A Second-Generation Mindfulness-Based Intervention Focusing on Flow State: A Samatha-Based Training

Currently, there is no empirical research on second-generation mindfulness training in the field of sport psychology. This study designed Samatha-based training (SBT) according to the principles of Samatha (a Buddhist practice) and preliminarily tested its influence on flow state. A total of 22 martial-arts-routine athletes were divided into two groups: the SBT group ( n = 10) and the wait-list group ( n = 12). The 7-week intervention demonstrated that SBT significantly enhanced the scores in present-moment attention, awareness, and flow state. These results support the effectiveness of SBT as a novel second-generation mindfulness-based intervention. Furthermore, the concept of mindfulness is discussed from the Samatha perspective, and subsequently, the reason that SBT promotes flow state was explored from a new perspective.