Episodes
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It’s important to take a moment to pause and take a long, slow exhale as we navigate life. In our podcast series, "Breathe Away Anxiety," we explore ancient breathing techniques alongside cutting-edge research that reveals the powerful effects of slow, controlled breathing on our mental and physical well-being. We also share Happiness Break meditations to guide you through these science-backed methods, helping you reduce anxiety and cultivate calm in your everyday life.
We explore cyclic sighing, a simple breathing technique that can help lift your mood and lower anxiety.
Summary: Cyclic sighing is a breathing exercise that involves inhaling through your nose, filling your lungs, and then slowly exhaling through your mouth. The idea is to inhale briefly but deeply, and then exhale for longer. Research suggests that the slow exhale is what's most relaxing. We hear from pro-surfer Sarah Gerhardt about and Stanford scientist David Spiegel.
Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3u7vsrr5
Time: 5 minutes
Prepare: Find a comfortable seated or standing position in a quiet environment. Relax your shoulders and jaw. First Inhale: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Start with your abdomen, allowing it to expand (diaphragmatic breathing) as you fill your lungs about halfway. Hold this breath briefly. Second Inhale: Continue inhaling through your nose, now expanding your chest to completely fill your lungs. Hold this combined breath (abdomen and chest filled) for a moment. Exhale: Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth. Make sure the exhale is gentle and lasts about twice as long as the combined inhales.
Repeat the Cycle: Repeat the inhale sequence for a total of 3 cycles (or as desired): Start with a diaphragmatic inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen. Follow with a chest expansion inhale through your nose to fill your lungs completely. Hold briefly after each combined inhale. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, ensuring it's twice as long as the inhales. Reflect and Relax: After completing the cycles, take a moment to observe how your body feels. Notice any sensations of relaxation, reduced tension, or a calmer state of mind.Guest: Sarah Gerhardt is a pro-surfer chemistry professor based out of Santa Cruz, California
Guest: Dr. David Spiegel is Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also the co-founder of the clinically backed self-hypnosis app Reveri.Read Dr. Spiegel’s cyclic sighing study here: https://tinyurl.com/mrxbkyr2
Related Science of Happiness episodes:
How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuhRelated Happiness Break episodes:
A Mindful Breath Meditation, With Dacher Keltner: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22kr -
Dr. Kristin Neff guides us in a self-compassionate touch exercise, and shares the many research-backed reasons to cultivate kindness towards oneself.
Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5xt3mz3h
Summary: Dr. Kristin Neff guides us through various practices of self-compassionate touch, such as placing hands over the heart or cradling the face, to provide comfort and support. Research shows that self-compassion can improve mental and physical well-being and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress.
Guest: Dr. Kristin Neff is an associate professor in the University of Texas at Austin's department of educational psychology. She's also the co-author of 'Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout,' which offers tools to help individuals heal and recharge from burnout.
How To Do This Self-Compassionate Touch Practice:
Take a moment to try these different touches and see which feels most supportive to you. Whenever you feel stressed or upset, or just need some extra support, use this compassionate touch to remind yourself that you’re here for you. Research shows the practice works best when practiced regularly.Duration: 20 seconds, practiced daily or as often as you can.
Find a comfortable space. Sit or stand somewhere you feel relaxed and at ease. Try out these practices while thinking kind words to yourself, as though you were comforting a dear friend in distress.
1. Touch Your Heart: Place both hands gently over the center of your chest, one on top of the other. Apply just enough pressure to feel connected, but not uncomfortable. Focus on the warmth of your touch.
2. Feel Your Strength: If it feels right, make a gentle fist with your left hand, symbolizing strength, and place it over your heart. Rest your right hand on top of the fist to combine the feeling of strength and love.
3. Cradle Your Face: Gently cup each of your cheeks with your hands, holding your face as you would a loved one in distress. Let the touch be soft and caring.
4. Support Your Core: Place both hands over your solar plexus, just below your ribcage, and imagine you're holding and supporting your core. This can be particularly comforting if you're feeling fear or deep emotions.
5. Give Yourself a Hug: Cross your arms, resting each hand on the opposite shoulder. Gently squeeze yourself, adjusting the pressure to feel comforting but not overwhelming.
Related Science of Happiness episodes:
How to Feel Better About YourselfGive Yourself A BreakIf You Want to Be More Productive, Cut Yourself Some SlackRelated Happiness Break mediations:
What to do When you're Struggling, With Spring Washam -
Missing episodes?
