Podcast Summary:

10% Happier with Dan Harris
Episode Title: How To Figure Out What You Actually Need Right Now | Meditation with Sebene Selassie
Original Air Date: October 12, 2025
Host: Dan Harris
Guest Meditation Teacher: Sebene Selassie

Main Theme

This episode of 10% Happier features a special guided meditation with esteemed teacher Sebene Selassie. The aim: to help listeners drop beneath the surface noise of their minds and tune into their “inner knowing”—the intuitive sense of what they truly need right now. Sebene guides listeners through a series of mindfulness practices designed to access bodily wisdom, offering gentle instructions for developing self-trust and clarity. This meditation is intended as a practical tool for anyone feeling overwhelmed by external opinions, life noise, or a lack of direction.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge of Listening to Your Gut

[00:00-02:20] Host Introduction—Dan Harris

• Dan highlights the common self-help advice to "listen to your gut," but notes the lack of real instructions for how to actually do it.
• Introduces Sebene Selassie as "teacher of the month," and previews opportunities for further engagement—both virtually and in-person.
• Explains that while many guided meditations are paywalled, this episode’s meditation is being offered freely.

Notable Quote:
"One of the most venerable cliches in the world of personal or spiritual growth is ‘listen to your gut, get in touch with your intuition.’ Okay, sure, fine. But how do you actually do that?"
—Dan Harris [00:08]

2. Guided Meditation: Accessing Inner Wisdom

[04:55-15:07] Guided Practice—Sebene Selassie

a. Tuning Inward

• Observes how many find it difficult to truly “tune into ourselves” due to external judgments and internal chaos.
• Meditation is presented as a way to connect with a deeper, bodily source of wisdom.

Notable Quote:
"When we use meditation to turn inwards, we can actually tune into our own sensory experience and touch our inner knowing, a knowing rooted in an innate wisdom."
—Sebene Selassie [04:59]

b. Meditation Setup

• Listeners are prompted to find a comfortable position—sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Guidance begins with establishing mindful presence, tuning into bodily sensations, and breath.

Key Steps:

• Notice contact points with the ground/support.
• Take deep breaths and allow yourself to “sink” into the moment.
• Let awareness settle on ongoing body sensations (breath, tingling, tension, etc).

c. Accessing Deeper Knowing

• Invitation to bring awareness even more inward—focusing on wherever intuitively draws attention (heart, belly, behind eyes, etc).
• Contrast between head-based thoughts and “quieter wisdom in your body.”
• Listeners rest attention in this space.

Notable Practice Prompt:
"Now I want to invite you to bring your awareness even more inward. Notice when I invite you to turn inward, where does your attention go? ...this space can be one way to connect to your deeper knowing. Not the racing thoughts in your head, but the quieter wisdom in your body."
—Sebene Selassie [06:35]

d. The "What Do I Need Right Now?" Question

• Listeners are told to gently plant the question, “What do I need right now?” into this inner space, not to search for an answer, but to listen to what arises—word, image, or feeling.
• Emphasis on not editing or controlling the response. Non-answers ("I don't know") are valid.

Notable Quote:
"Don't search for an answer with your mind. Just let the question settle and listen with your body, notice what arises."
—Sebene Selassie [08:16]

• Encouraged to notice reactions in the body to what surfaces: expansion/contraction, breath changes, sensations of truth.

e. The "What Wants to Emerge?" Question

• Similarly, listeners ask themselves, "What wants to emerge in my life?"—allowing intuition and subtle sensation to guide the response.
• Emphasis on openness, patience, and listening for subtler cues.

Notable Quote:
"This is one way your inner wisdom can communicate with you. Sometimes it's a gentle knowing, sometimes a firm conviction, sometimes just a subtle sense of yes or no."
—Sebene Selassie [10:11]

f. Closing Reflections

• Listeners are encouraged to “rest in connection with inner knowing” and not feel compelled to immediately act on what arises.
• Assurance given that this wisdom is innate and accessible through practice.

Memorable Moment:
"This wisdom isn't something you have to earn or develop. It's already here, waiting for you to slow down enough to hear it."
—Sebene Selassie [12:09]

g. Transition Out

• Directions to return awareness to the room, open eyes, and stretch if desired.
• Closing reminder about the value of daily practice in building intuitive capacity.

Closing Thought:
"Thank you for taking time to cultivate your inner knowing. Practicing for even a few minutes a day helps us develop the capacity to listen to the deeper understanding we all carry for what we need and for what is possible."
—Sebene Selassie [14:36]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A knowing rooted in an innate wisdom. This wisdom may not answer all the questions of the world, but it allows us to meet whatever is happening with more clarity and kindness.” —Sebene Selassie [05:22]
• “Our bodies have ways of knowing that our minds don’t always understand.” —Sebene Selassie [09:12]
• “Sometimes the answer is simply ‘I don’t know.’ And that’s a valid response.” —Sebene Selassie [08:45]
• “Feel into whatever response came up. Does it create expansion or contraction in your body? … Does it feel true in your bones?” —Sebene Selassie [08:53]
• “The more you practice listening to these subtle cues and trusting what you feel, the clearer this inner knowing becomes.” —Sebene Selassie [13:10]

Segment Timestamps

• 00:00-02:20 — Host intro: The “gut” cliché, introducing Sebene, episode context, and upcoming events.
• 04:55-06:35 — Sebene: Setting up the meditation and creating bodily awareness.
• 06:35-08:16 — Turning inward and connecting with your body’s wisdom.
• 08:16-09:12 — Dropping in the question, “What do I need right now?” Listening for subtle answers.
• 09:12-10:11 — Sensing the body’s reactions, discerning truth from bodily responses.
• 10:11-12:09 — Question: “What wants to emerge in my life?” and trusting inner responses.
• 12:09-14:36 — Resting in inner knowing and integrating the practice.
• 14:36-15:07 — Transitioning out of meditation.

Tone & Accessibility

Sebene’s guidance is warm, gentle, inclusive, and body-centered—no spiritual jargon, no pressure for specific outcomes, and frequent reminders that all responses (even uncertainty) are valid. The tone invites acceptance, patience, and curiosity.

Episode Value

Ideal for listeners seeking an accessible, deeply practical way to access intuition and distinguish it from mental chatter. Sebene’s meditation serves as a step-by-step “how-to” for learning to sense and trust one’s own inner wisdom, especially beneficial in times of uncertainty or overwhelm.

For further custom meditations, live sessions, and event information, listeners are invited to join Dan’s community at danharris.com.