Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris - Beyond the Cliché: What Is Joy, Really? And How Do You Access It? | Bonus Meditation with La Sarmiento

Episode Date: December 17, 2023

Cultivate resilience by choosing to turn towards joy, and transform difficult times into growth opportunities and heartache into gratitude.About La Sarmiento:La Sarmiento is a mentor for the MIndfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) and a teacher with Cloud Sangha. They have taught meditation retreats for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Teens, and Young Adults, and everyone in-between around the United States since 2010 and are a 2012 graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Training. To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for “Opening to Joy.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When you find something you love, you stick with it, like this podcast, and like working out with Peloton. This holiday season, bring home a Peloton bike, bike plus or tread, and work out your way. I always look forward to a ride on my Peloton bike. Unleash yourself. Ride, run, box, or freak the hit out. It's your workout, your rules. For Peloton's December offer, head to www.1peloton.ca slash deals. All access membership separate, terms apply.

I wanted to tell you about a show, a podcast, and a podcast tour that I like. It's called the Jordan Harbinger Show, and Jordan himself is a great guy. He's been on this podcast. I've been on his. We had dinner a few weeks ago. I have found him to be very enjoyable in person and also incredibly generous with his time and advice. His show is really good, most importantly to you. He covers a whole range of topics with some really impressive guests.

I think there are specifically some episodes that would be good for people who like this show. Jordan has covered the emotions behind success, mastery, and power with Robert Green. He's interviewed Benjamin Hardy in an episode about how to be your future self now. But he also covers lots of other stuff. The professional art forger who somehow made millions

of dollars while being chased by the feds and the mafia, an episode all about birth control and how it can alter the partners we pick and how going on or off the pill can change elements of your personality. Like I said, he covers a whole fascinating range of subjects and he is a very good interviewer and a lawyer and he brings those legal skills to bear. I really enjoy Jordan and the show. I think you will as well. There's so much there. Check out JordanHarbinger.com slash start for some episode recommendations. Or search for the Jordan Harbinger Show.

That's H-A-R-B as in Boy, I-N as in Nancy, G-E-R on Apple Podcast Podcasts Spotify or wherever you listen. It's the 10% happier podcast. I'm Dan Harris. Hey, hey, happy Friday. Time for a bonus meditation. It's the holiday season and you may be seeing the word joy everywhere, joy to the world and all of that. But what does joy mean beyond the cliche? What does it actually feel like and how do we achieve it? We're going to get a masterclass today from the great La Sarmiento. La is a mentor for the mindfulness meditation teacher certification program and a teacher

with cloud Sangha. La is also one of our featured teachers on the 10% happier app. So here we go now with La Sarmiento. Hi, this is La. I once heard that life is too important to take seriously. As adults, we can often feel bogged down by so many responsibilities that we forget or take for granted our capacity for joy. The essence of joy is simply the ability to delight in being alive. Let's get our joy on. Find a posture that your body would most enjoy that is both relaxed and alert.

Take some fuller breaths as you allow your eyes to close or create a soft gaze downwards. Let your body feel the support of the surface beneath it. Now take a moment to check in with yourself. How is your body feeling? Whatever emotions or feelings are present for you right now are most welcome here. The beauty of our practice is to recognize whatever is happening with kindness, then to remember that we have choice in how we then show up in the world. One way to cultivate joy is to imagine yourself as a child playing with your favorite toy or with your best friend. If that's difficult to do, perhaps imagine playing with a young child or a pet.

Imagine playing with a young child or a pet. to be more playful in your life? In its truest expression, joy can transform difficult times into blessings and turn heart ache into gratitude. Now, reflect on a time in your life when you've struggled, nothing traumatic, a situation that felt challenging and difficult. Notice what sensations, emotions, feelings, thoughts arise when you remember that situation. Whatever arises, see if you can offer kindness to it. If it's comfortable for you, you can place your hand over your heart as a gesture of support. As you gently allow this experience to be present, see if it's possible to choose a lens of joy to see it through. This lens of joy can be one of gratitude.

What do you notice? Was there a shift in how you see the situation? If not, it's okay. It takes practice to remember and to choose joy. Take some time now to save for the joy that you've just cultivated. You may want to place your hand over your heart to sense where you may be feeling joy in your body. Thank you for practicing with me. May joy fill all your days. Thanks to law. And if you want to find more meditations like this one, go check out the 10% Happier app

just download the app wherever you get your apps to get started. If you like 10% happier, I hope you do. You can listen early and add free right now by joining 1-3 Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at Wondry.com-survey.