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We explore the science behind how self-compassionate touch can help us feel better about ourselves.
Link to transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4nm5827f
Summary: Brittany Luce, host of NPR's "It's Been A Minute," shares her experience with self-compassionate touch. She did it for 20 seconds, almost daily. to quiet her inner critic and foster self-compassion, especially during moments of stress or self-judgment.
Researcher Eli Susman also shares the fascinating science behind this practice, and how despite being short and sweet —it may still be an effective way to cultivate self compassion -- especially if you find ways to make it a habit.How To Do This Self-Compassionate Touch Practice:
Take a moment to try these different touches and see which feels most supportive to you. Whenever you feel stressed or upset, or just need some extra support, use this compassionate touch to remind yourself that you’re here for you. Research shows the practice works best when practiced regularly.Duration: 20 seconds, practiced daily or as often as you can.
Find a comfortable space. Sit or stand somewhere you feel relaxed and at ease. Try out these micro practices while thinking kind words to yourself, as though you were comforting a dear friend in distress.
1. Touch Your Heart: Place both hands gently over the center of your chest, one on top of the other. Apply just enough pressure to feel connected, but not uncomfortable. Focus on the warmth of your touch.
2. Feel Your Strength: If it feels right, make a gentle fist with your left hand, symbolizing strength, and place it over your heart. Rest your right hand on top of the fist to combine the feeling of strength and love.
3. Cradle Your Face: Gently cup each of your cheeks with your hands, holding your face as you would a loved one in distress. Let the touch be soft and caring.
4. Support Your Core: Place both hands over your solar plexus, just below your ribcage, and imagine you're holding and supporting your core. This can be particularly comforting if you're feeling fear or deep emotions.
5. Give Yourself a Hug: Cross your arms, resting each hand on the opposite shoulder. Gently squeeze yourself, adjusting the pressure to feel comforting but not overwhelming.
Guest: Brittany Luse is an award-winning journalist, cultural critic. and host of the NPR podcast “It's Been a Minute.”
Learn more about Luse: https://tinyurl.com/3bjt6v7m
Follow Luse on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmluse
Listen to the NPR podcast "It's Been A Minute": https://tinyurl.com/3uek8ey8
Guest: Eli Susman is a researcher and Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology at UC Berkeley
Read Eli Susman's study on self-compassionate touch: https://tinyurl.com/2uh783z8Related Science of Happiness episodes:
How to Feel Better About YourselfGive Yourself A BreakIf You Want to Be More Productive, Cut Yourself Some SlackRelated Happiness Break mediations:
What to do When you're Struggling, With Spring Washam -
Letting go of our regrets can motivate us to improve and help us grow. Alex Elle, a certified breath work and writing coach, guides us through a meditation to forgive and accept ourselves.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5dzrzm4z
How to Do This Practice:
1. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, remember all you have done in the past that led you to come to be where you are today.
2. Remember that you are allowed to forgive yourself and let it go. Give yourself permission to release any shame that you’re carrying. Forgive yourself.
3. Think of the good things about yourself. Trust your worth and acknowledge that you are evolving. Remember, you are worthy of good things even when you think you are now.
4. When you’re ready, you can bring your attention back to the present moment. Take a few deep breaths in through the nose, and out through the nose. Drop your shoulder and unclench your jaw.
5. If you’d like to take this practice a step further, you can write your own letter of self forgiveness, it can start with “Dear self, I forgive you for …”
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Alex Elle is a certified breath work coach, author and restorative writing teacher. Her new book, How We Heal, will come out soon.
Learn more about Alex and her new book: https://www.alexelle.com/aboutFollow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex/Follow Alex on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@easewithalexlScience of Happiness Episodes like this one
How to Forgive Your Father: https://tinyurl.com/2p98e3cyNine Steps to Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/mwwhbrs6Happiness Break Related Episodes
A Meditation for Seeking Forgiveness, With Shelly Tygielski: https://tinyurl.com/yynvm6avRadical Acceptance, With Tara Brach: https://tinyurl.com/4k3f563mMessage us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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What if you had a magic wand and could better the world in any way? What would you do? We explore a practice shown to help you find your purpose and feel more motivated, resilient and fulfilled in life.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/bp7wv7ft
Episode Summary
What’s your greater purpose in life? It’s a tough question, especially if you’re feeling uncertain about your future. In this episode, our guest explores that very question—and gets handed a magic wand with the power to make the world a better place.
