The total time of the training is 39 weeks. The training focus changes every 13 weeks,
successively covering the three domains. Of the 13 weeks, eight are dedicated to teaching or
refining the contemplative practices of the module, and five are used to deepen the practices (no
new practices or content introduced). Participants always start with the Presence module. The
order of the other two modules (Affect and Perspective) is essentially interchangeable. All modules
begin with a three-day retreat. After this, participants meet with a team of teachers (usually two)
and their group for weekly sessions.
Each module features two core exercises that the participants are recommended to engage in on a
daily basis, for a minimum of 30 minutes. These exercises are designed to train the core processes
of the module, as specified in the model (
in this volume). They are introduced in the
retreat of the respective module and repeated in every weekly session. Additional exercises help to
deepen and widen the targeted skills and dispositions and foster their application in everyday life.
The training is supported by a web platform and a smartphone app, where audio files (guided
meditations) for the exercises can be downloaded.
To characterize the contents and procedure, we will describe the two core exercises of each
module and outline the topics and additional practices covered in the retreats and weekly sessions.
Presence
In this module, participants learn to acknowledge the reality of the present moment as it is. They
refine their abilities of observing what is going on inside of them, regarding both psychological
events (introspection) and bodily events (interoception), as well as of deliberately directing and
sustaining their attention. The two core exercises for this are Awareness of the Breath and a Body
Scan, both of which train central aspects of the abilities (Text Box I & II).
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