Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris - Happiness Doesn't Have to be an Accident | Bonus Meditation with Diana Winston

Episode Date: September 25, 2020

Happiness doesn't have to be an accident. In this session from Diana, train your mind to become more and more joyful. To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, visit https://10percenthappier.app.link/OpeningToJoyPod About Diana: Diana Winston is the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center where she also teaches mindfulness practices to the general public. Her easy-on-the-ears west coast style rests on top of a rigorous scientific mind, and a vast amount of teaching experience. She has developed curriculum and taught mindfulness since the early 90’s in a variety of settings including hospitals, universities, corporations, non profits, and schools. She has taught mindful awareness to health professionals, leaders, teachers, activists, seniors, and adolescents in the US and Asia. A published researcher and author, Diana has also written for numerous meditation publications, where her daughter, Mira, often makes an appearance in her examples of bringing mindfulness to daily life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Hey guys, time for the Friday bonus. Earlier this week we spoke to the meditation teacher James Barra's, who's written a book about joy. He semi-facitiously refers to himself as the joy boy. And one of his primary ideas is that we can use meditation to cultivate joy. So we are bringing in another great meditation teacher, Diana Winston, with a meditation that is also featured on the 10% happier app, which is designed to generate joy. Here we go over to Diana Winston. Hi, this is Diana, and this meditation will introduce you

to the possibility of cultivating more joy. Joy is one of these states that we can develop through deliberately practicing it and setting kind of an aspiration for it. When I talk about joy, I'm not necessarily talking about ecstatic joy or blissful joy. At the baseline, when I think of joy, it's just about a contentment with things as they are and a willingness to be with life as it is. So let's give it a try. Let's find a posture that's comfortable for you. A bright, but not too rigid or tight. Eyes can be closed or open if you prefer. It's looking mostly downward with a soft gaze.

You can take a few breaths. Feel our feet on the floor. Now notice what you're feeling inside yourself right now. Notice whatever is happening, letting whatever is here be here. Now we'll start the practice of cultivating joy. So, bring to mind a time when you remember feeling joy. It doesn't matter what you think of. You can bring anything to mind. It could be being out in nature or really enjoying yourself with some friends or spending

time with animals taking your dog for a walk. It can be very strong joy or can be very subtle contentment kind of joy. So noticing what's happening in your body, as you think of this joyful, seen memory, and let's say some words to help increase and cultivate joy, and say them slowly, connecting to the feeling and to your body as you evoke them.

May I open to joy? May I one day open to joy. May I consider the possibility of one day opening to joy. Welcome joy. And as you say these words, notice what's happening in your body. What's present for you? Perhaps joy is present, in which expand, grow, pervade. Remember, it doesn't have to be full on joy. It could just be a subtle sensation, contentment. If images and memories come, let them be there.

Keep repeating the phrases, and if you want to change them up a little bit, or just stick with one that resonates with you, really let it be here. Let it spread throughout your body. So whenever you're ready, you can open your eyes or end the meditation. I hope this is helpful to you. I'll see you again next time. Thank you very much, Diana. Appreciate that.

I really hope you enjoyed that meditation. If you're thinking, you know, I really could have kept that going for another five or ten minutes. I encourage you to check out the 10% happier app where you will find this same meditation in different lengths to suit your practice. The price you pay for your subscription supports our wonderful teachers and allows them to dedicate their time to teaching these skills of mindfulness which can be life-changing. As an added incentive, we've got a special discount for anybody who's new to the app. To claim that discount, you can visit 10% dot com slash bonus.

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and absolutely shocking stories about the most famous families and biggest celebrities the world has ever seen Our newer series is all about drag icon RuPaul Charles After a childhood of being ignored by his absentee father Ru goes out searching for love and acceptance But the road to success is a rocky one Substance abuse and mental health struggles threatened to veer Roo off course. In our series, Roo Paul Bornnaked. We'll show you how Roo Paul overcame his demons and carved out a place for himself as one of the world's top entertainers.

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