How To Do The Magic Wand Practice
Set aside 15 minutes to reflect and write. Think about the world you live in – your home, your community, and the world at large.Imagine you’ve been given a magic wand, and you can change anything you want to change in the world. What would you want to be different? Why? Describe your ideal world in writing.Now, reflect on what it would take to change the world in this way. Is there anything you can do to help move the world closer to this ideal? If so, explain how; if not, explain why not.Guest: Selina Bilal is a UC Berkeley undergraduate student who is studying psychology, and a Fellow at Greater Good Science Center, where we produce The Science of Happiness
Expert Guest: Kendall Cotton Bronk is a professor of psychology in the Division of Behavioral & Social Sciences at Claremont University.
Learn more about Bronk’s work: https://tinyurl.com/3s9sjp2dConnect with Bronk: https://tinyurl.com/3p5cepy3Science of Happiness Episodes like this one
How to Find Your Spark in Life: https://tinyurl.com/yc8j9a4uWhat’s Your “Why” in Life? https://tinyurl.com/2vnaswptHappiness Break Related Episodes
A Meditation to Inspire a Sense of Purpose: https://tinyurl.com/54uuvh7zVisualizing Your Purpose, With Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/3jvnv35yMessage us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Our happiness is interconnected with the well-being of others, both people and the natural world. Step outside of you can, or imagine the outdoors from wherever you are now, and join us for a meditation that’ll help us be better stewards of the natural world.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y3yfjsxa
Episode Summary
A meditation on how we can give back to the earth, led by indigenous activist, artist, and scholar Dr. Lyla June Johnston.
How To Do This Practice
Sit and take four deep breaths to honor the four sacred directions.Take a moment to stop, and step outside and see what life flourishes from. Take notice of the little things – a bird bath that provides a safe place for the birds to drink and to bathe. Think about how you can give a small gift to life., Maybe you could plant fruit or nut-bearing trees that could feed you,your neighbors, and the wildlife around you. Following this meditation, think about ways that you can make this a reality. You could order a bird bath from your local feed store. Think of the metaphor of the bird bath. A bird bath is a human creation. And it's a gift to birds. It doesn't benefit us at all. It truly is just a gift to a species outside of our own. Reflect on how this is truly what human beings were born to do – born to be givers, stewards, and caretakers of the earth.Guest Host: Dr. Lyla June Johnston is an indigenous activist, artist, and scholar from the Naaneesht'ezhi Taach'iinii clan of the Diné Nation.
For more on her work: https://www.lylajune.com/Watch her TED talk: https://tinyurl.com/frbe5ya9Follow her on instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdfbf8yxFollow her on X: https://tinyurl.com/4jj57n25Follow her on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3cskuh7xScience of Happiness Episodes like this one
How to Do Good for the Environment (And Yourself): https://tinyurl.com/dmsr2wkmThe Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/murmd98bHappiness Break Related Episodes
How to Be in Harmony in Nature—Wherever You Are, With Yuria Celidwen: https://tinyurl.com/ynxeeb7aContemplating Our Interdependence With Nature, With Dekila Chungyalpa: https://tinyurl.com/erz2f5deFeeling the Awe of Nature From Anywhere, With Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/y4mm4wu9Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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With the U.S. election swiftly approaching, the political divide can feel overwhelming. But what happens when we recognize the limits of our knowledge?
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/83a5wbkp
Episode Summary
When we internally acknowledge the limits of our knowledge, we create space to engage with other points of view. Allowing new perspectives in can help us better assess arguments, and decrease hubris. We will hear from psychologists Tania Israel and Daryl Van Tongeren about embracing opinions different from our own.
How To Do This Practice
Reflect on an issue you feel strongly about. Ask yourself the following questions when listening to someone’s opinion that differs from your own:
How can other people help me to develop a broader or deeper understanding of this topic?Whose story isn't being told here?What's the perspective I'm not seeing? Check in with yourself as you're reading the news, are you just saying, “I agree with that perspective” or are there moments in which you can say, “This challenges me.”This episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on “Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility.” To learn more, go to ggsc.berkeley.edu/ih.
Today’s guests:
Our guest host today is Allison Briscoe-Smith, a psychologist and Senior Fellow at The Greater Good Science Center.
Tania Israel is a psychology professor at UC Santa Barbara and author of the new book Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation.
