Intra- and Interpersonal Mindful and Non-Mindful Mental States: Comparison of a New Spatial Attention Concept and the IAA Mindfulness Model of Shapiro

This paper presents a new spatial attention concept with which mindfulness and non-mindful mental states such as metacognition,
theory of mind and empathy can be brought together in a single intra- and interpersonal model. The possibility to illustrate
mindful and non-mindful mental states as well as self-boundaries in visual form plays a significant role in this model. This
scheme allows a spatial differentiation of six different forms of self-perception, three of which can be associated with a
mindful state of consciousness. This model will be compared to the mindfulness model developed by Shapiro, the intention,
attention and attitude model. By means of an example it will be shown how blurred self-boundaries can negatively influence
mindfulness.