Meditation vs Mindfulness: What's the Difference?

Meditation and mindfulness get used as if they are the same thing, and most people quietly nod along without being sure what either one really means. They are related, but they are not identical, and once you see the difference, both become far easier to actually do. Here is the plain version. It is educational and not medical advice.

A note from Rachael, our founder. To me these really are two distinct practices. Mindfulness is my day to day: my actions, thought out and considered, and the way I think about myself and the world around me. Before a big phone call or meeting, or before reacting to a problem, I take a moment to clear my head, consider the right action, and speak to myself kindly and thoughtfully. I do the same with my work, always considering the best outcome. One of my favourite ideas comes from my mentor John Chancellor, in his book Words to Live and Work By. In a short piece called "When Things Go Wrong", he talks about reframing your thinking from event, then response, then outcome, to event, then outcome, then response. I think of that every single day; in every moment, the outcome matters. I see meditation differently. It is learning to quiet your mind, clear the chatter, and focus on one thing at a time, often just yourself, letting your mind rest on that one thing for a little while. I believe a regular practice genuinely reshapes the brain over time, and I think of it as looking after my mind for cognitive longevity.

The short answer

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention. Meditation is how you practise it. One is a quality you can bring to any moment of your day; the other is a dedicated session you set aside time for. Think of meditation as the training, and mindfulness as the thing you are training for.

What mindfulness actually is

The teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn, who brought mindfulness into mainstream healthcare, defines it as the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. In plain terms, it is simply noticing what is happening right now, on purpose, without rushing to label it good or bad. You do not need to sit down or close your eyes. You can be mindful while you drink your morning tea, walk to the car, or listen to someone talk. It is a quality of attention, available any time you remember to use it.

What meditation actually is

Meditation is the formal practice. You set aside a few minutes, choose something to focus on such as your breath, and gently bring your attention back each time it wanders. Mindfulness meditation, where the breath is your anchor, is the most common type, but as the Mayo Clinic notes, there are many others, from a slow body scan to a repeated word or phrase. Meditation is the dedicated session where you build the skill. If mindfulness is good posture, meditation is the time at the gym that makes good posture feel natural.

How they fit together

This is the part worth understanding. Meditation is where you train the muscle, and mindfulness is where you use it. A few quiet minutes of meditation each morning make it easier to catch yourself and come back to the present later in the day, when the inbox is full, and the house is loud. And those small mindful moments through the day give your meditation a point. One feeds the other, so you do not have to choose between them.

So which should you start with

Honestly, both, and they are easier together than apart. Start with a short daily meditation to build the skill. Our companion guide on how to start meditating walks you through it in five simple steps. Then sprinkle mindfulness through your day, one ordinary act at a time: a cup of tea you actually taste, or a walk where you notice the air instead of your phone. If letting go of busy thoughts is the hard part for you, we wrote about that too in a simple mindfulness practice for letting go of thoughts.

Where scent helps with both

Because smell reaches the brain's emotional centre quickly, a consistent scent is a simple way to signal each practice to your body. Many people pair the formal sit with our grounding Meditation Blend in a ceramic diffuser, so the aroma becomes a cue that it is time to settle. For mindful moments on the move, the uplifting Mindfulness Blend and its matching Mindfulness Roller make an easy daytime anchor: a quick breath and a scent to bring you back to the present. The Meditation Roller does the same job for your sit if you would rather not run a diffuser.

A simple way to try both this week

Keep it small. Each morning, sit for three minutes and follow your breath, with your chosen scent as the cue. Then pick one everyday act and do it mindfully: really taste your first cup of tea, or take a short walk and notice five things around you. That is meditation and mindfulness, working as a pair, in under five minutes a day.

The takeaway

Meditation is the practice. Mindfulness is the way of living it carries into the rest of your day. You do not need to pick a side or master either one. You just need to start small, stay consistent, and let the two support each other.