On Mindfulness and Mind Body Medicine

With a diverse range of courses based on the principles of Mind Body Medicine, we invite interested guests and locals alike to explore new inspiration and practical guidance for a healthier lifestyle — supported by experienced experts.

Our team includes a sports scientist, a nutrition specialist, a psychologist focused on lifestyle change, a leadership expert, and mindfulness teacher Regula Saner. Regula teaches mindfulness in courses, training programs, at universities, and in corporate settings.

What is Mindfulness?

Regula Saner, you are a Dipl. Psychologist, Psychotherapist, and certified MBSR and mindfulness trainer. You trained early on with well-known pioneers such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff in the United States, and you bring more than 30 years of teaching experience across private, corporate, and academic settings.

Regula, what does mindfulness actually mean? Can you give us examples from everyday life?

Mindfulness can mean different things.

When “mindfulness” is used as the translation of the term sati from the ancient Pali language, it refers to a particular state of mind — a quality of presence — which naturally leads to a mindful way of living. The understanding of this state has been passed down through Eastern wisdom traditions for thousands of years.

In recent decades, scientific research has increasingly confirmed what these traditions have taught for generations: this quality of presence supports both health and well-being.

In our context, this approach to awareness and living is taught in a secular way, accessible to all.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program, describes mindfulness as a specific way of paying attention:

Paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.

This kind of attention fosters clarity and strengthens the ability to acknowledge the reality of the present moment.

In everyday life, mindfulness often shows itself in improved concentration and greater calm. During stressful situations — such as time pressure or challenges at work or in relationships — a mindful person can remain centered and steady, while still staying emotionally connected.

What is Mind Body Medicine?

Can you explain what makes mind-body medicine special in simple terms?

Mind Body Medicine is a health concept that views the whole person and attempts to bring the body and mind into balance. This promotes self-efficacy in both healthy and sick people. Through various interventions or therapies, awareness, and behavioral changes, balance is repeatedly restored in the body, mind, and psyche.

What do the terms MBSR and MSC mean?

What is behind the terms MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and MSC (Mindful Self-Compassion)?

MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) is an established program for mindfulness-based stress reduction. This program was developed in 1979 by molecular biologist Jon Kabat-Zinn. In around 25 course hours, participants learn the basics of a mindful lifestyle.

In these courses, I always find it fascinating how we humans learn to become aware of our thoughts, indeed, of our consciousness.

The MBSR program provides participants with a solid introduction to mindfulness. It is essential that the teacher embodies a mindful attitude, knows the principles and also the obstacles that can arise on the path of often unfamiliar learning, and is able to answer these questions.

MSC – Mindful Self-Compassion is also a program of roughly 25 hours, designed to support a compassionate and caring way of relating to ourselves — and ultimately to others — especially in difficult moments. (Self-)compassion is at the very heart of mindfulness. Many participants experience MSC as a deepening of their mindfulness practice.

In both programs, the qualities of mindfulness — concentration, calm, kindness, appreciative joy, and compassion — are cultivated and strengthened through meditation. Meditation serves as a form of practice for mindfulness, for training our attention, and for gently shaping the qualities of our mind and our way of being.

Throughout the course, participants are encouraged to bring this mindful and compassionate attitude into everyday life and to apply it in their personal routines and interactions.

Who are the courses at the hotel designed for?

Which people and age groups can take part in your courses?

Adults of all ages are welcome to join the courses at Hotel Maistra 160.
(Outside the hotel setting, there are also courses specifically designed for children and teenagers.)

These courses are for anyone who enjoys self-reflection and is curious about getting to know themselves more deeply.

They are also for those who have noticed that they often drive themselves with harsh self-criticism, and who would like to learn to meet themselves with greater kindness — allowing more joy, vitality, and a sense of self-agency to unfold (especially in the case of MSC courses).

Why is it worthwhile to take part in a course, even when I feel healthy?

And why does it make sense to seek guidance and support while we are still well?

When it comes to health, there is a pattern that is quite common in our culture: We often don’t value what we have until it’s gone.
In other words, many people only begin to reflect on their well-being when they are physically or mentally exhausted — or even ill. Before that, good health is often taken for granted.

This is why it can be so meaningful to become familiar with our mind, body, and emotional world before pain, overwhelm, or difficult changes arise. Giving space to our inner life and building supportive habits early allows us to stay grounded, resilient, and connected — especially when life becomes challenging.

What positive effect does the Engadine environment have?

At first glance, your psychological background and your work as a psychotherapist might seem a surprising match for a vacation setting like Hotel Maistra 160.

Why does it actually fit so well — especially here in the Engadine?

My long-standing and still deeply valued work as a psychotherapist has taught me to meet people closely and attentively, one-on-one. With my professional knowledge and experience, I support them in finding their own path — sometimes through the dense undergrowth of life.

This understanding — of how we as humans are “built,” so to speak — also informs the way I teach mindfulness and accompany the inner processes that participants go through during the courses.

Hotel Maistra 160, with its clarity and beauty, provides a meaningful and supportive setting for this. The team, trained in mindfulness and in the principles of Mind Body Medicine, ensures that participants feel warmly welcomed and genuinely cared for throughout their stay.

And then, there is the Engadine itself.
Its valleys and mountains are an immeasurable source of nourishment for anyone who enters into relationship with them. This landscape supports regeneration on every level of our being — physical, mental, emotional, and psychological.

How is a course structured at the hotel?

In some courses, the group meets for five morning sessions, with the afternoons free for rest or personal activities. In other courses, there is a long midday break that can be used to relax or explore the surroundings. Meals may be enjoyed together, as a picnic outdoors, or individually.
We send the detailed course schedule to all interested participants in advance.

Are parts of the course held outdoors? And what kind of clothing do you recommend?

Yes — I love spending one of the sessions in the nearby forest, or taking a shared walk to the alp or up into the mountains.

Comfortable clothing is recommended for the indoor sessions, and for being outdoors it is important to dress according to the weather. In early autumn, gloves and a hat may already be useful; in spring, warm winter layers are often still needed.

Do guests still have time to use the spa or explore the area?

Absolutely. Outside of course sessions, there is always time to enjoy the spa or spend time in nature. Participation in the course is always voluntary, and the well-being of each guest is our highest priority.

What helps participants integrate what they learn into daily life?

Start small — and practice regularly in everyday moments.
Connection helps: staying in touch with the group, with the hotel, and with the Engadine itself.

You might take home a personal reminder — a notebook, a stone, or a favorite tea — and place it somewhere visible in your home. Reading one of our recommended books or listening to the guided audio practices can also be supportive and inspiring.

Thank you, Regula, for sharing your time and wisdom with us!