Renowned mindfulness teacher Tara Brach and leading researcher Dacher Keltner explore the power of exquisite attention, including practices like RAIN to awaken from anxious trances and how awe opens our eyes to wonder. Discover tools to train moment-to-moment presence, uncover magic, amplify creativity, deepen connections, and transform your life.
Exquisite attention involves harnessing our attention to be fully present, cultivating curiosity and non-distractedness.
Awe can transport us to a realm of possibility, breaking the cycle of negative thinking and inspiring personal growth.
Recognizing trance-like states and using tools like RAIN can awaken our attention and help us discover magic and meaning in everyday life.
Deep dives
The Power of Brief Moments of Awe
Brief moments of awe, such as getting outdoors, dancing, listening to music, and having great conversations, increase well-being and make us feel more connected to others. These brief moments of awe can reduce loneliness, boost creativity, and make us feel part of a community. Attention is a crucial aspect of experiencing awe and being fully present in the moment.
Creating the Container for Exquisite Attention
Exquisite attention is the ability to harness our attention in a way that snaps us out of distraction and allows us to fully engage in the present moment. It involves training our meta attention, the ability to recognize where our attention is at any given time and direct it intentionally. The key to creating the container for exquisite attention is cultivating curiosity, openness, unconditional worthiness, positivity, and non-distractedness. Additionally, three super skills of active inquiry and observation, focusing on verbal and nonverbal communication, three-level sight, and sensory input enhance our ability to direct our attention.
The Transformative Power of Awe
Awe has been a neglected emotion in scientific research until recently. Awe has the capacity to transport us to a realm of possibility, challenging our assumptions about reality and inspiring us to see the potential for positive change. Awe also quiets the inner chatter and self-criticism, creating a sense of freedom and openness. Regular experiences of awe can help individuals break free from the cycle of negative thinking and anxiety. Awe can also create a sense of moral beauty and challenge our beliefs, leading to personal growth and transformation.
Exquisite Attention: Cultivating Mindful Presence
This podcast episode explores the concept of exquisite attention, which is the practice of mindfully tuning our senses with care and curiosity. The guest, Tara Brach, discusses how awe can awaken our attention and help us discover magic and meaning in everyday life. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing when we are in a trance-like state and offers the RAIN acronym as a tool for awakening from these states. Tara also highlights the power of witnessing moral beauty, which can evoke awe and inspire selflessness and compassion. Ultimately, the episode encourages cultivating awareness and embracing mystery to live a good life.
The Power of Awe and Cultivating Exquisite Attention
This podcast episode delves into the transformative nature of awe and the practice of cultivating exquisite attention. The guest, Tara Brach, presents the idea that awe can awaken attention and lead us to discover magic and meaning in our lives. She introduces the concept of being in a trance-like state and describes how the RAIN acronym can help us recognize and awaken from these states. Additionally, Tara explores the role of witnessing moral beauty as a source of awe, highlighting the power of observing acts of selflessness and compassion. The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to cultivate awareness and embrace mystery as essential elements of living a good life.
This January Jumpstart episode explores the power of exquisite attention - the ability to direct your focus with intention to create moments of profound presence.
Renowned mindfulness teacher Tara Brach shares practices like RAIN to help awaken us from anxious, judgmental trances. Leading researcher Dacher Keltner illuminates how awe opens our eyes to everyday wonder and possibility.
Learn simple tools to train moment-to-moment awareness and presence. Discover how slowing down, looking closer, and tuning in fully can uncover magic, amplify creativity, deepen connections, and transform your life. This episode will open your eyes to the blessings that surround you every day through the lens of exquisite attention.
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