When You Can’t Follow Your Breath | Bonus Meditation with Sharon Salzberg - 10% Happier with Dan Harris

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: "When You Can’t Follow Your Breath | Bonus Meditation with Sharon Salzberg"

Podcast Information

Title: 10% Happier with Dan Harris
Host/Author: Dan Harris
Description: Dan Harris, a skeptic-turned-meditation advocate, explores the art of happiness through conversations with meditation teachers, scientists, and celebrities. The show delves into topics ranging from mindfulness and anxiety to productivity and relationships, presenting happiness as a trainable skill that compounds over time.

Episode Overview In the bonus meditation episode titled "When You Can’t Follow Your Breath," Dan Harris collaborates with renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg to introduce an alternative meditation technique focusing on "touch points." This session is particularly beneficial for individuals who find traditional breath-focused meditation challenging due to factors like asthma or emotional turbulence.

Introduction to the Meditation Practice Dan Harris opens the episode by addressing listeners who may struggle with breath-focused meditation:

"A lot of us, when we first get into meditation, we hear the instructions to focus on the breath. And those instructions can work for some people, and for others, they don't quite land for one reason or another." ([00:00])

He introduces Sharon Salzberg, highlighting her expertise and contributions to meditation:

"She is one of the co-founders of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. She's also written 13 books, including a New York Times bestseller called Real Happiness and her seminal work Loving Kindness." ([00:40])

Guided Meditation: Focusing on Touch Points Sharon Salzberg leads the meditation session, offering a structured approach to focusing on bodily sensations instead of the breath.

Setting Up:
- Sharon advises finding a comfortable position, whether sitting or lying down, and deciding whether to close the eyes.
  
  "You can sit comfortably or lie down, and you can close your eyes or not." ([01:35])
Attention to Hands and Feet:
- Hands: Bring attention to the hands, observing sensations like pulsing, throbbing, warmth, or coolness without labeling them.
  
  "Notice that the direct experience we have is not of fingers, it's different sensations. Pulsing, throbbing warmth, coolness." ([02:00])
- Feet: Shift focus to the soles of the feet, applying the same observational technique.
  
  "Can you feel the direct sensations you're actually experiencing?" ([03:15])
Body Awareness:
- Expand awareness to the entire body, sweeping attention quickly across the posture to sense overall comfort or discomfort.
  
  "We’re just trying to get an impression of our overall posture through sensations." ([04:30])
Contact Points:
- Focus on one spot where the body makes contact, such as a hand on a knee or back on a chair, paying close attention to the sensation at that point.
  
  "Turn your attention to one spot at the size of a quarter where your body is already in contact." ([05:10])
Managing Distractions:
- Acknowledge that thoughts may wander or that one might fall asleep, and gently guide the attention back to the present moment without judgment.
  
  "One of the great skills we are developing is the ability to gently let go and begin again." ([05:50])
Conclusion:
- Encourage listeners to open their eyes when ready and remind them of the flexibility of this practice.
  
  "Remember you have the option of moving your attention to this kind of pattern when you have a few moments in your day and you want to center your attention and get more in touch with your body's sensations." ([06:00])

Key Insights and Benefits

Alternative Focus for Meditation: Sharon emphasizes that meditation is not a one-size-fits-all practice. By focusing on touch points, individuals who struggle with breath awareness can still cultivate mindfulness effectively.

"...if the breath is not actually serving as a good concentration object, in which case it's fine to choose another object to begin with." ([01:50])
Body Awareness Enhances Mindfulness: By tuning into various bodily sensations, practitioners can develop a deeper connection with their physical selves, fostering a comprehensive mindfulness practice.

"Feel them and watch them change." ([02:15])
Gentle Acceptance of Distractions: The practice encourages non-judgmental awareness, allowing thoughts to pass without attachment, which is fundamental to building resilience and focus.

"If you observe your mind attaching, holding on, pushing away, projecting into the future, you can release that and return your attention to the direct experience in the moment." ([04:00])

Conclusion Dan Harris wraps up the session by thanking Sharon Salzberg and directing listeners to additional meditations available on the Happier app. He reiterates the value of alternative meditation techniques, reinforcing the show's theme that happiness and mindfulness are accessible skills for everyone.

"Thank you Sharon. You can find more meditations like this one over on the Happier app." ([06:21])

Final Thoughts This episode serves as a practical guide for meditators seeking alternative focal points beyond the breath. Sharon Salzberg's expertise provides a valuable resource for cultivating mindfulness through bodily awareness, making meditation more inclusive and adaptable to individual needs. By integrating touch points into their practice, listeners can enhance their ability to stay present, manage distractions, and ultimately, train their minds towards greater happiness and well-being.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
A
Wondery 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. Hey everybody, time for a bonus meditation. A lot of us, when we first get into meditation, we hear the instructions to focus on the breath. And those instructions can work for some people, and for others, they don't quite land for one reason or another. So today we're going to explore an alternative or maybe even an augmentation. We're going to focus on something called touch points. I let our teacher du jour Sharon Salzberg explain, but I have found this to be a really helpful technique, especially when I'm struggling to focus on the breath. Many of you know Sharon, but for those of you who don't, she is one of the co founders of the Insight Meditation society in Barrie, Massachusetts. She's also written 13 books, including a New York Times bestseller called Real Happiness and her seminal work Loving Kindness. Here we go now with Sharon Salzberg.
[01:23]
B
Hi, this is Sharon. This meditation serves as a skillful alternative to the breath and is a great practice in and of itself. If you have asthma or emotional experiences that somehow affect your breathing, you might find that the breath is not actually serving as a good concentration object, in which case it's fine to choose another object to begin with. You can sit comfortably or lie down, and you can close your eyes or not. Bring your attention to your hands. Notice that the direct experience we have is not of fingers, it's different sensations. Pulsing, throbbing warmth, coolness. You don't have to name these things, but feel them. Now bring your attention to the soles of your feet. Go through the same exercise. Can you feel the direct sensations you're actually experiencing? You don't need to name them the distinct elements of sensation, but you can feel them and watch them change. And if you observe your mind attaching, holding on, pushing away, projecting into the future, you can release that and return your attention to the direct experience in the moment. Then turn your attention to feeling your whole body as though you were sweeping attention in a flash throughout your sitting posture. You might discover pleasant sensations or unpleasant ones. But it's all okay. We're just trying to get an impression of our overall posture through sensations. And turn your attention to one spot at the size of a quarter where your body is already in contact. For example, your hand is touching your knee or your back is touching the chair, just as we did with our hands and feet. Pay attention to the actual sensation. If you find you've become lost in thought, spun out in a fantasy or you fall asleep, don't worry about it. One of the great skills we are developing is the ability to gently let go and begin again and when you feel ready you can open your eyes. Remember you have the option of moving your attention to this kind of pattern when you have a few moments in your day and you want to center your attention and get more in touch with your body's sensations. Thank you for your practice.
[06:22]
A
Thank you Sharon. 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 Wonder 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/survey.