Daryl Van Tongeren is a psychology professor at Hope College and author of the book Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World.
Learn more about Allison Briscoe-Smith: https://tinyurl.com/p3eexvkfTake BerkeleyX: Bridging Differences by Allison Briscoe-Smith: https://tinyurl.com/58z9vmvbRead Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation, by Tania Israel: https://tinyurl.com/yeyw7k6jRead Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World, by Daryl Van Tongeren: https://www.darylvantongeren.com/booksScience of Happiness Episodes like this one:
A Way to Make Work More Meaningful: https://tinyurl.com/mtpay9jw
The Questions to Ask Yourself in an Argument: https://tinyurl.com/3uajhp4t
When It’s Hard to Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/nhzj52vc
Making Difficult Interactions More Respectful: https://tinyurl.com/bddafcrw
Happiness Break Related Episodes:
A Meditation For Connecting In Polarized Times, With Scott Shigeoka: https://tinyurl.com/y6e4vdsd
Direct message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. You can also e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Loving-kindness meditation, or “metta,” has its roots in Buddhist traditions that date back thousands of years. Studies show it can help nourish your capacity to express love, feel more satisfied in life, and enhance brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5h3nfwjb
Episode Summary
Dacher guides us in a meditation that has been practiced over thousands of years. Together, we will mentally extend goodwill, kindness, and warmth towards others and ourselves, in a series of mantras.
How To Do This Practice
Find a comfortable position, you may lie down or be seated.Bring your attention and awareness to the breath at the belly. Inhale and exhale, noticing sensations of breath. Bring to mind someone who you really believe has your best interests in their heart.Choose just one person and bring them to mind as though they were next to you.Imagine them truly wishing for you to be happy and fulfilled. Imagine their smile. Feel their intention of goodness. For a couple more breaths, really take in this wish for your happiness and joy from this person who cares for you.Now letting go of the image of this person, relax into these sensations and feelings for just a couple breaths.With this feeling of support and happiness, bring to mind someone who could really use some extra love.Now repeat to yourself, “May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease.”As you inhale, draw in this intention. And as you exhale, send it out.Twice more—inhale, drawing in this intention. And then exhale, sending out.Release the image of this person. And just notice the sensations in your own body.Today’s Host: Dacher Keltner
Science of Happiness episodes like this one:
24 Hours of Kindness: https://tinyurl.com/3dnye335Being Kind Is Good for Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/2afe5v79How to Love People You Don’t Like: https://tinyurl.com/5sj388yjHappiness Break related episodes:
Wrap Yourself in Kindness, With Jack Kornfield: https://tinyurl.com/3cd6xj23How to Be Your Own Best Friend, with Kristin Neff: https://tinyurl.com/yc8emecmWishing Others Well, With Anushka Fernandopulle: https://tinyurl.com/3w2sn96mThis episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation on "Spreading Love Through the Media".
Tell us about your experiences practicing loving-kindness meditation!
Direct message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. You can also e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Have you ever known you were dreaming while you were asleep? Our guests try practices to help induce lucid dreams, and we hear what they can teach us about consciousness.
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Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and vastness of the sky. Dacher Keltner guides us through a practice of pausing to turn your gaze to the sky as a pathway to awe, creativity and wonder.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc5xfwp4
Practice:
Go someplace where you feel safe and also have a nice view of the sky.First, focus on your breathing. Take a few slow inhales and even slower exhales. As you breathe in and out, relax your shoulders, your hands, and your face.On the next breath in, look up at the sky. Notice how vast it is. Breathing naturally, notice everything you can about the sky. What colors are present? Are there any clouds? Do you see any gradation of light?Expand your gaze to get the fullest view and sense of the sky that you can. Spend a few moments taking it in.On the final deep breaths in and out, reflect on how doing this practice has made you feel.Today’s Happiness Break host:
Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Check out Dacher’s most recent book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:Why we Should Look up at the Sky (Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/fn3bttw6
Six Ways to Incorporate Awe into Your Daily Life: https://tinyurl.com/3j5hdtj7
How to Choose a Type of Mindfulness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/py6b729h
How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative: https://tinyurl.com/2fmpdpkj
Why is Nature so Good For Your Mental Health? https://tinyurl.com/23zavth3Tell us about your experiences with wildlife! Leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. You can also e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Safe encounters with wildlife can deepen our appreciation for nature, and for other people. Craig Foster of “My Octopus Teacher” shares his transformational experiences with the animals of the ocean.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/murmd98b
Episode Summary
Venturing into nature and experiencing wildlife can be transformative. Safe interactions with wildlife encourage us to be more in relation with nature, and each other. In this episode, we hear from Craig Foster of “My Octopus Teacher” and how his interactions with sea creatures have changed his life. We also hear from environmental researcher Liz Lev about the effect on our well-being that being in wild spaces provides.How To Do This Practice:
The next time you want to explore the outdoors, find the “wildest” space you can think of. Explore the “wild spaces” in your neighborhood or city, and reflect on your experiences with wildlife.Today’s guests:
Craig Foster is the director of My Octopus Teacher, and the co-founder of Sea Change Project.Liz Lev is an environmental researcher and research associate at Harder+Company who that specializes in the intersections of environmental and climate justice issues, mental health, and urban planning.
