How to Meditate If You Have No Time to Meditate | Jake Eagle and Michael Amster (Co-Interviewed by Dan's Wife, Bianca!)
Jake Eagle, a licensed mental health counselor, and Dr. Michael Amster, a physician specializing in pain management, introduce their 'AWE Method' for 'microdosing mindfulness.' This one-minute practice helps overcome burnout, anxiety, and chronic pain by finding awe in daily life.
Deep Dive Analysis
11 Topic Outline
Introduction to Habit Formation Challenges and Microdosing Mindfulness
Origin Story of the Awe Method: Pancakes and Unexpected Results
Why Traditional Meditation is Difficult for Many
Detailed Explanation of the A.W.E. Method Steps
Distinctions and Benefits of Awe Method vs. Traditional Mindfulness
Defining Awe: Emotional Experience and Types
Integrating Awe into Daily Life and Habit Formation
Scientific Evidence for the Awe Method's Effectiveness
Awe's Impact on Cytokines, Inflammation, and Safety
Awe as a Tool for Shifting Perspective and Conflict Resolution
The Broader Societal and Geopolitical Potential of Awe
8 Key Concepts
Microdosing Mindfulness
A short, one-minute meditation practice designed to be easily integrated into daily life, offering similar or better results than longer meditation sessions for some. It helps individuals develop a sustained mindfulness practice by making it less burdensome.
Second Arrow
In Buddhism, this refers to the additional suffering caused by our reaction to initial pain or difficulty. For meditation, it means beating oneself up for struggling with the practice, which is a self-defeating process.
Awe
An emotional experience characterized by sensing the presence of something that transcends one's normal perception of the world, leading to feelings of vastness, connection, and a shift in reality. It can coexist with other emotions like mourning or anxiety.
Sensorial Awe
A type of awe accessed through the physical senses, such as seeing a beautiful landscape, feeling the vibration of a cat's purr, or hearing a sound. It's often considered an easy entry point for practicing awe.
Conceptual Awe
A type of awe experienced when contemplating an idea or concept that is so vast or profound it 'blows your mind' or is difficult to fully grasp, like the scale of the universe.
Interconnected Awe
A type of awe derived from a sense of connection with other beings or the world around us, fostering feelings of love, kindness, and compassion.
Cytokines
Ancient communication molecules used by single-celled organisms, dating back over a billion years. They signal safety (supporting health, immune system) or threat (triggering immune response, inflammation) within the body.
Cognitive Accommodation
A psychological process where an individual gains a new way of understanding or perceiving something they have previously considered, seeing it in a new light and expanding their perspective.
8 Questions Answered
The process of making and breaking habits can be diabolically hard because evolution did not wire humans for easy adoption of healthy habits. Obstacles include finding time, remembering to do it, the sheer difficulty of keeping it up, lack of immediate reward, feeling like a failure (the 'second arrow'), neurodivergence, and perfectionism.
It's a three-step process: A (Attention) on something valued, appreciated, or amazing; W (Wait) to amplify attention; and E (Exhale) with a longer breath to activate the vagus nerve and amplify positive sensations.
The A.W.E. Method creates pattern interruption and offers immediate rewards, shifting physiology and mood quickly in 10-20 seconds. It doesn't primarily train metacognition or sustained concentration like traditional mindfulness but is highly portable and accessible.
Yes, awe is unique in that it can be experienced concurrently with other emotions like mourning, anxiety, or unhappiness. It acts as a 'meta emotion' that can sit on top of and change the nature of these other feelings.
Studies showed a 36% reduction in depression, 21% reduction in anxiety, 15% reduction in loneliness, decreases in burnout, improved stress management, and reductions in chronic pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal distress.
Research indicates that awe is unique among positive emotions in its ability to statistically lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6, which are implicated in chronic health conditions. This suggests an anti-inflammatory effect.
Experiencing awe can lead to 'cognitive accommodation,' where an individual gains a new way of understanding something, seeing it in a new light and expanding their perspective, which is useful in therapy and conflict resolution.
It's recommended to pair the practice with existing daily habits, such as making coffee, walking a pet, or giving a hug. Setting specific times (e.g., morning, midday, before bed) also helps, with the goal for awe moments to eventually arise spontaneously.
15 Actionable Insights
1. Implement the AWE Method
To access moments of awe, follow the AWE acronym: A for Attention (focus on something you value, appreciate, or find amazing), W for Wait (briefly amplify your attention), and E for Exhale (take a slightly longer exhalation to activate the vagus nerve and amplify positive sensations). This simple 10-20 second practice helps you feel present and relaxed.
2. Integrate AWE into Daily Habits
To make awe a consistent practice, pair it with existing daily habits like making coffee, walking your pet, or hugging your children. This strategy helps overcome the challenge of remembering to practice by attaching it to routines you already perform.
