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cover of episode Happiness Break: Pause to Look at the Sky, With Dacher (Encore)

Happiness Break: Pause to Look at the Sky, With Dacher (Encore)

2024/7/25
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The Science of Happiness

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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/23zavth3)

Tell 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.

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