Ancient wisdom.
Modern science.
Measurable change.

Highlights:‌ This systematic review and meta-analysis found that mindfulness-based interventions improved fullness awareness and reduced eating prompted by external cues and impulsive food choices. Effects on emotional eating and binge eating were not statistically significant. The findings support eating awareness while showing that benefits vary across behaviors. Kao et al. (2025 issue; published online 2024), Obesity Reviews. Original article: Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on obesogenic eating behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. This review did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ A review of 24 controlled studies involving 1,920 adults found a small reduction in craving intensity with mindfulness-based interventions. Craving frequency did not significantly change, and the certainty of evidence was rated low. The findings suggest that mindfulness may help some people relate differently to cravings, rather than prevent them entirely. Allameh et al. (2025), BMC Psychology. Original article: Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on food craving in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. This review did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ In a randomized trial of 194 adults with obesity, adding mindfulness training to a diet-and-exercise program increased mindful eating compared with the same program without mindfulness. Within the mindfulness group, greater increases in mindful eating were associated with reduced sweet-food consumption. This was a multicomponent program; the findings do not isolate a brief eating exercise or establish benefits for every population. Mason et al. (2016), Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Original article: Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on mindful eating, sweets consumption, and fasting glucose levels in obese adults: data from the SHINE randomized controlled trial. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ A small randomized trial found that an eight-week Mind-Eat program improved mindful eating and emotional and external eating more than usual education based on intuitive eating principles. Only 46 of 66 randomized adults were included in the main analysis, and follow-up lasted 12 weeks. Weight, stress, anxiety, and depression did not differ between groups. Van Beekum et al. (2026), International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Original article: The mind-eat program leads to greater improvements in mindful, emotional, and external eating compared to intuitive eating-oriented education in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized controlled trial. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ Self-soothing touch may help ease stress and fatigue in the moment.

Highlights:‌ In a randomized trial of 159 healthy young adults, self-soothing touch and receiving a hug reduced cortisol responses to a laboratory stressor compared with a control condition. Heart rate and self-reported stress did not differ between groups. The findings suggest a potential effect on physiological stress responses, rather than guaranteed feelings of calm. Dreisoerner et al. (2021), Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology. Original article: Self-soothing touch and being hugged reduce cortisol responses to stress: A randomized controlled trial on stress, physical touch, and social identity. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ A randomized trial of 135 university students tested a brief self-compassionate touch practice against a finger-tapping control. The main analysis found no significant group effects. In a smaller analysis of participants who practiced regularly, self-compassion, stress, and mental health symptoms improved more with self-compassionate touch. These findings are preliminary and do not establish benefits for everyone. Susman et al. (2024), Behaviour Research and Therapy. Original article: Daily micropractice can augment single-session interventions: A randomized controlled trial of self-compassionate touch and examining their associations with habit formation in US college students. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ In a preregistered randomized trial of 497 adults, adding habit-formation support to a daily self-compassionate touch practice improved practice frequency, habit strength, and self-compassion over three to six months. Mental health symptoms also improved more at six months. Both groups learned touch, so the study tests the added value of habit support rather than touch versus no practice. Susman et al. (2026), Scientific Reports. Original article: Habit-formation strategies enhance long-term outcomes of a self-compassionate touch micropractice: a randomized controlled trial. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ A systematic review covering 212 studies, including 137 in its meta-analysis, found that touch interventions benefited several physical and mental health outcomes. Adult findings included reductions in pain, anxiety, and depressive feelings. The studies involved varied forms of received touch, often massage; they do not establish the same effects for guided self-touch. Small-study bias and difficulties blinding participants limit certainty. Packheiser et al. (2024), Nature Human Behaviour. Original article: A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions. This review did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ In a brain-imaging experiment involving 32 participants, a gentle stroking gesture from another person reduced experimentally induced pain in a low-pain condition more than a tapping gesture. The study helps explain how comforting touch may influence pain processing. It tested received touch and short-term laboratory pain, rather than self-touch or treatment of chronic pain. Original article: Social Touch Reduces Pain Perception—An fMRI Study of Cortical Mechanisms (2023). This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ Putting emotions into words can change how the brain responds to emotional information. This study found reduced amygdala activity when participants labeled emotions in negative images, offering a scientific foundation for naming feelings during a check-in. Lieberman et al. (2007), Psychological Science. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ In a study involving people afraid of spiders, naming feelings during exposure led to lower physiological fear responses at follow-up. Participants did not report greater reductions in fear, suggesting that bodily responses and perceived feelings can change differently. Kircanski, Lieberman & Craske (2012), Psychological Science. This study did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ This review explores decentering—recognizing thoughts and feelings as passing experiences. It examines how becoming aware of thoughts, identifying with them less strongly, and responding less automatically may support mental wellbeing. Bernstein et al. (2015), Perspectives on Psychological Science. This review did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ This influential theoretical paper proposes that mindfulness involves intention, attention, and attitude. It provides a framework for understanding why noticing your current experience and clarifying what matters to you may be useful parts of a wellness check-in. Shapiro, Carlson, Astin & Freedman (2006), Journal of Clinical Psychology. This is a proposed model, rather than a trial of a check-in, and did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ A meta-analysis of 94 independent tests found that specific if–then plans improved goal attainment. The findings support connecting an intention with a practical next step, such as choosing when and where to complete a wellbeing practice. Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. This research concerns action planning and did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ Across 138 randomized studies involving nearly 20,000 participants, interventions that encouraged progress monitoring improved goal attainment. This supports reflecting on whether a practice helped you move toward your intended outcome. Harkin et al. (2016), Psychological Bulletin. This research concerns progress monitoring and did not evaluate Soul Sanctuary.

