Welcome to the Sitting with Happiness meditation.
Finding a comfortable position so that you feel supported,
So that you feel as if your spine is long,
And taking three conscious fulfilling breaths.
Inviting you now to recall something that you have done that is kind or a generous act.
A time perhaps when you cared for others,
Or you contributed to their wellbeing.
Perhaps even going to that memory now,
And recreating the event in your mind.
That time when you showed an act of kindness that benefited someone that you know,
Or loved.
And allow the happiness that comes with that memory to be here.
Evoking that feeling of happiness from your generous act.
And take a moment and dwell in the feeling,
That feeling of happiness.
Breathing it in.
Now turning your attention to something that you like about yourself,
A quality or a strength.
Something that you know to be true about you.
Spending a few moments now to dwell,
Dwell in this feeling.
This feeling of happiness when you've done something well.
And if there is anything else that you can recall in your memory where you were happy,
Bring that memory to mind.
And accepting the wellbeing that this recollection brings.
Allowing a few moments to dwell in the feeling of happiness.
Letting go of any analysis or expectation.
Being very patient and staying with this feeling of happiness.
Allow the feeling of happiness into the felt sense of the body.
Dwelling in this feeling of happiness.
Dwelling in the attributes of who you really are,
The strengths that you have,
Really bringing them into your body.
Filling your own cup with your own joy.
And now I'm going to ask you three questions.
And imagine that these questions are like stones being dropped down a deep well.
Just like dropping these questions into your mind.
And then allowing the answers to arise without forcing the answer.
Feeling into the response and allowing that stone to continue dropping until something bubbles up.
The first question is,
What is happiness to you?
Allowing that question to keep dropping until the answer that resonates arises.
What ideals or standards might you be attaching to happiness?
What is the criteria that you are attaching to happiness?
What does it mean to you to be joyful or happy?
Really happy?
What is it that you are seeking?
And now reflecting upon the primal urge to be happy,
This common desire to find joy and the rightness and beauty of that.
And for the last few moments of this meditation,
Sitting with happiness,
Feeling into whatever is here,
Feeling whatever is here by feeling into the felt sense of the body.
Sitting with happiness.
As I bring this meditation to a close with the sound of the bells.
The bell is invited.
