A Circuit Breaker for Stress | Bonus Meditation with Dawn Mauricio

0:04It's the 10 % Happier Podcast. I'm Dan Harris.

0:19Happy Sunday, everybody. I hope you're having a good weekend. Today, we're going to talk about what to do when you're freaked out or stressed out. That energy can feed on itself. You can really get revved up. But it is possible, and this is the good news, it is possible to find little moments of clarity to institute a kind of circuit breaker on your stress or anxiety. And today, we're going to give you a meditation to help you do that. Just to say before we hit the meditation, all this month, we are bringing you brand new guided meditations from our Teacher of the Month, Don Mauricio. Each meditation has been crafted to go along with one of our regular Monday and Wednesday episodes.

0:57And the idea is really that you can use those meditations to take everything you learned in the interview, in the episode, and kind of pound it into your neurons. The only place to get those meditations is danharris.com. If you head on over there and become a paid subscriber, you'll be able to get all the past and future meditations. But today, like any good drug dealer, we're giving you a free dose. This is just a sample of what you'll get all month from Don. And I love this one. It's about finding a little moment of rest, even in the middle of a shit show. We'll get started with a guided meditation from Don Mauricio right after this.

1:33Hey, it's Dan. I just want to tell you about something I'm really proud of. The new community we are building over on my new app, which is called 10 % with Dan Harris. Here's something I believe with no reservation. Taking care of your own mind is not selfish. It's actually essential if you want to show up for the world, if you want to deal with the various emergencies on the planet right now. There is, in fact, a geopolitical case for you to get your shit together. In other words, taking care of your own mind is good citizenship. I think about it like an upward spiral. You train your mind. That makes you happier and less reactive because you're steadier.

2:10That improves your relationships with everybody around you. And because relationships are crucial to human happiness, you get even happier. Then your relationships get even better and up you go. Our mission over at this new app is to guide you through this process with a growing library of meditations from world-class teachers like Seven A. Selassie and Joseph Goldstein and on and on. Also, add free access to our full podcast archive, exclusive live stream events where we guide meditations and take your questions. We do those every week and much more. Head on over to danharris.com. You can try it for two weeks free.

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4:07When we're running at full speed, physically, mentally, emotionally, it can feel jarring to slow down. Going from 100 to even 60 isn't easy. And yet, in the middle of all the doing, there are moments, brief but powerful, where we can choose something different. Where we can invite in a breath, a pause, a little more space. This meditation isn't about shutting out the chaos or forcing rest to happen. It's about interrupting the momentum, even gently. We'll notice what's here, with kindness, including the part of you that wants to keep moving, stay busy, or resist stopping altogether. Let's get started.

5:03Set yourself up in a comfortable posture. It could be seated, standing, or lying down. while keeping your eyes open settle into this meditation by taking a few full breaths adjusting your posture or looking around the room

5:36invite your body to relax You can do this by silently saying, may I relax, or by noticing any areas where you're bracing and softening them.

6:07Now, take a moment to look around the place you're in, simply noticing what you see. At the same time, know that you're still breathing. You don't need to change the way you're breathing or overly focus on your breath. Just know that you are breathing.

6:38Keeping your eyes open for a little while longer, take a moment to intentionally acknowledge five things you can see.

6:50When something specific catches your eye, fully take it in by silently naming it to yourself. Mug. Book. Shoe, for example.

7:25If this brings up thoughts of, I forgot to add that to the dishwasher, or, this place is such a mess, you might instead try to name five colors you see. the green of a plant the orange of a book cover a blue blanket a blue blanket

8:11Take your time with each object, noticing what sensations arise after naming each one. Give yourself a moment of pause before moving on to the next object.

8:32After noticing your fifth object, you can close your eyes if you feel like it. You can also turn them downward.

8:44Begin to notice the physical sensations you feel. This can be a tingling, an ache, hot or cold, where your body meets the ground, or something else.

9:08Now that you've started opening up to the world of sensations, intentionally feel four sensations in your body. Again, really take them in by naming them silently to yourself.

9:27Pause before moving on to the next sensation.

9:33The exact label you give it doesn't have to be perfect. Good enough is just fine.

9:53Begin to tune into the sounds going on around you. they could be happening outside of the building or room, or they could be the sound of your breathing or your belly grumbling.

10:09What you might begin to notice is the orchestra of many sounds happening, some pleasant, some unpleasant.

10:21Nothing to do right now other than to notice them.

10:32Now, intentionally notice three things you can hear, silently naming each one before moving on to the next. As best you can, shift your attention so you can take in three different sounds instead instead of noting the most dominant sound more than once.

10:58Turn your attention to the scents around you, noticing if you can smell anything.

11:07If nothing seems obvious, try smelling your clothes, moving to a place where odors are stronger, or bringing to mind some of your favorite scents.

11:21Silently name two of them to yourself, pausing between each one and noticing what thoughts, sensations, or feelings might arise as you pay attention to these scents.

11:49Finally, end this practice by noticing one thing you can taste.

11:57You might tune into the last thing you ate or drank. If that's not accessible, bring to mind your last meal and any tastes that were present then.

12:21For the final few moments of this practice, allow yourself to be aware of whatever is attracting your attention at a given moment. A sound, sensation, smell, sight. or taste.

12:47If your eyes are closed, slowly blink them open and gently take in the light and shapes around you.

12:58When we're in the thick of burnout or overwhelm, finding rest can feel impossible. But remember, it doesn't have to be a big leap. Just like this meditation, small pauses, simple moments of sensing and slowing down, can offer the space we need to meet ourselves with more care. May this be a gentle beginning.

13:26Thank you, Don. If you like that guided meditation and you want more from Don, head on over to danharris.com to find out how to get more.

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