While people understand, of course, that we are not just a brain, nor just a body, nor just a mind moving through life, most don’t realize how extensive each of these affect each other. We are a larger, complex system, made up of interconnecting, interactive, and interdependent sub-systems, all the way down to cells. The key for us is that they are interconnected, and, in a sense, everything affects everything. For example, a thought can affect the neurochemistry of the brain and the body (think of when you recall a frightening or sad time and notice your heart and breathing rate changes); activity in the cardiovascular, muscular, digestive system will affect the brain and our thoughts (i.e., the mind); and there is evidence that even a thought will affect the gut and what we think and eat can affect the expression of genes. Activity in the brain leads to changes in the body and our thoughts (mind). We believe it’s important to recognize the interdependence of all the sub-systems and to make a conscious, informed effort to enable them to function as effectively as possible through each action/activity, each choice, each thought. This is a quick and simplified explanation of what we mean, but stick with us and it will become very clear!
Each of the techniques that we teach and use can be a form of meditation, depending on what you are doing with your attention during the practice. If, when practicing the technique, you are keeping your attention on some narrow aspect of the technique (feeling the sensation of your breath, weight of your body upon the chair, sensation of movement of a body part), then, yes, all of them could be a form of meditation.If you choose to engage in one of the breathing practices and let your mind wander to whatever thought, memory comes up or if you try to solve a problem while doing the practice, then, no it is not. Not every technique, nor every moment you practice, needs to be a meditation in order to provide benefits. You have a choice of which benefits you wish to gain (purely physiological, such as oxygen to carbon dioxide ratio, or sympathetic/parasympathetic tone versus sustained attention or mindfulness AND the physiological benefit). Our goal is to help you understand all the potential benefits so that you may make the best choice for yourself and your goals.
There is no one, single, best breathing technique. Different breathing techniques do different things for us; each will affect us (our brains, minds, bodies) in different ways, just as different foods affect us in different ways. There are a few consistent elements to health-giving breathing, however: nasal and diaphragmatic breathing (diaphragm drops, ribs/abdominal walls expand/contract) are non-negotiables for better health (in brain, mind, and body). However, beyond that, depending on what you need (relaxation, nervous system regulation/homeostasis, less oxygen and more carbon dioxide, more parasympathetic response (less sympathetic), more vagal tone, to name some big ones), you would want to do a specific breathing practice, or technique. The best thing to do is learn about health-giving breathing, ways in which you are (likely) breathing that is harmful rather than helpful, and learning various breathing techniques, paying attention to what happens when you engage with the particular technique, and building a repertoire of techniques just as you would eat different foods, consume different drinks (water versus juice, for example), or do different types of exercises to build specific capacities.
Helping you know what will help you is our mission. We recommend that you view the video seminar on breathing and check out the books and articles in our Resources section. Very importantly, pay close attention to your goals and your needs and how you feel when practicing a particular technique.
Grounding is a term used to describe the action of turning our attention to the sensations of the body in contact with another surface (body in a chair, feet on the ground, hands touching the lap, e.g.). When we “tune into” (try to become aware of) these sensations of contact, we are practicing interoception, which is basically speaking the language of the autonomic nervous system. When we practice interception, we are activating specific brain regions that communicate with the body to bring the system back into homeostasis, or balance. So, grounding certainly can be a form of meditation or, at least, a part of a meditation practice if we are concentrating on the sensations and keeping our attention at that place of contact moment by moment.
There is no definitive answer to this. Some research has shown that as few as 12-15 minutes per day shows results, both that we notice in ourselves as well as brain scans and blood markers. The most important aspect, we believe, is integrating meditation, or any self-regulation practice or technique, into your normal day-to-day activities. Like physical exercise, or any health-giving activity, it is consistency that is very important.
Generally, meditation is the practice of intentionally putting the attention on something very narrow and working to keep it there over a period of time. The target of the attention might be a mantra, an image/visualization, sensation in the body (such as breathing in and out, focusing on a sensation of a stretch or movement), scanning the body from top to bottom, loving-kindness meditation, to name the most common ones. They each do something different in the brain, mind, and body with some potential overlap. We primarily use mindfulness practices as a form of meditation for self-regulation, stress reduction, building attentional control, enhancing awareness of experience (without judgment or needing it to be different), and a host of other benefits.
That depends on you, your schedule and preferences, and the type of meditation you are practicing. Some people find that it’s easiest to meditate early in the morning (when it is quieter, both externally and internally), some prefer it at night to help the brain-mind-body system down regulate from the stress of the day and prepare for rest/let go of the day in a sense. Some prefer to integrate shorter periods of meditation throughout the day (making it part of eating/drinking, walking, yoga or stretching, etc.). We believe that the “best” time is any time that makes it easier for you to bring meditation in your daily life.
