--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Meditation is really a non-doing. It is…" description: "\"Meditation is really a non-doing. It is the only human endeavor I know of being where you already are.\" — Jon Kabat-Zinn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/691/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_doing_meditation-is-really-a-non-doing-it-is-t_1340547.png" --- # Meditation is really a non-doing. It is the only human… ![“Meditation is really a non-doing. It is the only human endeavor I know of being where you already are.” quote by Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/691/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_doing_meditation-is-really-a-non-doing-it-is-t_1340547.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/691/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_doing_meditation-is-really-a-non-doing-it-is-t_1340547.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/691/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_doing_meditation-is-really-a-non-doing-it-is-t_1340547.png) > “Meditation is really a non-doing. It is the only human endeavor I know of being where you already are.” [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meditation is described as non-action, a state where one simply is, highlighting presence over doing. **In simple terms:** Meditation is being, not doing. Key Takeaway Practice presence without effort. Themes mindfulness meditation presence Mood calm centered Type mindfulness spiritual When to use this quote - stress reduction - focus training - spiritual practice Key Concepts non-doing awareness being Questions to Reflect On - How can you experience presence in daily tasks? - What does “already are” feel like? A Different Perspective Non-doing can be mistaken for laziness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-human-1808012/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Human Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-endeavor-347461/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Meditation Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation-really-309650/) [Non Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-doing-1497564/) ## Related quotes > [Non-doing has nothing to do with being indolent or passive. Quite the contrary. It takes great courage and energy to cultivate non-doing, both in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/non-doing-has-nothing-to-do-with-being-indolent-or-passive-quite-the/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Sometimes I feel that I am a natural born genius in a field of human endeavor that hasn't been invented yet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/sometimes-i-feel-that-i-am-a-natural-born-genius-in-a-field-of-human/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [Wishing and dreaming are the beginning of all human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/wishing-and-dreaming-are-the-beginning-of-all-human-endeavor/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-most-important-human-endeavor-is-the-striving-for-morality-in-our-2/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Space is not an enterprise that belongs to the U.S. or to Russia or to China - it is a human endeavor and experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/space-is-not-an-enterprise-that-belongs-to-the-u-s-or-to-russia-or-to/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-important-human-endeavor-is-the-striving-for-morality-in-our/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [No effort is complete without prayer - without definite recognition that the best human endeavor is of no effect if it has not God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-effort-is-complete-without-prayer-without-definite-recognition/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My theory is 98 percent of all human endeavor is killing time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/my-theory-is-98-percent-of-all-human-endeavor-is-killing-time/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [Compared to war, all other forms of human endeavor shrink to insignificance. God help me, I do love it so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/compared-to-war-all-other-forms-of-human-endeavor-shrink-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [After all, crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/after-all-crime-is-only-a-left-handed-form-of-human-endeavor/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [However gemlike mathematical truths may be, research is but a human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-david-burton/however-gemlike-mathematical-truths-may-be-research-is-but-a-human/) [H. David Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-david-burton/) > [Meditation is really just quieting yourself enough so you can get in touch with your own inner wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/meditation-is-really-just-quieting-yourself-enough-so-you-can-get-in/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [I try my best to take out time for exercise and also meditation, it really brings me peace of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shriya-saran/i-try-my-best-to-take-out-time-for-exercise-and-also-meditation-it/) [Shriya Saran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shriya-saran/) > [Meditation really helps create not only a sense of balance... but serenity and kind of a calm state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-mendes/meditation-really-helps-create-not-only-a-sense-of-balance-but/) [Eva Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-mendes/) > [I'm not prescribing non-doing as a universal response to our problems. Sometimes, something obviously needs to be done. And we retreat into a spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/i-m-not-prescribing-non-doing-as-a-universal-response-to-our-problems/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) ## More by Jon Kabat-Zinn > [Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the-notion-of-a-fixed-destiny-it/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Living in a chronic state of unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/living-in-a-chronic-state-of-unawareness-can-cause-us-to-miss-much-of/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/mindfulness-means-moment-to-moment-non-judgmental-awareness-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Paying attention and awareness are universal capacities of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/paying-attention-and-awareness-are-universal-capacities-of-human/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“One practical way to do this is to look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/one-practical-way-to-do-this-is-to-look-at-other-people-and-ask/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“dwell in stillness and to observe without reacting and without judging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/dwell-in-stillness-and-to-observe-without-reacting-and-without-judging/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/the-little-things-the-little-moments-they-aren-t-little/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/arriving-someplace-more-desirable-at-some-future-time-is-an-illusion/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/give-yourself-permission-to-allow-this-moment-to-be-exactly-as-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non-2/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Science gave me a cosmic religious feeling, and I would get the same feeling when I was dragged to the Met and the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/science-gave-me-a-cosmic-religious-feeling-and-i-would-get-the-same/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them… Without knowing it, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/look-at-other-people-and-ask-yourself-if-you-are-really-seeing-them/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“In fact, even if distraction does alleviate your pain or help to cope with it some of the time, bringing mindfulness to it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/in-fact-even-if-distraction-does-alleviate-your-pain-or-help-to-cope/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) [Explore all 252 Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## More Doing quotes > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [If I'm not thinking about you then I am texting you , if I am not texting you then I am on the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-not-thinking-about-you-then-i-am-texting-you-if-i-am-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [.\*. why u hate me..Bitches be doing the most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty/why-u-hate-me-bitches-be-doing-the-most/) [Kitty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. 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