This exercise comes from the Buddhist practice of Mudita,
Which means appreciative joy.
It can be understood as simply showing up for happiness with a caring presence.
As you train the mind to rejoice in happiness,
You gain many benefits.
You feel more fulfilled by joy,
Recognize happiness more easily in your life,
And train the mind to treat happiness as an important experience.
Find a comfortable position and invite in relaxation from the very beginning of your practice.
As you breathe,
Appreciate the life offered from each inhalation.
With the exhalation,
Let go of any tension in the mind or in the body.
Bring to mind a time which you recently experienced happiness.
It may be something small like seeing a friend watching the sunset or the simple joy of lying down at night after a long day.
When you've thought of something,
Allow yourself to feel the experience of contentment.
With the intention of cultivating gratitude,
Offer yourself a few phrases of appreciative joy.
Keep the memory in your mind and offer these phrases.
May my happiness continue.
May my happiness grow.
May I be present for the joy.
May I appreciate the joy in my life.
If your experience feels more like contentment or ease,
You can substitute the words that resonate with you.
You know your own experience,
So be true to yourself.
Offer the phrases silently in your head,
Finding a rhythm that works for your practice.
Focus your attention on the words,
The intention of appreciating the happiness and the feeling of contentment from your memory.
Ayah.
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Now you can release the memory and the phrases from your mind.
Bring to mind somebody else in your life who has experienced some happiness recently.
Picture this person in your mind.
Maybe you smile a little as you observe their joy.
As you did with yourself,
Offer phrases of gratitude.
Rejoice as much as possible in their happiness.
Offer these phrases.
May your happiness continue.
May your happiness grow.
May I be present for your joy.
I'm happy for you.
When the mind wanders,
Come back to the phrases.
You can return to the visualization of this person smiling to bring up the happiness and start with the phrases again.
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Now,
Release that memory and the phrases from your mind.
For a moment,
Absorb the contentment,
The happiness,
And the joy that you brought about.
Everything in this moment.
Lan?
Slowly,
You can begin to relax.
You begin to blink the eyes and come back to the room.
You begin to know about your day with a greater sense of contentment,
Calm,
Happiness,
And joy.