Learn more about Craig’s work:https://tinyurl.com/tyctr6fuFollow Sea Change Project on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/2pzdx73zWatch My Octopus Teacher: https://tinyurl.com/e87edt4bFollow My Octopus Teacher on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/mryx4zumLearn more about Liz’s research: https://tinyurl.com/y2afdxpr Read about Liz’s research on wild spaces: https://tinyurl.com/msjsz32tScience of Happiness Episodes like this one:
Experience Nature Wherever You Are, with Dacher (Encore): https://tinyurl.com/aj34s585
How Exploring New Places Can Make You Feel Happier: https://tinyurl.com/4ufn2tpn
Why We Should Look up at the Sky: https://tinyurl.com/mpn9vj2t
How Birdsong Can Help Your Mental Health: https://tinyurl.com/3tey4rb5Happiness Break Related Episodes:
Feeling the Awe of Nature From Anywhere, With Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/y4mm4wu9
How to Ground Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/2wv69kwsThis episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation on "Spreading Love Through the Media".
Tell us about your experiences with wildlife! Direct message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. You can also e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Just a few moments of tuning into nature can make you feel more inspired, connected, and less lonely. Let us guide you through a five-minute noticing nature practice — you don't even have to leave your neighborhood.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/aj34s585
How to Do This Practice:
Find somewhere where you can focus on the natural environment, like your backyard.Take a few slow, deep breaths. Close your eyes or soften your gaze.Notice your belly and chest rise and fall as you breathe. Note the physical sensations of your breath.If you closed your eyes, open them. Let your breath fall into its natural rhythm.Look around you and let your eyes wander slowly through your surroundings: the plants, animals, and bugs. Let yourself be curious about anything that catches your eye and moves you. Rest your awareness there. Pause to appreciate it, and let it hold your attention for a few moments.Turn your awareness to your emotions. How are you feeling? When something you see evokes an emotion, take a mental photo of it. What about it captivated you? What did it make you feel? Write that down in just a few words or sentences, or make a mental note of it. Let your gaze wander again whenever you’re ready, repeating these steps.Today’s Happiness Break host:
Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the GGSC and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
If you enjoyed this Happiness Break, you may also like these Happiness Breaks:
Feeling the Awe of Nature From Anywhere, With Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/y4mm4wu9
How to Ground Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/2wv69kws
Check out these episodes of The Science of Happiness
Walk Outside with Inside Out’s Pete Docter: https://tinyurl.com/23vpuj8j
Why We Should Look up at the Sky: https://tinyurl.com/mpn9vj2t
How Birdsong Can Help Your Mental Health: https://tinyurl.com/3tey4rb5
Tell us about your nature experience! Direct message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. You can also e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Exploring novel places and having diverse experiences is important to our well-being and can make us feel happier. This week, Ike Sriskandarajah, a producer for This American Life, takes us with him as he explores new parts of New York City.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/seystc6c
Episode summary:
Shaking yourself out of your normal routine can be hard–but studies show it’s worth it. Creating space for variety, novelty, and awe in our lives is essential for our well-being. Exploring new and diverse environments in our daily life can lead to better stress resilience and can make us feel better. In this episode, investigative journalist Ike Sriskandarajah, shares his experience exploring new places with his family in New York City. Then, we hear from Aaron Heller, a neuroscientist and assistant professor at the University of Miami's Department of Psychology, who studies how exposure to novel places can make us happier.
Practice:
Break out of your usual daily routine–take a route to work you have never taken before, or visit a park you’ve never gone to. Explore a place you have never been to.