Highlights:‌ Improved metabolic markers, cardiovascular health, pain, and stress.

Highlights:‌ Reduced perceived stress and improved emotional resilience.

Highlights:‌ Significant reduction in anxiety, depression, rumination, and stress biomarkers.

Highlights:‌ Increased gray matter, improved cognition and emotional regulation.

Highlights:‌ Enhances balance, flexibility, sleep, vitality, and strength.

Highlights:‌ Guided virtual yoga can support back function, pain management, and sleep.

Highlights:‌ Lowers cortisol and enhances immune markers.

Highlights:‌ Improves HRV and mood regulation.

Highlights:‌ Improves proprioception, functional mobility, and fall prevention.

Highlights:‌ Improvements in mood, sleep, anxiety, emotional well-being.

Highlights:‌ Preliminary evidence suggests regular Qi Gong may support mood and aspects of cognitive function in older adults.

Highlights:‌ Reduces PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and sleep issues.

Highlights:‌ Boosts parasympathetic activity, HRV, and relaxation.

Highlights:‌ Improves vagal tone and reduces anxiety.

Highlights:‌ Enhances attention, memory, emotional stability.

Highlights:‌ Brief daily breathing practices can support mood and reduce physiological arousal.

Highlights:‌ Improves self-regulation and reduces stress.

Highlights:‌ Supports vagal tone, emotional flexibility, and resilience.

Highlights:‌ Improves interoception, emotional regulation, trauma processing.

Highlights:‌ Enhances mood, emotional expression, body awareness.

Highlights:‌ A brief mindfulness practice may support attention and reduce mental distraction.

Highlights:‌ Reduces state anxiety and supports calm.

Highlights:‌ Reductions in tension, anxiety, anger, and fatigue.

Highlights:‌ Supports grounding and emotional regulation, especially for trauma.

Highlights:‌ Reduces stress-related physiological markers.

Highlights:‌ Preliminary research suggests structured sound meditation may support relaxation and stress management.

Highlights:‌ Improves balance, gait mechanics, and proprioception.

Highlights:‌ Increases emotional well-being and body awareness.

Highlights:‌ Reduces pain, improves function and mobility.

Highlights:‌ Increased trunk stability, posture correction, and movement efficiency.

Highlights:‌ Pilates can support physical function and confidence in movement.

Highlights:‌ Reduces pain perception through non-opioid neural pathways.

Highlights:‌ Lowers inflammation and strengthens immune signaling.

Highlights:‌ Measurable improvements in attention after brief training.

Highlights:‌ Reduces depression, anxiety, and stress across populations.

Highlights:‌ Increases cortical thickness in attention and emotional regulation networks.

Highlights:‌ Digital meditation can reduce perceived stress and support workplace well-being.