Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris - A Guided Meditation For First Thing In The Morning | Bonus Meditation with Alexis Santos

Episode Date: September 22, 2024

Start focused on what's truly important. When you pause to remember the big picture, your day can move forward grounded in integrity & wisdom.About Alexis Santos:Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in both the East and West since 2001. He has been a long-time student of Sayadaw U Tejaniya (a well respected meditation teacher in Burma whose teachings have attracted a global audience), and his teaching emphasizes knowing the mind through a natural and relaxed continuity -- a style of practice that's particularly useful during our crazy lives. Alexis has completed the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training, teaches retreats across the globe, and currently lives in Portland, Maine.To find this meditation in the Happier app, you can search for “Wake Up With Perspective.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to 10% happier early and ad free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. It's the 10% happier podcast. I'm Dan Harris. Hello, everybody. Time for a bonus meditation. Today we've got something for the morning. And this is good for whatever temperament you happen to have. If you're the type of person who leaps out of bed in the morning, this is good for you.

If you're not a morning person, also good for you. Our meditation teacher du jour is my friend Alexis Santos, who's been practicing and teaching Insight Meditation in both the East and the West since 2001. He has completed the Spirit Rock IMS teacher training and he teaches retreats all over the planet and he lives right now in Maine. Alexis Santos, over to you. Good morning. This is Alexis.

Morning time can offer a unique time to practice. Before we fully pick up all of the activities and roles that define us, that can narrow our heart and attention, it can be meaningful to consider some of the deeper truths of our experience. In this meditation, we'll be exploring the wisdom that mindfulness practice reveals so as to have a more intentional, more meaningful rest of the day. Let's begin. Sit comfortably in a posture that feels natural to you, taking this time to rest the body.

that feels natural to you, taking this time to rest the body. You can close your eyes if that's comfortable, or gently soften your gaze, just sensing how this moment feels for you. How does the body feel? It's all changing from moment to moment. Change is one of the most fundamental and significant truths of our lives. This entire universe is governed by change, from the physical elements to the non-physical aspects of our minds. Reflecting on life through this lens reminds us not to be surprised when things change. Notice the changes taking place in this moment. How the in-breath begins, deepens, and ends.

And how the out-breath begins. Take some time to explore this on your own. Learning to step back and observe the process of life as it unfolds. The breath, the body, feelings and thoughts, all are a part of the natural unfolding of the body and mind. We can bring this reflection of change to a larger scale. There's one saying, for example, that every meeting ends in parting. This can be a tender realization. Everyone we have met will also be parted from us. And rather than being depressing, remembering this can help us savor and appreciate our relationships and encounters even more, knowing they will eventually end.

Stay with this reflection and notice what arises. Particularly when we have lost perspective of what really matters, these kinds of reflections can bring clarity and a sense of purpose and groundedness. Remembering this, we can sense the preciousness of this life. When you're ready, allow your eyes to open if they have been closed and reconnect with your surroundings. Thanks for your practice. I hope you have a good rest of the day. Thank you, Alexis. You can find more meditations like this one over on the Happier app.

Just download the app wherever you get your apps to get started. If you like 10% Happier, and I hope you do, you can listen early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at Wondery.com slash survey.