Table 1.

Mindfulness intervention outline

Session 1: Introduction to mindfulness training - Awareness of Breath (AOB)
TOPIC	DURATION (minutes)
Instructor to start by introducing herself
• Why are we doing this? Introduction and discussion	10
• Awareness of Breath (AOB) exercise	5
• Q&A	10
• AOB (let’s do it again)	5
• Give MP3s/CDs to students
• Set up for home practice: How do you do it? How do you set up for success? When is the best time of the day for you?	5
• Students encouraged to practice AOB exercise during the following week with aid of digital recording - track 1 once a day
Teaching tip: The following points can be used to initiate/sustain discussion: Empowering effect of attention training: we are helping them to find this resource to focus and pay attention that they already have –but rarely is one taught HOW to pay attention. Now they are in training (examples from sport/music) Data showing usefulness of mindfulness/attention training for academic success, concentration, learning Practice enables them to choose where they place their attention and consequently, to be aware of their thoughts, emotion, decisions
Session 2: AOB/daily experience
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• Awareness of daily experience: exercise of paying attention to everyday activity (raisin exercise). This exercise subtly hints at “dietary habits” and connects students to pay attention to what they “take in”	5
• Q&A/introduce informal practice	10
• AOB exercise	10
• Students encouraged to practice AOB exercise during the following week with aid of digital recording - track 1 once a day
Session 3: Awareness of Sensations (AOS)
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• AOS: Students instructed to move awareness to different parts of the body in a systematic way, beginning with the toes and progressing to the top of the head, noticing whatever sensations happen to be present in that part of the body at that moment. Do both sides of the body at once – and do not focus on individual digits. End with short AOB exercise.	15
Teaching tip: A flashlight with a beam may be a good way to introduce AOS practice. First shifting the light in the room. The beam can be directed to different parts of the body to show shift of attention.
• Q&A	10
• Students encouraged to practice AOS exercise during the following week with aid of digital recording - track 2 once a day
Session 4: Introducing Everyday Practice/Awareness of Body Movement (ABM)
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• Glass of water or other non-alcoholic drink – exercise of mindful drinking (This exercise subtly hints at “dietary habits” and connects students to pay attention to what they “take in”)
Teaching tip: Point out to students that we are learning to become aware of activities that occur daily, but are not noticed. For example, when we are very thirsty, we are totally aware of the experience of drinking water. Now, we are learning to pay attention to the entire process of “drinking” …picking up the glass, the first sip, etc.	5
• Q&A	10
• AOB exercise, short AOS exercise - introduce ABM through guided standing or walking practice	10
• Students encouraged to practice AOS exercise during the following week with aid of digital recording - track 2 once a day
Session 5: AOB/AOS/ABM/Awareness of Sounds
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• Short AOB, short AOS + ABM, followed by awareness of sounds exercise	15
Teaching tip: Possible to introduce awareness of sounds with a few musical instruments, then open to ambient sounds. Explain what observing means: the sound itself (qualities like loud, soft, sudden…); the “naming”; the reaction to the sound (memories, associations, emotions…)
• Q&A	10
• Students instructed to practice this way of relating to their experience throughout the day and particularly to their experience of sounds. Students encouraged to practice with aid of digital –recording – track 3 once a day.
Teaching tip: Give examples. They can do this by stopping and listening, and opening to the sounds that are present in the environment at a given moment. They can try listening to a whole song this way.
Session 6: AOB/AOS/Awareness of Emotions
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• Short AOB, short AOS, followed by awareness of emotions exercise (observing the physical sensations, memories… associated with the emotion)	15
• Q&A
Teaching tip: A range of emotions needs to be included here. Those that are easy, those that are difficult. Familiar emotions, and the possibility of exploring a wider range of emotions that you have, but don’t notice.	10
• Students instructed to practice this mindful way of relating to their experience throughout the day and particularly to their experience of emotions. Students encouraged to practice with aid of study CD – track 3 once a day.
Session 7: AOB/AOS/Thoughts
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• Short AOB, short AOS, followed by awareness of thoughts exercise (observing the physical sensations, memories, emotions… associated with the thought)
Teaching tip: Offering the power of different thoughts— The thoughts of not being good enough, popular, or thoughts of being a caring, kind person. How do thoughts affect you? Get to know them more closely. They are not all true, but beginning to become familiar with them, is a source of great power in your life. You can see more clearly that you are more than your thoughts!	15
• Q&A	10
• Students instructed to practice this mindful way of relating to their experience throughout the day and particularly to their experience of thoughts. Students encouraged to practice with aid of study CD– track 3 once a day.
Session 8: Open Awareness
• Q&A related to practice in previous week	10
• Short AOB, short AOS, sounds, emotions, thoughts, open awareness. Students instructed to notice where the attention goes when it is not directed with open awareness.
Teaching tip: Metaphor of ocean and waves may be helpful. Like the ocean -- knowing the waves of sensation, thoughts, emotions, but also being the large, deep water. Allowing yourself to be still and know yourself despite all the coming and going, wanting and being satisfied…despite all the changes, we have the ability to attend, to know what is happening as it is happening.	15
• Q&A	10
• Students asked to practice this mindful way of relating to their experience during the day, and to bring this resource to all their experiences (pleasant and unpleasant ones). Instruct student to keep practicing with or without recording once a day.