The Science of Happiness

Happiness Break: How to Awaken Joy, with Spring Washam


Listen Later

Cultivate more joy in your life with this practice led by meditation teacher and author Spring Washam.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yckujpr3

How to Do This Practice:

  1. Think about an area of your life that brings you joy, it could be anything.

  2. Imagine yourself experiencing that moment of happiness. Feel the smiles, the peace and laughter.

  3. As you reflect on the moment, say to yourself, “may my joy and my happiness increase.”

  4. Next, practice “sympathetic joy.” To do this, think about someone you know having a great experience.

  5. As you think of them in their joy, say to them in your mind, “May your joy and happiness increase.” Or you can also say, “I'm happy for your happiness. May your happiness continue.”

  6. Remember that happiness is infinite. Being joyful for others is a way to increase your joy.

  7. Today’s Happiness Break host:

    Spring Washam, is a meditation teacher based in Oakland, California. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground.

    Learn more about Spring and her new book: https://www.springwasham.com/

    Follow Spring on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springwasham/

    Follow Spring on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teacher.springwasham/

    Follow Spring on Twitter: https://twitter.com/springwasham

    Check out Spring’s YouTube channel: https://tinyurl.com/22njyd29

    More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

    • How to Overcome Stress by Seeing Other People’s Joy: https://tinyurl.com/3cn22wcb

    • How Your Life Is Shaped by the Emotions You Want to Feel: https://tinyurl.com/54ff3b4k

    • Moments of Love and Connection May Help You Live Longer: https://tinyurl.com/328scfjj

    • Can You Be Too Happy?: https://tinyurl.com/4jswnf94

    • Why Other People’s Good News Could Be Good for You: https://tinyurl.com/4d8dxsw5

    • We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of cultivating joy. Email us at [email protected] or using the hashtag #happinesspod.

      Find us on Apple Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

      Help us share Happiness Break!

      Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

      We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      The Science of HappinessBy PRX and Greater Good Science Center

      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      1,816 ratings


      More shows like The Science of Happiness

      View all
      Living on Earth by World Media Foundation

      Living on Earth

      461 Listeners

      Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen by PRX

      Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen

      665 Listeners

      Latino USA by My Cultura, Futuro and iHeartPodcasts

      Latino USA

      3,760 Listeners

      Afropop Worldwide by Afropop Worldwide

      Afropop Worldwide

      307 Listeners

      On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

      On Being with Krista Tippett

      10,305 Listeners

      Live Wire with Luke Burbank by PRX

      Live Wire with Luke Burbank

      319 Listeners

      The World by PRX

      The World

      917 Listeners

      Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

      Snap Judgment

      11,518 Listeners

      TED Radio Hour by NPR

      TED Radio Hour

      21,904 Listeners

      Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

      Good Life Project

      3,330 Listeners

      The One You Feed by Eric Zimmer

      The One You Feed

      2,515 Listeners

      Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

      Reveal

      8,252 Listeners

      Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg by Be Here Now Network

      Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

      690 Listeners

      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,327 Listeners

      Untangle by Untangle

      Untangle

      815 Listeners

      10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

      10% Happier with Dan Harris

      12,635 Listeners

      Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

      Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

      2,463 Listeners

      How To! by Slate Podcasts

      How To!

      1,944 Listeners

      Meditative Story by WaitWhat

      Meditative Story

      3,064 Listeners

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

      14,272 Listeners

      How to Be a Better Human by TED

      How to Be a Better Human

      1,369 Listeners

      Suave by Futuro Media

      Suave

      1,512 Listeners

      A Slight Change of Plans by Pushkin Industries

      A Slight Change of Plans

      2,047 Listeners

      How to Age Up by The Atlantic

      How to Age Up

      1,419 Listeners