Today’s guests: Ike Sriskandarajah is an investigative journalist and Producer at This American Life.
Aaron Heller is a neuroscientist and assistant professor at the University of Miami's Department of Psychology.
Learn more about Ike’s work: https://tinyurl.com/4auuk7pdLearn about Ike’s work at Reveal: https://tinyurl.com/serhuyt5Follow Ike on X: https://tinyurl.com/ycxz6xbrConnect with Ike on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/ydwztavwLearn more about Aaron’s research: https://tinyurl.com/yxrpm944Follow Aaron on X: https://tinyurl.com/rr3ac6jwConnect with Aaron on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/36trsauxScience of Happiness Episodes like this one
How Awe Brings Us Together: https://tinyurl.com/bddavvbv Can You Find Wonder in the Ordinary? https://tinyurl.com/4j8h4dzkHappiness Break Related Episodes
Feeling the Awe of Nature From Anywhere, With Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/y4mm4wu9Feeling the Awe of Nature From Anywhere, With Dacher https://tinyurl.com/y4mm4wu9Tell us about your experience exploring new places!
Leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod, or e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Connect to yourself and the land you stand on in under 10 minutes with this grounding practice led by Indigenous scholar Dr. Yuria Celidwen.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3at8hrsu
How to Do This Practice:
If possible, go outside and find some natural ground, like grass or dirt. If you're wearing shoes or socks, take them off and place the soles of your feet directly on the ground. Bring your attention to the earth beneath you. Allow it to hold you, paying attention to how it feels — soft, firm, reliable. Imagine you're starting to grow roots from the tip of your toes, digging deep into the earth.Visualize energy and wellness flowing through your roots to your toes, into the soles of your feet, your thighs and knees, then base of the spine and upwards into your chest, expanding the whole center of your chest. Take a full, deep breath and contemplate the openness you feel in your chest.Look up towards the sky and open your eyes, allowing all of your senses to awaken to the sounds, smells, colors, and life around you. Feel their presence.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Dr. Yuria Celidwen is an Indigenous studies, cultural psychology, and contemplative science scholar of Indigenous Nahua and Maya descent. She also works at the United Nations to advance the rights of Indigenous peoples and the Earth.
Learn more about Dr. Celidwen’s work: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/More resources from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center:
Listen to Dr. Yuria Celidwen on The Science of Happiness episode about listening to your elders: https://tinyurl.com/yr2ydk43Does Nature Make You More Mindful? https://tinyurl.com/4wcreu9zWhy You Need More Nature in Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/ye282e5dBeing Around Nature Helps You Love Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/57d5ntxmHow Modern Life Became Disconnected From Nature: https://tinyurl.com/yc6u73f9Listen to The Science of Happiness episode featuring podcast host Krista Tippett, on Being Grounded in Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/8t7rr4yyTell us about your grounding practice experience! Direct message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. You can also e-mail us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
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Everyday activities, such as cleaning and gardening, can be sources of joy and opportunities for mindfulness. This week, our guest shares his experience practicing mindful sweeping on the temple stairs in Kyoto, Japan with Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3r6ju2wh
The Science of Happiness is now Instagram, and we'd love for you to follow us! You can find us at @ScienceofHappinessPod. We're going to go behind the scenes of our episodes, and share how to do the practices we talk about on the show. The first 100 followers will be included in a raffle to win a signed copy of host Dacher Keltner's newest book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.
Episode summary:
Many of us see yard work as a chore. But what if we shift our perspective and instead see it as an opportunity to practice mindfulness? This week on The Science of Happiness, our guest shares his experience of sweeping the steps of a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, and the mindfulness and mental processes involved in the practice. Then, we hear from Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk and author, about the practice of cleaning as a form of mindfulness.Practice:
The next time you’re tending to your garden, picking up trash on your sidewalk, watering the plants, or doing other chores, spend a few minutes practicing mindfulness by slowing down and really being present with the activity and your own body's movements while you do it.Today’s guests:
Matt Heron is a Canadian who has been living and working in Japan for five years.
