Week 12 -- Independent research: nature, mindfulness, awe

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/item/walk_docter_inside_out

• inside out director: by pairing Joy with Sadness and not Fear, it changed our cultural conversation on emotions
• studies show that by taking time to stop and smell the roses or what researchers call savoring it can enhance happiness and boost feelings of appreciation and gratitude just by paying attention to the sights smells and sounds that we often neglect their delights will often stay with us long after they pass.
• practice for happiness--a savoring walk: focus on the things around you. Even if it’s a walk that you’ve taken 100 times. Notice the way that the lights is coming through the trees or how the flowers have just started blooming. Just opening your attention, being present in the moment, is the right way to do a savoring walk
• 30 percent decrease in the PTSD symptoms in veterans following a white water rafting trip

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https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_cultivate_awe_walking_meditation

• awe leads ppl to be more altruistic, less entitled, more humbled, less stressed about life's daily challenges, and more aware of the strength of others
• the walking meditation is a great way to cultivate awe
•  a walk within a place of meaning and beauty, where your sole task is to encounter something that amazes and transcends, be it big or small
• wonder is often the aftermath of awe
• Wonder is when we are delighted by that which surprises, and we are moved to find explanations and deep causes. 
• Awe makes me want to search for truths and purpose and scientific discovery

We begin an Awe Walk as we do all contemplative exercises, with the breath.

1. Take a deep breath in. Count to six as you inhale and six as you exhale. Feel the air move through your nasal passages and hear the sound of your breath. We’ll come back to this breath throughout the walk.

2. Feel your feet on the ground and listen to the surrounding sounds. Return to your breath. Count to six while you inhale and six as you exhale.

3. Shift your awareness now so that you are open to what is around you, to things that are vast, unexpected, things that surprise, and delight. Take a deep breath in. Count to six as you inhale and six as you exhale.

4. Let your attention be open in exploration for what inspires awe. Your attention might appreciate vast spaces, and the sounds and sights within them. You might shift to small patterns, for example of the sorrel on the ground, or the veins on leaves, or a cluster of tiny mushrooms.

5. Bring your attention back to the breath. Count to six as you inhale and six as you exhale. Coming out of these experiences of awe, we often feel a sense of wonder.

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https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_you_should_take_a_relaxing_lunch_break

• cognitively demanding fields = public administration, education, engineering, and finance
• these ppl were suggested they take relaxing lunch breaks in the outdoors and go for a stroll OR do mindful relaxation exercises.
• relaxation exercises consisted of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and paying attention to thoughts and sensations in a non-judgmental way
• when individuals did the mindful relaxation or took a walk, they showed significant decreases in end-of-day stress and fatigue, as well as better concentration at work, compared to days when they took regular lunch breaks
• walks in nature can lead to attention restoration
• mindfulness is more effective in stress relief, however both were impactful