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Objectives <p>In this commentary on “Defining Mindfulness: A Review of Existing Definitions and Suggested Refinements” by Chems-Maarif et al., (2025) in <i>Mindfulness 16</i>(1), 1-20, we started by providing an alternative perspective on the variety of ways the term mindfulness&#xa0;is used within scientific approaches. We then illustrated the impact that this diversity of definitions can have on the number of&#xa0;practices labelled as mindfulness. Our aim was to propose an alternative solution for uniting the research community around a&#xa0;definition.</p> Method <p>To do so, we used several examples and comparisons to demonstrate the multitude of meanings and practices attributed to&#xa0;the term mindfulness when used in the scientific literature.</p> Results <p>We asserted that this term encompasses a variety of notions, ranging from references to modern or traditional vipassanā,&#xa0;inclusion or exclusion of meditations linked to samatha, the notion of decentering, sometimes describing attention as bare and&#xa0;sometimes as conceptual, including certain qualities such as curiosity, equanimity or absence of judgement, and at other times&#xa0;mobilising notions of intention. The practices associated with mindfulness are just as varied. Furthermore, this field of research may&#xa0;be adversely affected.</p> Conclusions <p>To conclude, instead of agreeing on a definition, we proposed to use mindfulness as a hyperonym and recommended&#xa0;three directions of work: (1) clearly define the exercises used in studies; (2) develop a nomenclature of meditations; (3) develop&#xa0;studies on the different types of meditation.</p>

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Are the Words Mindfulness and Meditation Interchangeable? How Did We Get There?

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月15日

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  • Christophe Marion,
  • Florence Spitzenstetter-Hari

摘要

Objectives

In this commentary on “Defining Mindfulness: A Review of Existing Definitions and Suggested Refinements” by Chems-Maarif et al., (2025) in Mindfulness 16(1), 1-20, we started by providing an alternative perspective on the variety of ways the term mindfulness is used within scientific approaches. We then illustrated the impact that this diversity of definitions can have on the number of practices labelled as mindfulness. Our aim was to propose an alternative solution for uniting the research community around a definition.

Method

To do so, we used several examples and comparisons to demonstrate the multitude of meanings and practices attributed to the term mindfulness when used in the scientific literature.

Results

We asserted that this term encompasses a variety of notions, ranging from references to modern or traditional vipassanā, inclusion or exclusion of meditations linked to samatha, the notion of decentering, sometimes describing attention as bare and sometimes as conceptual, including certain qualities such as curiosity, equanimity or absence of judgement, and at other times mobilising notions of intention. The practices associated with mindfulness are just as varied. Furthermore, this field of research may be adversely affected.

Conclusions

To conclude, instead of agreeing on a definition, we proposed to use mindfulness as a hyperonym and recommended three directions of work: (1) clearly define the exercises used in studies; (2) develop a nomenclature of meditations; (3) develop studies on the different types of meditation.