Shoukei Matsumoto is a Buddhist monk and cleaning enthusiast in Kyoto, Japan. He is the author of “A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind,” which has been translated into 18 languages, including English
Follow Shoukei on instagram: https://tinyurl.com/4e2jk7xtFollow Shoukei on Linkedin: https://tinyurl.com/48xkr9ewLearn more about Interbeing: https://www.interbeing.co.jp/enRead “A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind” : https://tinyurl.com/7u3zhvczMore episodes like this one:
How to Make Work More Satisfying: https://tinyurl.com/3fa925yf
Why We Should Seek Beauty in the Everyday Life: https://tinyurl.com/26dskv38Related Happiness Breaks (a short, guided practice by The Science of Happiness)
Contemplating Our Interdependence With Nature, With Dekila Chungyalpa: https://tinyurl.com/erz2f5de
Happiness Break: How to Be in Harmony in Nature—Wherever You Are, With Yuria Celidwen: https://tinyurl.com/ynxeeb7aTell us about your mindful gardening experiences! Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
This episode is sponsored by Tianren Culture, whose vision is “One Health, One Wellness.” Tianren Culture is a next-generation social platform that acts as a catalyst to foster positive global values and lifestyles.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Last week on The Science of Happiness, we discussed the scientifically proven health benefits of the ancient Chinese practice of qigong with Harvard psychologist Peter Wayne. This week, we practice a standing meditation, with qigong master Sherry Zhang.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3t5wdexe
How to Do This Practice:
Take a moment to stand upright with your feet together and take a few deep breaths.Have your eyes looking forward.Soften your knee.Gently shift your weight onto your left leg and step your right foot aside.Face your palms inward, with your fingers relaxed and pointing down. With your chin slightly in, relax both shoulders, and tuck in your tailbone.Ground your feet and relax your knees, armpits, and fingers.Take a deep breath and exhale. Spend a few moments focused on your natural breathing and relaxed body.Now, bring your right foot back, so both feet are together.Lengthen your spine. Take a moment to observe how your body feels, until your breathing slows. Next, bring your hands together and rub them together vigorously, creating heat in between your palms.Now "wash" your face with your hands."Wash" the side of your ears, to the back of your ears, the back of your neck.Now relax both hands at the front of your chest.Repeat this practice for one to five minutes.Today’s Happiness Break host:
Sherry Zhang is the founder of Tai Chi Solutions and a Master Teacher of Qigong. She is faculty at Pacific College of Health and Sciences in New York City.
Learn more about Sherry’s work:https://www.taichisolution.org/Follow Sherry on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taichisolution/Follow Sherry on Twitter: https://twitter.com/taichisolutionFollow Sherry on Linked-In: https://tinyurl.com/ywca6nd5Follow Sherry on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherrytaichi/Follow Tai Chi Solutions on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taichisolution/If you enjoyed this Happiness Break, you may also like these ones:
Walk Your Way to Calm (Guided Meditation), with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/4w37zwpy
A Walking Meditation With Dan Harris of 10% Happier: https://tinyurl.com/4dv4ckzcCheck out these episodes of The Science of Happiness about movement-based practices:
How Qigong Can Calm Your Mind and Body: https://tinyurl.com/2ywsck4e
Episode 5: Walk Outside with Inside Out’s Pete Docter: https://tinyurl.com/2nfc94zbWe love hearing from you! Tell us what movement based practice you’ve tried!
Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzusShare this Happiness Break!
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Studies show qigong can strengthen your body and mind, and reduce cortisol levels. We explore this Chinese meditative movement practice that dates back over 4,000 years.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2ywsck4e
Episode summary: Finding calm in your day to day life can be stressful, especially in a world that seems to be moving at such a rapid pace. Your life can change in an instant– and it can be really difficult to get yourself on your feet again. On this episode of The Science of Happiness, Ace Boral, an Oakland-based chef, joins us to try Qigong. Ace talks about his health struggles over the past four years, and how incorporating Qigong into his life over the past few weeks has helped him find mental clarity, emotional balance, and confidence in himself. Then we hear from Harvard psychologist Peter Wayne who has practiced and studied the benefits of Xigong.
Today’s guests: Ace Boral is an Oakland-based chef.
