Difference Between Mindfulness And Yoga

Difference Between Mindfulness And Yoga

By Marc Gordon - November 27, 2021

If you are unfamiliar with yoga and mindfulness, you probably think mindfulness meditation is just a synonym for yoga. Although both activities aim to quiet the mind teaching you to pay attention to your bodily sensations, they are still very different.

Table Summary

YogaMindfulness
Physical, mental, and spiritual disciplinesMental training practice
Silhouette of a woman practicing yoga

Getty Images / Getty Images News / Phil Walter

Definitions

Mindfulness is a form of meditation in which you focus on being present in the moment and being aware of what you are feeling, without interpretation or judgment. This mental training practice aims to create a sense of awareness by using guided imagery, breathing exercises and other types of meditation to relax the body and the mind.

Yoga, on the other hand, is a spiritual science that has been practiced for thousands of years. Its goal is the liberation from all forms of materialistic limitations. Nowadays, some people practice yoga simply to maintain their physical fitness – but that is only one of the aspects of the millennia-old practice. Yoga combines physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines to strengthen concentration and determination.

Yoga VS Mindfulness

While yoga combines physical, mental and spiritual disciplines, mindfulness is a form of meditation. Both aim to quiet the mind by teaching you to pay attention to your bodily sensations without interpretation or judgment, but yoga’s end goal is the liberation from all forms of materialistic limitations.

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