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You’re Doing Better Than You Think | Bonus Meditation with Sebene Selassie

Feb 9, 2025

Meditation can feel challenging, but don’t let self-doubt hold you back. Sebene Selassie shares her journey from feeling like an outsider to embracing belonging through mindfulness. The discussion includes guided meditations focused on cultivating kindness, awareness, and gratitude. Listeners are encouraged to swap self-criticism for self-compassion, discovering the profound change meditation can bring to their mindset and emotional well-being. Dive into the idea that your journey in meditation is really a step towards collective freedom.

06:24

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Quick takeaways

A gentler, more compassionate approach to meditation helps individuals overcome self-criticism and fosters a sense of ease during practice.

Incorporating simple actions like smiling during meditation can enhance well-being by promoting the release of feel-good hormones and countering negative thoughts.

Deep dives

Gentle Approach to Meditation

Meditation is often perceived as a practice where individuals feel pressure to excel, leading to self-criticism and frustration. The podcast emphasizes adopting a gentle, curious approach towards meditation, highlighting the importance of meeting thoughts and emotions with kindness. Sabine A. Selassie, the featured teacher, encourages listeners to welcome their experiences, no matter how challenging, which promotes a more compassionate relationship with oneself. This shift in perspective allows individuals to cultivate a sense of ease and acceptance during their meditation practice.

Cultivating Kindness in Meditation

4min

Cultivating Awareness and Gratitude Through Meditation

3min

Early on, it's easy to think you're a failure at meditation. Truth is, you're probably not. Try easing the patterns that just hold you back.

About Sebene Selassie:

Growing up, Sebene felt like a big weirdo. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and raised in white neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., she was a tomboy Black girl who loved Monty Python and UB40. She never believed she belonged. Thirty years ago, she began studying Buddhism as an undergraduate at McGill University where she majored in Comparative Religious Studies. Now, Sebene is a teacher, author, and speaker who teaches that meditation can help us remember our inherent sense of belonging, that our individual freedom affects absolutely everyone and everything, and that our collective freedom depends on each and every one of us. Sebene is a three-time cancer survivor of Stage III and IV cancer.

To find this meditation in the Happier Meditation app, you can search for “Criticizing Your Meditation.”

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