3. Practice AWE Multiple Times
Engage in the AWE method at least three times a day, such as upon waking, during a lunch break, and before bed, or even more frequently. Studies show a “dose response,” meaning the more you practice, the greater the benefits derived for well-being.
4. Start Small for New Habits
When attempting behavior change, begin with small, manageable steps to increase the likelihood of success. This approach, exemplified by microdosing mindfulness, makes new practices less daunting and more sustainable for long-term adoption.
5. Use AWE for Interruption
Whenever you feel negative thoughts or emotions arising, such as anger or anxiety, intentionally insert a moment of awe. This brief practice can interrupt autopilot mode, provide a respite, and quickly shift your physiology and mood.
6. Cultivate AWE for 21 Days
Commit to practicing the AWE method for an initial 21-day period to help it transition from a temporary experience to a consistent trait. This sustained effort can lead to moments of awe arising spontaneously in your daily life.
7. Explore Types of Awe
Expand your experience of awe by focusing on sensorial (e.g., nature), conceptual (e.g., vastness of the universe), or interconnected (e.g., human connection) sources. This allows for diverse ways to access awe based on personal propensity.
8. Don’t Overthink AWE Experience
When experiencing awe, avoid trying too hard or immediately putting the experience into words, as this can reduce its impact. Instead, allow yourself to simply have the kinesthetic and quieting experience without dissection.
9. Find AWE in Mundane
Actively look for profound moments of awe in ordinary, everyday situations, such as watching pancake batter cook or observing a cat stretch. This practice helps you discover powerful, evidence-based levers for increasing happiness by not overlooking the little things.
10. AWE for Perspective Shift
When grappling with an issue or problem, take a moment to experience awe, then revisit the situation. This practice can lead to “cognitive accommodation,” offering a new understanding or expanded perspective on previously held thoughts.
11. AWE for Conflict Resolution
During tense conversations or conflicts, especially with a partner, pause to individually experience a moment of awe before continuing the discussion. This can shift both individuals into a different state of consciousness, providing more resources for resolution.
12. AWE to Reduce Self-Seriousness
Engage in awe-inducing practices to become more aware of the vastness of everything around you, which can lead to feeling less significant in a positive way. This helps in not taking oneself too seriously, fostering a lighter and more relaxed demeanor.
13. Understand Habit Difficulty
Recognize that the process of making or breaking habits is inherently challenging and that struggling with behavior change is not a personal failing. This understanding can foster self-compassion and encourage persistence with new practices.
14. AWE for Pro-Social Connection
Cultivate awe to foster a sense of connection, love, kindness, and compassion towards others. Awe is described as a “pro-social emotion” that can inspire awe in others when shared, leading to deeper connections.
15. AWE for Global Transformation
Practice awe to foster appreciation for diverse cultures, people, and the natural world, which can reduce tendencies towards harm or destruction. By changing personal perspectives, awe can contribute to making the world a safer and better place.
8 Key Quotes
I think their work is going to revolutionize mindfulness.
Sebene Selassie
The process of making and or breaking habits can be diabolically hard, and this is not your fault.
Dan Harris
I'm a terrible meditator. I've never liked it. My wife is a serious meditator... But the longer I meditate, the more irritable I become.
Jake Eagle
unless a tiger is really chasing you, true fight flight, you can insert a moment of awe at any time.
Jake Eagle
I don't have to have the conditions of, you know, being in a quiet space on a retreat or at my home to practice a deeper dive. I feel like I can really get a significant dose of mindfulness in just 10 to 15 seconds and repeatedly throughout the day and take this wherever I go.
Dr. Michael Amster
I just don't take myself as seriously. And I find some great relief in that as someone who, by the way, tends to be very serious.
Jake Eagle
awe was unique in its ability to decrease inflammation. Other positive emotions were not providing the same result.
Jake Eagle
When we're in awe, it changes the nature of every conversation from the personal to the conversations of a community to that larger of the nation and the world.
Dr. Michael Amster
3 Protocols
The A.W.E. Method
Jake Eagle and Dr. Michael Amster- A (Attention): Place your attention on something you value, appreciate, or find amazing (can be an object, memory, or interaction).
- W (Wait): Briefly wait, amplifying your attention from 100% to 110%.
- E (Exhale): Exhale a little longer than normal to activate the vagus nerve, amplifying positive bodily sensations.
Home as a Museum (Awe Practice)
Jake Eagle (described, attributed to his wife Hannah's practices)- Walk through your home.
- Look for objects that evoke an experience of awe (e.g., a photograph, a gift, a piece of furniture with memories).
- Stop for 15 seconds, pay attention to the object, wait, and have a longer-than-normal exhalation.
Awe-Infused Hug
Dr. Michael Amster- Give a hug.
- Do so with the intention of awe attached to it, being fully present and aware to experience a heightened kinesthetic and emotional sensation.