Happiness Break: A Meditation on Becoming A Gift To Life

The Science of Happiness

PRX and Greater Good Science Center

Science, Social Sciences

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2024

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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/frbe5ya9
Follow her on instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdfbf8yx
Follow her on X: https://tinyurl.com/4jj57n25
Follow her on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3cskuh7x

Science of Happiness Episodes like this one

How to Do Good for the Environment (And Yourself): https://tinyurl.com/dmsr2wkm
The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/murmd98b

Happiness Break Related Episodes

How to Be in Harmony in Nature—Wherever You Are, With Yuria Celidwen: https://tinyurl.com/ynxeeb7a
Contemplating Our Interdependence With Nature, With Dekila Chungyalpa: https://tinyurl.com/erz2f5de
Feeling the Awe of Nature From Anywhere, With Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/y4mm4wu9

Message 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

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to Happiness Break, I'm Dacker Keltner.
0:05.0	So often in the scientific literature on happiness and on our show we talk about our
0:10.4	individual well-being and that obviously has its place but the truth is
0:15.8	that our own happiness is interconnected with the well-being of others and not just
0:20.0	people but our natural environment. We know from research that our time
0:25.0	outdoors, especially in biodiversity areas, has a restorative effect upon us, reducing
0:31.2	stress and rejuvenating both our minds and bodies.
0:35.5	So for today's happiness break, we're contemplating how we can also be more of service to
0:41.1	the natural world. We'll be guided by indigenous activist, artist, and scholar
0:46.4	Dr. Lila June Johnston. So head somewhere outdoors if you can. You may need to pause this for a moment to get there.
0:55.0	Or if you can't get outside right now, you might just visualize a place you care about.
1:01.0	And join in this meditation in your mind's eye.
1:08.0	When you're ready, here's Lila June. Greetings my kin and my people.
1:17.0	Before we begin this meditation, I invite you to sit and just take four deep breaths to honor the four sacred directions. Oh, My name is Lila Jun, Nanched Ejetrachi in a slant.
2:00.0	I am from the Nannished Ejetrachitney clan of the Denehe Nation.
2:04.6	We're also incorrectly known as Navajo.
2:07.4	And I wanted to guide you through a little walking meditation today around your home, around your apartment, around your home,
2:13.2	around your apartment, around your farm,
2:16.1	around your dorm room, around wherever you find yourself sitting today.
2:26.0	Most of our daily life and our infrastructure around us
2:30.0	is designed for humans by humans.
2:34.0	But in my research, looking at indigenous regenerative ecosystem design,
	...

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