Feeling overwhelmed or even just "meh?" In today's episode, we have a special zooming out meditation to help you find and foster joy, even in challenging times. You'll experience a calming visualization practice, encouraging relaxation and broadened perspectives inspired by the overview effect (we talked about this effect last episode). Enjoy this soothing experience to help you release unnecessary stress and reconnect with a sense of global connection and support.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!
Sources and Notes:
- Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.
Please see our terms for more information.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Episode Transcript
Welcome to the Joy Lab podcast,where we help you uncover and
(00:03):
foster your most joyful self.
Your hosts, Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr.Aimee Prasek, bring you the ideal mix of
soulful and scientifically sound tools tospark your joy, even when it feels dark.
When you're ready to experiment withmore joy, combine this podcast with the
full Joy Lab program over at JoyLab.coach
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Hi, everyone.
Aimee, here, I am going to guide youthrough a zooming out meditation.
This is a really nice practice afterlast episode the overview effect.
Feel free to just dive into this though.
Even if you haven't listened to thatepisode yet you can go back later on.
So find a space that's asquiet as can be for you.
(00:50):
As few distractions as possible.
Pause this, if you need toprepare that space for yourself.
Feel free to grab a journal.
If you'd like to write things downeven, and then let's settle in.
Find a comfortable position, seated,lying down, whatever feels good for you.
(01:13):
Close your eyes and let's justanchor our attention to the breath.
Maybe let out a big exhale.
All the air that you can.
Then let your body open up for thatnext inhale taking in that air.
And then another big exhale.
(01:35):
Continue breathing and noticing the kindof rhythm that your breath can take.
Almost like a calming kind of rhythm,like a gentle rocking in your body.
(02:02):
Now we're going to fireup our imagination.
Give all of your attentionto this, gently bringing back
your attention when somethingdistracts you, it's not a problem.
Imagine yourself standing onthe ground in a familiar, safe
place, a park, a backyard.
(02:24):
Your living room, a grandparents'kitchen, just a place that
you can let your guard down.
Wherever that is for you.
And soak in that sense of support.
Breathe in that support.
(02:44):
And as you breathe out, relaxeven more into that space.
Now picture yourself still in thatsupportive space, gently lifting
off the ground . As if you, anda chunk of that supportive space
(03:10):
below you are floating upward.
Slowly rise higher and higher.
Watching the surroundingsbelow you expand.
Maybe you see the streets, therooftops and the patterns of
(03:31):
your surroundings below you.
Maybe it notice how the detailsbegin to blur as you float higher.
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As you see these surroundingsand maybe what felt big before,
now it starts to feel smaller.
Continue lifting higher imagining theview of your city, your state, and
the land stretching out before you.
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Keep rising until you can see theentire earth floating below you.
This vibrant sphere of lifethat you are a part of.
From this vantage point,look at the earth as a whole.
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What do you see?
Maybe swirling blues of oceans.
Greens and browns of land.
Maybe the soft whites of clouds.
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Maybe you can see how the earthsits against this dark expanse
of space and how it glows bright.
This one, glowing interconnected, whole.
You're one small part ofsomething really beautiful.
(05:26):
And as you continue to imagine this,maybe you notice how the boundaries
and the divisions sort of fade away.
And maybe something rises up in youwith these visions, this perspective.
Just notice and savor (05:44):
what feels good to you from this perspective?
Maybe some awe or inspiration.
It doesn't have to be transformative,but give your attention to
what feels supportive to you.
And savor it.
(06:17):
From this higher perspective, gentlyshift your focus even more inward
into your own day to day life.
What are the small details or challengesthat have been consuming your energy.
(06:40):
Are there any that you can soften on?
Maybe a few that don't needas much of your energy?
There's probably something dailythat you give a lot of energy to.
And that maybe doesn't deserve it.
(07:01):
That doesn't need that energy.
Small stuff that might not matter so much.
Just take a bit of time to see ifsomething rises up for you, something that
you feel like, yeah, I can let that go.
(07:38):
Maybe you take a deep exhale,letting out all that air,
and inviting in a full inhale.
Another deep exhale.
Inviting little release,little letting go.
(08:00):
Now let's start to focus our attentionon one thing that is absolutely
true and perhaps a little moreapparent from this perspective.
And that is your connection.
You are part of something much bigger.
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Something bigger that can support you.
And something bigger that you cancontribute toward in ways that feed
your sense of purpose and meaning.
Breathe into that truthof your connection.
To all people, all creatures, allof nature, maybe inhale that truth.
(08:47):
Maybe exhale as you let your body andmind relax a bit more into that sense
of connection and shared support.
Breathing in that truthof your connection.
Breathing out, releasing into thatsense of connection and support.
(09:14):
Maybe savor any sensationsthat might rise up.
Ones that feel good foryou; savor those for a bit.
(09:38):
When you're ready.
Begin to imagine descending slowly,smoothly, gently back to earth.
As you lower yourself backinto your full supportive space
that you imagined as you began.
Bring this broader senseof perspective with you.
(10:01):
Feel the ground beneath you,the air around you, and the
sense of connection within you.
Maybe let out a big exhale.
And invite in a full nourishing inhale.
And offering out an evenbigger, relaxing exhale.
(10:28):
Continuing to breathe.
Smoothly.
When you feel ready.
Maybe gently, wiggling your fingers,toes, your body a bit as you gently
open your eyes, if they were closed.
Back into the space around you.
As we close I just want to offeryou a reminder that you can always
(10:51):
zoom out to regain perspective.
Stuff gets messy and exhausting whenwe're consumed in so many minute
details that we let steal our energy.
I think from the space level view, some ofour challenges can feel more manageable.
Some feel like we can even justlet them go because we were
(11:13):
holding on too tight to them.
Most of all from this view, I thinkour sense of connection can get clear.
So soak in that.
I hope you carry this perspectivewith you as you move through your day.
And join us for the Joy Lab program aswell, where we really work to place our
(11:34):
attention and energy in places that matterthat nourish us and the world around us.
We'll see you next episode.
Thank you for listeningto the Joy Lab podcast.
If you enjoy today's show, visitJoyLab.coach to learn more
about the full Joy Lab program.
Be sure to rate and review us whereveryou listen to your favorite podcasts.
(11:57):
Please remember that thiscontent is for informational
and educational purposes only.
It is not intended to provide medicaladvice and is not a replacement for advice
and treatment from a medical professional.
Please consult your doctor orother qualified health professional
before beginning any diet change,supplement, or lifestyle program.
(12:17):
Please see our terms for more information.
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