Mindfulness Myths

  • While mindfulness and meditation are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. Mindfulness is a state of awareness in the present moment, being able to pay attention to thoughts, feelings and sensations without judgement. It is a way of existing in the world that can be cultivated through various practices, including meditation. Meditation is a specific technique for training the mind. There are many forms of meditation including concentration meditation, transcendental meditation. Concentration meditation, which is commonly practiced when cultivating attention and awareness for mindfulness, where you focus on a specific object (anchor), get lost in thought, then come back to chosen anchor. While you can cultivate mindfulness through meditation, it is not that same as meditation. Other ways of practicing mindfulness includes mindful breathing, mindful walking, and mindful eating.

  • Mindfulness is a secular practice that has roots in Buddhist meditation, but it is not limited to any particular religious or spiritual belief system. You do not need to believe or subscribe to any belief system- rather it is a way of being in the world. Even Buddha said “ehipassiko” which means “come see for yourself”. Take the wisdom and insights and try it out in the laboratory of your own life.

  • While mindfulness meditation can reduce the intensity, duration and frequency of thoughts during meditation, mindfulness meditation is not about clearing your mind. As humans, we have about 70,000 thoughts a day. With mindfulness meditation, we are learning to cultivate an awareness and understanding of our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When we let go of the misconception that we have to “clear our mind”, we can become the observer of our thoughts and emotions, which creates some space between us and our emotions, giving us the power to be able to make choices.

  • While mindfulness can help reduce anxiety and stress, the purpose of mindfulness is to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of our thoughts, feelings and emotions and how we relate to ourselves, others and to the world. is learning how to go from a reactive mind to a responsive mind.

Generalizations, stereotypes, and a lack of accessible education about mindfulness mean most people don’t actually know what the practice really is.

Mindfulness is not…

Relaxation—While we can feel relaxed during some meditations, relaxation is not the goal. Mindfulness is learning how to be with whatever is, not resisting not clinging, just letting be without getting swept away, which will naturally lead to feeling more calm and relaxed.

Religion—While these practices and philosophies are based in Buddhist teachings and traditions, these practices are a way of living. If you are spiritually inclined, these practices can become a part of our own way of being. No one is asking you to believe anything but try it in the lab of your own life.

A technique or a “quick fix”—This is a way of living and it is a practice. Liking going to the gym to build muscle, you have to have a routine and commitment to create lasting benefit. You may start to see changes relatively quickly but the more you embody these practices, the more benefit you will see.

Refer back to our Definitions page to learn more about what Mindfulness is.