A meditation to cultivate a sense of awe by focusing on new beginnings -- whether it’s a budding plant, a new friendship, or a recent moment of wonder.
How to Do This Practice:
- Find a quiet, comfortable space. Sit or lie down, close your eyes if you wish, and take deep breaths to center yourself.
- Bring your awareness to the present moment—notice your breath, body sensations, and surroundings without judgment.
- Reflect on new beginnings in your life. Picture meeting someone new and feeling curiosity about their stories, recall a moment of awe, like hearing a piece of music that moved you, imagine the growth of a budding plant, reaching for the light.
- Focus on a recent moment of awe that touched you. Notice how it feels in your body and let the sensations linger.
- When ready, gently open your eyes and carry this renewed sense of wonder into your day.
Today’s Happiness Break Host:
Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
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Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3pdp8nky
