Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris - An Always-Available Source Of Stability | Bonus Meditation with Oren Jay Sofer

Episode Date: June 30, 2024

To find some mental stability, start with physical stability.About Oren Jay Sofer:Oren Jay Sofer teaches mindfulness, meditation and Nonviolent Communication. He has practiced meditation since 1997, beginning his studies in Bodh Gaya, India and is a long-time student of Joseph Goldstein, Michele McDonald, and Ajahn Sucitto, and is a graduate of the IMS/Spirit Rock Teacher Training program. Oren teaches retreats across the country and works as Senior Program Developer at Mindful Schools, teaching and developing curricula for one of the international leaders of mindfulness in education.To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for “Ground Hope In Your Body.”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. This is the 10% happier podcast. I'm Dan Harris. Hey, everybody. Happy weekend. Hope it's going well. Time for a bonus meditation. This one slots into the Get Fit Sanely series we've been running on the show of late. Part of getting fit sanely is getting connected to your body, which can sound like a hopeless cliche, but

actually is a very helpful thing to do and is a doable thing. And our meditation teacher, Dujour Orin J. Sofer, is going to show us how. So you know, Orin teaches mindfulness meditation and nonviolent communication. He has practiced meditation since 1997, starting over in India. He is a longtime student of Joseph Goldstein, Michelle McDonald, and Ajahn Suchitto, and a graduate of the IMS Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program. Here we go now with Oren J. Sofer. Oren Hey, this is Oren.

It's hard to have hope if we don't feel at least a little okay right here and now. we don't feel at least a little okay right here and now. The more we can find some inner stability, the more confidently we can take steps to create the change we wanna see in ourselves and in the world. So let's get started. Go ahead and do whatever helps you to settle in and arrive. You might roll your neck or shoulders

or even take a few slow deep breaths. And when you're ready, go ahead and let your eyes close if you like. The key to finding some inner stability is recognizing that it's already here. Notice the places where your body touches the ground, the contact with the sensations of contact. What do you notice? Does it feel firm?

Sensation of touching, notice the weight of your body resting down on the ground, and notice the steadiness, the firmness of the earth beneath you. See if you can begin to give your weight to the ground. Just Just taking it in. There's something solid, steady beneath you that's always here. And you don't have to do anything. You don't have to work for it, earn it, achieve it. It's right here. It's holding us.

It's available. Is there anything inside that wants to let go or release even a little? Take some time to keep noticing the steadiness of the ground, allowing your body to rest, to receive its support. And then we'll do the same thing with the other side. The more you practice like this, the more you'll be able to touch into feeling grounded and okay during your day. And the more you can feel okay right here and now, the more energy and hope you have to build a better future. Whenever you're ready, go ahead and allow your eyes to open. Look around the room a bit and notice how you feel. Thanks so much for practicing together. I hope you feel supported today. Thank you, Oren.

You can find more meditations like this one over on the 10% Happier app. Just download the app wherever you get your apps to get started.