Lesson six, meditation versus mindfulness. So what's the difference between the two? Some people use the terms meditation and mindfulness interchangeably, but there is a slight difference. Meditation is when you intentionally set aside time to quote, meditate, sitting in one place and practicing your chosen technique. Mindfulness is giving your undivided attention to what you're doing, as opposed to daydreaming or multitasking while doing it. So mindfulness can entail eating an apple and just eating the apple and nothing else.
It entails consciously selecting the apple, washing it, looking closely at it, biting into it and noticing the texture, the flavor, the sound it makes. As you chew it, enjoying it with no distractions. That's mindfulness. In today's Hurry up world, we are often multitasking and eating on the run. How often do we eat slowly and consciously and silently, really paying attention to the food that will be practicing mindfulness. Both meditation and mindfulness entail focus, and attempting to stop the extraneous 50,000 thoughts that may wander through our minds.
In an electronic world, we need the break. Some statistics reveal that the average American spends at least eight hours a day looking at some sort of electronic screen. Really trying to relax by watching TV doesn't really relax us. Mindfulness is being present, paying attention to your actions, your body and your surroundings and bringing your mind back when it wanders. Try making one meal a week a mindfulness exercise and rather than multitask while eating, just eat. Pay attention to the food to slowly notice texture, smell, sight and taste.
It slowly put down the fork between bites and breathe. You'll notice your fullness levels more and will be less likely to overeat. You can practice mindfulness while eating, exercising, gardening, washing dishes, or showering. Try doing just one thing at a time for a few days. In the shower, notice how the water flows out of the shower head and cascades down over your body. Consciously wash and rinse your body without daydreaming.
That's practicing mindfulness being totally In the present when my friend Tim Galway published the inner game of tennis in 1972. The book was a phenomenon and is still a best seller classic today. What it really taught was mindfulness and simple focus. quiet the mind. Observe the ball as it bounces on the way to you, and you hit it back, while repeating the mantra, bounce hit, to help keep you focused. being totally in the moment and focused is what makes professional athletes so good.
They're in the zone, and they're likely practicing mindfulness whether they know it or not. I like this quote from Sharon Salzberg. Mindfulness isn't difficult. We just need to remember to do it. Our next lesson is on finding the time to meditate.