Mindfulness-Based Intervention
STRETCHES
The mindfulness-based intervention consisted of 10 weeks of individual attention-focused mindfulness meditation practice. One of the core practices was breathing meditation, which is a 12.5-minute individual exercise that requires participants to focus their attention on the sensations of breathing. Participants have to sustain their attention on their breath for long stretches of time. When their minds wander, participants are instructed to return their attention to their breath. Participants also engaged in other practices, such as attention-based mindfulness of sounds (the object of attention are sounds in the environment) and open-presence meditation (the object of attention are sensations present in the inner and outer environment). Daily practice of the meditation was guided by prerecorded audios. The exercise begins with participants being asked to sit in a comfortable position that makes them relaxed yet keeps them awake and aware. They are asked to focus on the sensation of their current body placement and position and cultivate an attitude of dignity and receptivity toward themselves and their bodies. The key focus of these practices is on training present-moment attention and interoceptive body awareness.