Polyvagal-informed meditation

interactive meditation connection

I like practicing meditation in a group, as we do in the online Tuesday group. It combines meditation and connection, inner connection, and interconnection.

We call it Relational Meditation. I also think of this practice as Polyvagal-informed meditation.

The Polyvagal Theory, developed by neuroscientist Stephen Porges, postulates the centrality of the Autonomic Nervous System in the human experience. It describes how our nervous system evolved to allow us to regulate the functioning of our organs, assess whether things are safe, and connect with others.

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) evolved to sense whether a situation is safe or dangerous. Two ANS circuits deal with extreme danger (Fight / Flight and Shutdown). A third circuit deals with situations of relative safety, the Social Engagement circuit. As its name indicates, the Social Engagement circuit is involved in the subtleties of human interaction. It is also involved in our being more mindfully engaged in what we do.

In relative safety, we are relaxed (as opposed to the frantic state of Fight / Flight or the collapsed state of Shutdown). The more we engage in social connection or mindful activity, the more mindful we become.

What makes Relational Meditation so satisfying is that it combines these two aspects of the ANS Mindfulness circuit. There is the embodied effect of sitting still, doing nothing, as in any other form of meditation. And there is also the heartwarming effect of engaging in social connection.


See also:

Relational Meditation

Tuesday online meditation group.