significant improvement in both groups in levels of stress, tension , anxiety, attention, perception, as well as in the self-compassion, digit-symbol, mindfulness scores, and in the stages of Shamath.

Differences between experienced and less experienced in attention, but no difference in motor speed. Skills that have been steadily developed under less ideal but regular conditions make it much easier to settle attention on the object of meditation when in more ideal settings, such as during a closed retreat.