Understanding Mind-Body Experience from the Perspective of Interoceptive Awareness: A 21-Day Embodied Practice Intervention.
Zixi Liu, Zhen Wu, Jingchao Zeng, Haosheng Ye
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 11, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/bs16030411 via PubMed
Summary
A 21-day program combining nasal breathing, mandala drawing, and journaling helped 11 urban Chinese adults become more aware of their bodies and integrate bodily sensations into personal stories. Participants shifted from trying to control their experience to becoming naturally absorbed in it. Artistic expression and group sharing helped symbolize feelings. A relaxed, non-goal-oriented practice style was key to this transition. The findings outline how breath-focused interoceptive work can support mind-body integration and self-regulation.
Study at a glance
| Design | qualitative study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | urban adults in mainland China |
| Key finding | A breath-mandala intervention heightened chest-centered embodied sensations and promoted integration of bodily experience into personal narratives through a shift from deliberate control to natural immersion. |
Abstract
This qualitative study examined how a 21-day integrated program fosters interoceptive awareness and mind-body integration among urban adults in mainland China (n = 11). The intervention combined daily nasal breathing regulation, spontaneous mandala making, and descriptive journaling, complemented by weekly group sharing. Using a cultural-psychological lens, we investigated how an inward-turning tradition in Chinese culture shapes embodied experience and meaning-making. Applying Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to diaries, drawings, and focus-group data, we identified three interrelated processes: (1) the refinement of bodily attention; (2) a shift from deliberate control to natural immersion; and (3) the symbolization of feeling through artistic expression and social resonance. Findings indicate that systematic engagement in the "breath-mandala" intervention heightened sensitivity to chest-centered embodied sensations and promoted the integration of bodily experience into personal narratives; a non-goal-directed, relaxed practice style facilitated the transition from control to absorption, activating self-regulatory mechanisms; and non-evaluative awareness deepened flow while supporting cognitive reorganization and reflective capacity. The study delineates a core pathway by which breath-triggered interoceptive work operates within mind-body interventions, offering a theoretical basis and practical direction for tailored regulation programs across diverse populations.