Skip to content
Think You Suck at Meditation? This Conversation Could Help. | Ofosu Jones-Quartey

Think You Suck at Meditation? This Conversation Could Help. | Ofosu Jones-Quartey

10% Happier with Dan Harris
Aug 13, 2025 1h 8m
Open in Hinto

About this episode

<p dir="ltr">How to (constructively) lower the bar on your meditation practice.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://bornimusic.com/">Ofosu Jones-Quartey</a> is a meditation teacher, hip-hop artist, and author based in the DC area. He's a certified teacher with over 20 years of experience bringing mindfulness, self-compassion, and creativity to people of all ages. His stage name is "Born I,", and his new book is called <a href= "https://bornimusic.com/read/">Lyrical Dharma: Hip-Hop as Mindfulness</a>.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode we talk about:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">The definition of open-awareness meditation </li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How it differs from classical concentration practices (such as focusing on your breath, or loving kindness phrases)</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Why Ofosu chose open-awareness meditation (in direct response to his struggles with OCD)</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How you can practice open-awareness meditation </li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">The benefits of a technique called "mental noting"</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation"> The "practice self-assessment tapes" that we run in our mind</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Self-compassion and "lowering the bar" in your meditation practice</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">The relationship between  neurodiversity and meditation in general</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How to  depersonalize the experience of suffering</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">And we hear some of Ofosu's music and the life experiences that inspired it</li> </ul> <p><strong><br /> <br /></strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Related Episodes:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href= "https://www.danharris.com/p/how-to-become-a-regular-meditator-514?utm_source=publication-search"> How to Become a Regular Meditator (and More) | Alexis Santos</a></li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href= "https://www.danharris.com/p/a-more-relaxed-way-to-meditate-alexis-0e2?utm_source=publication-search"> A More Relaxed Way to Meditate | Alexis Santos</a></li> </ul> <p><strong><br /> <br /></strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Join Dan's online community <a href= "http://www.danharris.com/">here</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Follow Dan on social: <a href= "https://bit.ly/3tGigG5">Instagram</a>, <a href= "https://bit.ly/3FOA84J">TikTok</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Subscribe to our <a href= "https://bit.ly/3FybRzD">YouTube Channel</a></p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Additional Resources: </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href= "https://bornimusic.com/lyricaldharma/">Lyrical Dharma Music Playlist</a></p> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Get ready for another Meditation Party at Omega Institute! This in-person workshop brings together Dan with his friends and meditation teachers, Sebene Selassie, Jeff Warren, and for the first time, Ofosu Jones-Quartey. The event runs October 24th-26th. Sign up and learn more <a href= "https://www.eomega.org/workshops/meditation-party-2025">here</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit <a href= "https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris">https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris</a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Sponsors:<br /></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Narwal Vacuum<br /></strong>If you want to treat your home to spotless, fresh floors, visit <a href= "http://us.narwal.com/podcast">us.narwal.com/podcast</a> to get the early bird price!</p> <p><strong><strong id= "docs-internal-guid-a8e678af-7fff-1f3f-0795-ef864706b42a">Function Health<br /></strong></strong>Learn more and join using our link. The first 1,000 get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit <a href= "http://www.functionhealth.com/HAPPIER">www.functionhealth.com/HAPPIER</a> or use gift code HAPPIER 100 at sign-up to own your health.</p>

Listen to this episode in English to learn English

Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Think You Suck at Meditation? This Conversation Could Help. | Ofosu Jones-Quartey from 10% Happier with Dan Harris gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.

In the Hinto app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.

Episodes to Learn English

More podcasts in English