Episode Summary: "How Meditation Can Help You Handle Injured Feelings and Injured Muscles | Dawn Mauricio"

Podcast Title: 10% Happier with Dan Harris
Host: Dan Harris
Guest: Don Mauricio
Release Date: July 6, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of "10% Happier with Dan Harris," host Dan Harris delves into the transformative power of meditation with Don Mauricio, the Teacher of the Month. The conversation explores Don's personal journey into meditation, her teaching philosophy, and how mindfulness practices aid in navigating both emotional and physical challenges.

Don Mauricio's Journey into Meditation

Becoming a Meditation Teacher

Don Mauricio recounts her initiation into meditation during a pivotal moment in her life. Approximately 20 years ago, while backpacking through Southeast Asia amid a quarter-life crisis, Don encountered a significant turning point.

Don Mauricio [06:41]: "My first solo trip ever was during my quarter life crisis and it was backpacking through Southeast Asia... I was just so homesick... She said vipassana, like vipassana meditation."

Her first exposure to meditation was a 10-day Vipassana retreat at a monastery, which she describes as the hardest challenge she had undertaken up to that point.

Don Mauricio [07:48]: "It was the hardest thing I had done in my life up until that point. But I just somehow knew that it was going to stay in my life too. Even though it was incredibly challenging."

Understanding Vipassana Meditation

Definition and Roots

Don sheds light on Vipassana, a cornerstone of her meditation practice and teaching.

Don Mauricio [08:52]: "Vipassana is a style of meditation that is often translated to mean seeing, clearly seeing in a new way, insight meditation."

She emphasizes its connection to mindfulness meditation, noting that the roots of mindfulness derive from Vipassana.

Don Mauricio [09:36]: "The roots of mindfulness come from vipassana meditation. And so they're like cousins in a way or they're relatives for sure."

The Rigors of a 10-Day Retreat

Facing Internal Challenges

Participating in her first Vipassana retreat was a profound and demanding experience for Don. She highlights several aspects that made the retreat particularly challenging:

• Disruption of Familiar Habits: The retreat structure eliminated distractions such as reading, listening to music, exercising, or socializing.

  Don Mauricio [09:48]: "Everything was removed as an option. And so then what was left was like just being with my mind."

• Confronting Deep Emotions: Isolation and silence brought unresolved emotions to the surface, including sadness and anger.

  Don Mauricio [10:35]: "Every day was like a ride for sure. But on top of it being so far from home and on retreats, there's no easy access to calling home anyway."

Transition from Marketing to Teaching

Career Shift Motivated by Inner Clarity

After the retreat, Don struggled to resume her previous life in marketing, experiencing persistent sadness despite professional success.

Don Mauricio [11:58]: "I was going on these interviews and I was getting the jobs, but I was like still crying after these interviews, even though they went well."

Her meditation practice illuminated the external pressures and societal expectations that were tethering her to an unsatisfying career path.

Don Mauricio [13:12]: "It was pretty fresh in my system... I just went for it. And it wasn't like, okay, then I became a meditation teacher. It was... a 10-year process to become a full-time meditation teacher."

This gradual transition involved roles such as a hair salon receptionist and yoga teacher training, eventually leading her to incorporate mindfulness and meditation into teaching workshops.

Teaching Philosophy and Approach

Making Meditation Accessible and Playful

Don articulates her passion for making meditation teachings accessible and enjoyable, aiming to demystify practices that might seem intimidating to newcomers.

Don Mauricio [15:33]: "I love these teachings so much. I also recognize that they can seem a little bit inaccessible for some folks. And so I'm really passionate about making these teachings accessible..."

She emphasizes the importance of playfulness in practice, which keeps the teachings engaging and fosters a sustainable meditation habit.

Don Mauricio [16:45]: "I love being playful with these teachings. I think for me, that's what has kept it all really interesting and exciting..."

Her ultimate goal is to cultivate qualities such as calmness, freedom from suffering, loving-kindness, and compassion within individuals and their communities.

Don Mauricio [17:00]: "...the more people we can get practicing these things, then the more people can feel into these benefits..."

Navigating Personal Challenges Through Mindfulness

Handling Injury with Mindfulness

Don shares a recent personal challenge—torn Achilles—and how her mindfulness practice has been instrumental in managing this physical and emotional setback.

Don Mauricio [18:34]: "I’ve only had one breakdown. Not that I’m avoiding breakdowns, but I think it’s my mindfulness practice has helped me tune into all of the gifts that this injury has provided me."

She highlights several ways mindfulness has aided her during recovery:

• Appreciation of Support Systems: Noticing and valuing the care from friends and community.

  Don Mauricio [19:15]: "I wouldn’t maybe notice all of the ways they’re showing up for me... being present enough to notice these things..."

• Emotional Resilience: Allowing herself to experience big emotions without fear, fostering a capacity to support others similarly.

  Don Mauricio [20:10]: "I feel like I have a capacity to be with it, not be afraid of it... to hold the space for them to feel their big emotions too."

Insights on Meditation Practice

Treating Meditation as an Experiment

Don encourages practitioners to approach meditation with curiosity and openness, viewing each session as an experiment rather than a mandatory exercise.

Don Mauricio [25:00]: "Treat them as an experiment, not to take them too seriously, just to try them on and check in with their hearts and minds and bodies."

She advises flexibility in practice, suggesting that not every meditation will resonate at all times, and that's perfectly acceptable.

Don Mauricio [25:30]: "Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And it doesn't mean that any of these meditations then are forever written off for you..."

Embracing Joy in Practice

Joy as a Sustaining Force

Don emphasizes the role of joy in sustaining a meditation practice, viewing it as essential for enduring difficult moments.

Don Mauricio [26:32]: "If there's one thing to take away, and I know that this is maybe risky to say, but if there's one thing to say about all of the meditations as a takeaway, it's that there is some sense of that joy."

She believes that joy not only motivates continued practice but also enhances one's ability to cope with life's challenges.

Don Mauricio [27:05]: "The joy is what keeps us coming back. It is what helps us hold the hard."

Conclusion

In this insightful episode, Don Mauricio shares her authentic journey with meditation, highlighting its profound impact on her personal and professional life. Her emphasis on accessibility, playfulness, and the integration of joy within practice offers valuable perspectives for both seasoned meditators and newcomers alike. Through her experiences, listeners gain a deeper understanding of how mindfulness can navigate and alleviate both emotional and physical adversities.

Notable Quotes

• Don Mauricio [06:41]: "I was backpacking through Southeast Asia... I was so homesick... She said vipassana, like vipassana meditation."

• Don Mauricio [08:52]: "Vipassana is a style of meditation... seeing, clearly seeing in a new way, insight meditation."

• Don Mauricio [09:48]: "Everything was removed as an option. And so then what was left was like just being with my mind."

• Don Mauricio [13:12]: "It was a 10-year process to become a full-time meditation teacher."

• Don Mauricio [15:33]: "I’m really passionate about making these teachings accessible..."

• Don Mauricio [18:34]: "My mindfulness practice has helped me tune into all of the gifts that this injury has provided me."

• Don Mauricio [26:32]: "If there's one thing to take away... it's that there is some sense of that joy."

This episode serves as a compelling testament to the resilience and transformative power of meditation, offering listeners both inspiration and practical insights to enhance their mindfulness journey.