to the practice and gently returning attention. Overthinking what "counts" as mindfulness can get in the way of the practice itself.

Why is mindfulness practice important?

Practice supports a more balanced, non-reactive, present life. It helps us build constructive habits and offers a framework for understanding and accepting what it is to be human.

Get started with a therapist at Austin Mindfulness Center—in person in Austin or online across Texas.