Happiness Break: How to Ground Yourself in Nature, with Yuria Celidwen (Encore)
The Science of Happiness
PRX and Greater Good Science Center
4.4 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 27 June 2024
⏱️ 11 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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/yr2ydk43
- Does Nature Make You More Mindful? https://tinyurl.com/4wcreu9z
- Why You Need More Nature in Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/ye282e5d
- Being Around Nature Helps You Love Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/57d5ntxm
- How Modern Life Became Disconnected From Nature: https://tinyurl.com/yc6u73f9
- Listen to The Science of Happiness episode featuring podcast host Krista Tippett, on Being Grounded in Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/8t7rr4yy
Tell 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.
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 | I'm Dacker Keltner. Welcome to Happiness Break, a new series from the Science of Happiness. |
| 0:09.0 | Today we're doing a practice aimed at connecting us to our own selves and to the land |
| 0:14.6 | we're standing on. Standing with us is my dear colleague Dr. Uriah |
| 0:19.2 | Salidwin. Yuria is a contemplative studies scholar of Nawa and Maya descent from Chiappus, Mexico. |
| 0:26.0 | She also works at the United Nations, supporting international efforts for a more sustainable planet. |
| 0:41.0 | Today, Uriah is going to guide us in a practice to help us connect to ourselves and whatever land we're standing on right now. |
| 0:44.8 | Immercing ourselves in nature calms the nervous system, it reduces cortisol, it elevates |
| 0:51.4 | vagal tone, it is linked to pro-social tendencies like increased |
| 0:55.7 | generosity cooperation kindness creativity and even less ideological |
| 1:00.9 | polarization it's a great way to help with anxiety and fear. |
| 1:05.0 | There's a host of benefits. |
| 1:07.0 | One cool study from the University of Exeter's Medical School |
| 1:10.0 | found that people felt more restored and more of a sense of connectedness when they |
| 1:14.8 | walk barefoot on the beach compared to people who walk the same path with shoes on. |
| 1:20.8 | For that reason I recommend you do this next practice outside. |
| 1:25.0 | And if you can and if you're willing, with your shoes off and no socks, just your bare feet, |
| 1:30.0 | ideally on grass, dirt, sand, somewhere natural. |
| 1:35.0 | Here now is Dr. Yurya Salitman. |
| 1:38.0 | My name is Eurya Salidwin and I honor the occupied territories of the Huichun, one of the many |
| 1:49.4 | Aloni bands of the East Bay Area, the Airkley area where I am speaking today. |
| 1:57.0 | Piale, what do you do with you know what I'm talking to |
| 2:00.0 | newatowattokai yuria seleduin. Nichante nikano kosingo quellha Not only talk about the talk I'm going to Jorya Seledwen. |
... |
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