Stress, Inflammation and Immune Response Pilot Study- Aim 3

Inclusion criteria

• Lupus diagnosis according to >4 ACR 1987 criteria or >4 SLICC 2012 criteria or a diagnosis confirmed by a board-certified rheumatologist
• Capacity to provide informed consent and ability to speak and read English
• BMI under 35
• Must have access to an iOS or android smartphone to allow daily use of an app

Exclusion criteria

• Currently participating in another clinical trial with intervention. Participation in observational clinical trials is not grounds for exclusion.
• History of significant systemic disease (eg. cancer, infection, hematological, renal, hepatic, coronary artery disease or other cardiovascular disease, endocrinological (diabetes), neurologic, rheumatologic, or gastrointestinal disease)
• Acute illness or evidence of clinically significant active infection
• Pregnant, breast feeding or less than 6 months post-partum
• Taking prescribed psychotropic or central nervous system altering medications
• History of a diagnosed Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, or Schizoaffective Disorder, epilepsy or seizures
• Individuals who are currently undergoing a depressive episode. Can include those who are under treatment and not depressed currently.
• Excluded based upon the screening visit
• Use of nicotine
• Significant previous training or significant current practice in meditation
• Completed Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in the past
• Current meditation practice. Judgment: Participants will be included or excluded at the PIs discretion due to wide variation in responses (e.g. 2 people answer yes, one practices mindfulness 2x/week for 2 years (exclude), the other attends regular religious services (include))
• Significant daily practice with other mind-body techniques
• Daily Yoga or Tai Chi Practice - exclude
• Other daily practice - judgment