Peter Wayne is an Associate Professor of Medicine, and serves as the Director for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Learn more about Peter’s work: https://tinyurl.com/342xndnaMore episodes like this one:
Moving Through Space, with Dacher Keltner: https://tinyurl.com/3u844n4dThe Science of Synchronized Movement: https://tinyurl.com/n4bcrb5jTell us about your experiences with Qigong. Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
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Here's a favorite of ours: visualize your best possible self and tap into your inherent enough-ness with this guided meditation by Justin Michael Williams.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ytakaaep
How to Do This Practice:
Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize your ideal future self, the person of your dreams you’ve always wanted to be. Try noticing as many details as you can: What color are you wearing, how do you feel, what are you doing, is anyone with you?Answer this question in your mind with 1-3 words: As you look at this future version of you, what energy do you need to cultivate more of in your life now, today, to become closer to being that person you see in your vision? Breathe in deeply, and as you do imagine yourself breathing in that energy. As you exhale, imagine that energy spreading throughout your body and energy field.Open your eyes. Remember, you have what you need to become that which you want to become. We are enough to start stepping into the life of our dreams.Today’s Happiness Break host:
Justin Michael Williams works at the intersection of social justice, mindfulness, and personal growth — with a touch of music that brings it all to life.
Learn More About Justin’s work: https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/Listen to Justin’s debut album: https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/musicOrder Justin’s book, Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide For the Rest of Us:https://tinyurl.com/2p8xu6hxFollow Justin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wejustwillFollow Justin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wejustwill/More episodes like this one
How to Find Your Best Possible Self
https://tinyurl.com/6t3uws8d
Happiness Break: Visualizing Your Best Self in Relationships, With Dacher Keltner
https://tinyurl.com/5cx6cd5z
Happiness Break: Visualizing Your Purpose, With Dacher
https://tinyurl.com/39apt7tbWe love hearing from you! Tell us what brings you feelings of awe. Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus
Help us share Happiness Break!
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She's the world's leading animal behaviorist and an autism advocacy leader. Guest Temple Grandin shares what kind of support systems led her to success, and we hear about how community, and lack thereof, affects our health and ability to succeed.Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y82vw4dv
Episode summary:
Having strong relationships is vital to our well-being. We tend to be happier and healthier when we’re involved with community. Today’s guest is the world-famous scientist Temple Grandin. She was born with autism, which led her to be socially isolated from her peers. Join us on this episode of The Science of Happiness to hear about how Grandin credits her support networks for her success and making her into the person she is today. We’ll also look at the science behind the health repercussions of not having strong social networks. Feeling socially disconnected can lead to a higher risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer and more.Today’s guests:
Temple Grandin is a leading scientist, prominent author and speaker on autism and animal behaviors. Today, she teaches courses at Colorado State University. Her latest book is Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions.
Temple’s Website: https://www.templegrandin.com
Follow Temple on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtemplegrandin?lang=en
Check out Temple’s Latest Book: https://tinyurl.com/3tftxpck
Tegan Cruwyis is a clinical psychologist at The National Australian University who studies social connection and how loneliness and chronic isolation are literally toxic.
Learn more about Cruwyis and her work: https://tinyurl.com/3etuvket
Follow Cruwyis on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/yc5ujhaj
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:Four Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient https://tinyurl.com/34ntce8u
What is Social Connection? https://tinyurl.com/nk8crbbz
Is Social Connection the Best Path to Happiness? https://tinyurl.com/4wxc66tn
Why are We so Wired to Connect? https://tinyurl.com/uttppd3p
Tell us about your experiences with building social connections. Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
Transcript to come. -
Experiencing awe can help us slow down and connect to the world around us. So how can we harness the power of this feeling? Host Dacher Keltner leads us in a colorful meditation to bring about awe.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3e9cyky5
Practice:
Please find a space, either inside or outside, where you can take a moment and pause and look slowly at a scene in front of you. Settle into a pattern of deep breathing and ease. Really focusing on how that pattern of inhalation and exhalation relaxes your body and slows your heart rate down.Now cast your gaze over the space around you. Take in what you see in the scene in front of you.You may shift your attention to colors present in the things around you or step back and get a sense of the scene in a more holistic way.Notice the variations and differences in the various colors in your visual field. What feelings do the colors evoke in you? Now, gently close and then open your eyes and notice how you feel.Today’s guests:
Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.More episodes like this one:
How Awe Brings Us Together
https://tinyurl.com/bdhy4sj5
How Music Evokes Awe
https://tinyurl.com/mpkww4j9
Happiness Break: Awe for Others, With Dacherhttps://tinyurl.com/3ptwh66j
Feeling the Awe of Nature from Anywhere, with Dacher Keltner
https://tinyurl.com/4r7rjaxf
We love hearing from you! Tell us what brings you feelings of awe. Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus
Help us share Happiness Break!
Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapRate us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus
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