The Difference Between Meditation and Meditative Activities
By Arden Martin
Have you ever heard someone say, “Hiking is my meditation” or “Gardening is my meditation?” Maybe it’s knitting, distance running, or sipping coffee at sunrise. These activities all have something in common: Many people find them to be meditative, but they are not meditation. Read on the learn the difference.
What Is a Meditative Activity?
A meditative activity is one that quiets the mind. How does it quiet the mind? It may be through focus (as in knitting), intensity (as in distance running), or silence (as in sipping coffee at sunrise). In all cases, your mind gets absorbed in something and falls silent. You might feel like you “lose yourself ” in the activity, meaning you transcend your individuality and feel a connection to something bigger. Even if you’re not able to articulate why the experience is meditative, you just know it feels good.
Tapping into a meditative state through activities is a great thing, but it’s not the same thing as meditation.
What Makes Meditation Different?
Meditation is not an activity, it’s a practice in doing nothing — and it’s always rooted in stillness. Note that stillness is not the same as silence: Some focus-based meditation practices require silence, while effortless techniques like Vedic Meditation can be practiced in any environment. Regardless, the foundation of any meditation practice is stillness. In this way, meditation is not an activity — it’s purposeful inaction.
When you practice sitting in stillness, you don’t just quiet your mind. You also practice sitting with your thoughts and subsequently develop a healthier, more neutral relationship with them. And perhaps most importantly, you practice sitting with yourself in your simplest form of awareness, without an activity to distract you. Although this can be uncomfortable, it gets easier with time and brings the priceless benefit of increased self-love.
Is Meditation More Challenging Than Doing a Meditative Activity?
It depends on the technique! We often hear people say, “I could never sit still and meditate, so I knit/run/fill-in-the-blank instead.” When people believe that meditation requires focus, or a natural ability to quiet the mind, they feel intimidated and resist it entirely. Although some forms of meditation do require focus and concentration, Vedic Meditation is virtually effortless. When practicing Vedic Meditation, you gently think a sound, or mantra, silently in the mind. We teach you how to think the mantra effortlessly, so there’s no need to focus on it or block out other thoughts. When done correctly, Vedic Meditation feels easeful and deeply restful, while also helping you cultivate a healthier relationship with your thoughts and sense of self.
Is There Room for Both?
Yes! We encourage you to find meditative activities and a meditation technique that you genuinely enjoy, because they each allow you to tap into different mental states that are uniquely beneficial. Make time for both on a regular basis, and you'll enjoy a greater sense of wellbeing that carries over into every area of your life.
Our Favorite Meditative Activities
While The Spring Team is in total agreement about our favorite way to meditate, we have different preferences when it comes to meditative activities.
A few of our faves:
Arden loves gardening in the warmer months, and meditative drawing is a cozy activity she does all year round. Having taken Marisa’s Meditative Drawing class, she has a few techniques she can practice on her own whenever the urge strikes.
Rick’s favorite meditative activities are exercise and yoga. He also loves to “lose himself” in the process of preparing a meal or enjoying a great live performance.
What are some activities that allow you to get absorbed and experience a more expansive, unbounded state of mind? We encourage you to make time for them alongside your stillness practice. By combining meditation with meditative activities you truly love, you’ll maximize the benefits of each. Let us know how it goes!
Questions? Comments? Email us and connect with The Spring Team.
Not a Vedic meditator yet? Here’s how to learn.