Welcome to this practice of amplifying joy.
This is a simple yet incredibly powerful exercise that will help you cultivate and expand positive feelings in your body,
Which naturally dissolves anxiety and creates a sense of ease.
And please find yourself in a comfortable position,
Seated where you won't be disturbed for the next few minutes.
You can sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor,
Or in a cushion.
Whatever feels most supportive for you right now.
Let your eyes gently close.
Or if you prefer,
You can soften your gaze downwards.
Take a moment to arrive here fully.
Notice the point of contact between your body and whatever you're sitting on.
Feel the weight of your body being supported.
Let your shoulders be heavy and drop away from your ears.
Allow your jaw to soften.
Creating a little bit of space between your upper and lower teeth.
Take a couple of natural breaths in through the nose,
With a slight sigh through the mouth on exhale.
There's nowhere else you need to be right now.
Nothing else you need to be doing.
Now I'd like to invite you to bring to mind something that naturally brings a gentle smile to your face.
This could be a memory,
Maybe a time you felt content or happy.
It could be someone you care about.
Perhaps a friend,
Family member,
Or even a pet,
A place in nature that brings you peace.
Or simply the feeling and sensation of warm sunlight on your skin.
Just choose whatever comes to mind that feels easy and accessible.
It doesn't have to be the most intense joy you've ever felt,
Just a gentle,
Pleasant feeling.
And take your time finding and connecting with this.
There's no rush.
And once you've found it,
Notice what happens in your body.
Where do you feel this pleasant sensation?
And just take your time to explore and connect with it.
Perhaps there's a slight warmth in your chest.
And softness in your belly.
Or maybe a lightness in your shoulders.
And just notice where it feels like this feeling lives in your body.
Okay,
Good.
Now see if you can rest your attention gently on this pleasant feeling.
It's almost like a flower bud opening in the sunshine.
And we're not trying to force or grip the feeling,
But rather just letting our awareness rest softly there.
And now we're going to work with this feeling in a very gentle,
Rhythmic way.
I like to think of this as gently fanning the embers of a warm fire.
And when the feeling fades,
You can pulse it with the image again.
And it really helps to allow this practice to be playful.
And see if you can enjoy yourself.
It's 10% more.
You might experiment with taking a slightly deeper breath in.
And as you do,
Imagine you're drawing this pleasant feeling up through your body.
Letting it expand.
And then as you exhale,
Relax completely and let the feeling settle naturally.
Again breathing in inviting the feeling to grow just a touch like you're fanning the embers of a flame and breathing out,
Softening,
Relaxing and resting.
And continue this gentle rhythm at your own pace.
Every five to ten breaths,
You might return to your original image or memory.
And then continue with the rhythm.
And it's important to remember that we're not forcing anything here.
If the feeling fades,
That's perfectly fine.
And see if you can relax and unclench even more deeply.
And gently reconnect with your pleasant memory or image whenever you're ready.
And as you continue this gentle rhythm,
You might notice that the pleasant feeling begins to move or spread or shift in your body.
Let it move however it wants to.
You might notice it in your chest,
Your belly.
Or your face or the crown of your head.
And if you notice any tension or resistance or clenching see if you can gently breathe into that area and allow it to soften making more space for the pleasant feelings and tingling to flow.
You might even experiment with allowing yourself to be surprised by how good this simple feeling can be.
What might it be like if you let yourself be nourished by this sense of pleasantness?
Perhaps this subtle or strong sense of joy is exactly what your nervous system needs right now.
And in these last couple of minutes,
Just let go of any active breathing or pulsing.
Simply resting and relaxing in whatever feeling is present right now.
Whether it's strong or subtle.
Just let yourself marinate in this open,
Expansive awareness.
And notice how different your body feels in this moment compared to when we started.
Perhaps there's more spaciousness,
More ease.
Or a quality of gentle aliveness.
And as we prepare to finish,
Know that you can return to this practice anytime.
Even just a few minutes of connecting with this pleasant feeling and gently amplifying it can shift your entire state.
Okay,
When you're ready,
Take a breath in.
And let it out with a sigh.
And whenever you're ready,
Slowly opening up the eyes and coming back into the space.
The practice of amplifying joy is now complete.
