I have a question about this episode How Meditation Works & Science-Based Effective Meditations | Huberman Lab Podcast #96 and this Interoception vs. Exteroception How do you assess whether you are more interoceptively or exteroceptively focused when choosing meditation methods, and how do you change your practice accordingly?

To assess whether you are more interoceptively or exteroceptively focused when choosing meditation methods, you can utilize a simple self-test as discussed by Andrew Huberman in the episode How Meditation Works & Science-Based Effective Meditations | Huberman Lab Podcast #96 and the clip titled Interoception vs. Exteroception.

Steps to Assess Your Focus:

1. Find a Quiet Space: Sit or lie down in a safe environment where you can relax. Close your eyes.

2. Evaluate Your Attention:

   • Ask yourself whether you naturally pay more attention to internal sensations (interoception) like heartbeat, breathing, or physical feelings, or to external stimuli (exteroception) like sounds, lights, and surrounding objects.
   • Note that your focus may vary based on context, such as how rested you feel.

3. Contextual Consideration:

   • This assessment is not fixed; it can change based on your situation and mood. For example, if you are in a noisy environment, external distractions might pull your attention more than usual.

4. Experiment with Focus:

   • After your assessment, try to intentionally shift your focus. If you believe you're interoceptively dominant, attempt to concentrate on external stimuli, and vice versa. This will help you determine what type of meditation might be more effective for you at that moment.

Adjusting Your Meditation Practice:

• If you find that you are more interoceptively inclined, consider practices that emphasize bodily awareness, such as body scan meditations or breath-focused techniques.
• Conversely, if you lean towards exteroceptive focus, you might benefit from mindfulness practices that encourage external awareness, like walking meditations or focusing on sounds around you.

Understanding your dominant focus can enhance your meditation effectiveness and mindfulness practice by allowing you to tailor your approach to your current state. This flexibility can significantly improve your overall awareness and meditation outcomes 1.