The goal of this clinical trial is to test two new behavioral interventions designed to reduce stress and improve spiritual well-being in stressed adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Can the program decrease stress and improve spiritual well-being?
2. What brain changes accompany participation in the programs?

Participants will:

1. Be randomized to either a live online course that meets for 90 minutes every week for 8-weeks, or to a self-paced program. In the self-paced program, participants will receive materials once a week and can work through them at their own pace. Both programs are designed to decrease stress and improve well-being.
2. Complete questionnaires before and after the course.
3. Complete and interview before and after the course.
4. A subset of people will be randomized to complete an MRI scan of their brain before and after the course.

Participants will be randomized to either take the course right away, or be put on a wait-list. Those on the wait-list will undergo the testing at 2 timepoints before they start the program.

Forty-four individuals with high stress will be randomized 1:1, stratified by sex, to either the live or self-paced course. Participants will receive daily email with a link to a REDCap database to record minutes of homework practice. Pre and post testing will occur within a 21-day testing period before or after the courses. We will assess changes in spiritual well-being (Primary outcome), mindfulness, and use of character/virtue strengths (secondary outcomes). Changes in clinical symptoms will be explored. Participants will also complete a structured interview to assess developmental stage. A subset of participants will be randomized to undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning before and after their program. Scans consist of a high-resolution gray matter scan, a 10-minute resting state scan and two 10-minute guided spiritual experience scans. Participants will rate the 'depth' of each spiritual state they experience while they are in the scanner on a 5-point scale. As a manipulation check, after exiting the scanner they will be asked to describe the states that arose. We will also assess the acceptability of the task.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Understands English
• Able to attend all 8 classes
• Able to travel to Boston for MRI scans

Exclusion Criteria:

• claustrophobia, pregnancy, head trauma, metallic implants or devices contraindicating MRI, left-handed, conditions that alter cerebral blood flow or metabolism (e.g. stroke), current use of psychotropic medications, lifetime history of suicidality, homicidally, self-destructive acts, schizophrenia or psychosis.

Only de-identified data will be shared with other researchers. We are collaborating with an investigator at the University of Vienna who will have access to all de-identified data.

The brain and self-report data and meta-data will be deposited in the ENIGMA-Meditation data repository hosted at Ohio State University within 6 months of the first paper being accepted for publication. There are no plans to remove the data from the repository.

No identifiable information will be included in the dataset. Any researcher interested in accessing the data must first contact the study PI and request permission. The study PI then needs to obtain IRB approval for any additional analyses that will be performed.