The Role of Social Relationships and Context in Meditative Practice

We know that high quality social relationships help us live longer, happier, and healthier lives whether we meditate or not. Moreover, research confirms that humans are highly sensitive to context—social, architectural, aural, and so on, regardless of geography or culture. Social baseline theory suggests that even meditation practices should be facilitated by proximity to safe environments—particularly social resources that emphasize belonging, felt understanding, shared goals, and trust. For this breakout session, we will discuss the roles that social relationships, social settings, and other sensory factors (e.g., aesthetics, smell, and sound) play in both shaping and understanding meditation practice.