Sit comfortably in a quiet place where you can be free from distractions.
Let your spine be neutral and tall.
Rest your hands in your lap or on your thighs in a way that promotes a release of your shoulders and an expansion of your chest.
Close your eyes,
Or keep your gaze soft and low,
And focus your attention inward.
Breathe steadily in and out through your nose.
Find a quiet,
Patient,
Easy,
And comfortable breath.
Watch the breath moving in and out through your nose,
And then invite joy into your practice by silently contemplating your why.
Joyful effort arises when we understand our purpose.
Why meditate?
Why practice mindfulness?
What benefits do you hope to receive By understanding intention,
And why you are prioritizing your practice,
The effort involved with practicing becomes imbued with joy and ease.
Recall why you are here,
Right now,
Meditating today.
Allow a deep satisfaction to arise as you apply effort joyfully.
And then,
With your why in mind,
Cultivate joyful effort by shifting your awareness to benefits you've already received through this practice of mindfulness and meditation.
Recall how good you feel on the days you meditate.
What it feels like to start the day mindfully.
And the pride you feel in remaining still and present until the bell goes off or until the timer rings.
With your next inhale breath,
Sit up a little taller,
As you rest in the joy of the benefits of mindfulness.
Count the ways in which your life has improved with mindfulness as your refuge,
And then cultivate joyful effort.
By placing your attention on the positive sensations you're aware of right now.
Calm.
Quiet.
Ease.
Spaciousness.
Patience.
Awareness.
Notice all the ways in which being here,
Right now,
Brings you joy.
Feel these positive sensations in the body and in the breath.
Recognize that these positive qualities do not appear accidentally.
They are the direct result of your effort.
Rejoice in the effort you're applying to your meditation right here,
Right now.
Rejoice in the joy you feel right now.
Rejoice in that effort and rest in awareness of the joyful benefits you're receiving.
Understand that while joy is a result of your practice,
Joy arises when we joyfully practice.
Joy is only revealed by consistently applying effort.
Joy is revealed through joyful practice.
Joy is both the cause and the result.
So joy then must have been within you all along.
Joy is not gained through practice,
But revealed.
The more you tap into joy,
The more you reveal joy through your effort.
The more you experience joy as the result,
The more you notice joy arising.
You have always had the potential to be joyful.
You have always had the potential to notice,
To be mindful.
You are joy.
You are awareness.
Rest in the sensation of joy.
The joy you apply to your efforts here,
And the joy you reveal through those same efforts.
Rest in joy.
Until you're ready to open your eyes.
Thank you.
