So this is a joy meditation and we can use it whenever we encounter problems or confront pain or face suffering in our lives.
Whether these are major life challenges or daily dissatisfaction.
So the meditation is designed to smooth the ride on the bumpy road of life.
So we begin by finding a comfortable way to sit.
On a chair or cross-legged on the floor.
Facing your hands comfortably on your legs or in your lap.
Now taking several long breaths through the nose.
And with each out-breath,
Allowing a sense of the body relaxing into this moment.
On to the earth beneath.
And as we move through the practice,
We can tune into the body.
Whether it allows itself to relax a little deeper.
Or whether the heart maybe feels a little lighter or more open.
This is an aspirational practice where we make the wish that we can cultivate joy in our lives.
Whatever difficulties may present themselves.
So first let your problem come to mind.
Reflecting on the situation as it is,
The people involved.
Whatever challenge it is that's causing you pain or suffering.
Visualizing the situation and noticing any response from the body.
Maybe a tightening,
A contracting.
And then remembering to breathe in.
And allow a sense of releasing on each exhale.
So the first way to move in the direction of joy is to gain some perspective.
Seeing yourself and your problem from a wider perspective.
Trying to step back from yourself and your problem.
Maybe seeing this struggle as if you were watching a movie about your life.
And now thinking about this problem from the future,
From a year or a decade from now.
Recognizing that it will pass.
Everything changes.
This too shall pass.
And our second step towards joy is that of humility.
Seeing yourself as one of the seven billion people on this planet.
And that your problem is part of the pain and suffering that so many human beings experience.
Is a part of every human life.
Seeing your problem as part of the unfolding and interdependent drama of life on this planet.
Recognizing too that your connection to others makes you much stronger and more capable of solving your problem.
Letting yourself feel love and appreciation for all those who have contributed to your life in the past.
And who are here to support you right now.
Letting yourself feel love and appreciation for all those who have contributed to your And our next step is to explore the situation with humour,
Noticing whether we can see the funny side.
Smiling at your problem,
Your own shortcomings,
Your own frailties or habit patterns.
Even if it is a very grave or serious situation,
There is often some humour that can be found.
This human drama is often a comedy and laughter is our saving grace.
And our next step towards joy is acceptance.
The ability to laugh allows us to accept life just as it is,
Broken and imperfect,
Even whilst we aspire for a better life and a better world.
And so we see if we can accept that right now we are struggling and we do have human limitations.
Reminding ourselves that these painful realities happen to all of us,
To those we love and throughout the world.
We acknowledge that we cannot know all the factors that have led to this event.
So we see if we can accept that what has happened has already happened and that there is nothing we can do to change the past.
Reminding ourselves that in order to make the most positive contribution to this situation,
I must accept the reality of its existence.
And now we come to the stage of forgiveness.
So bringing your hand and placing it at the heart,
The symbol of self-compassion,
Forgiving yourself for any part you've played in creating this situation.
Recognising that we are all only human and that we will inevitably fall short of our aspirations.
Sometimes we cause the hurt,
Other times we are hurt by others.
And so we see the shared humanity of any others involved in this situation and see whether we can forgive them for their part and for their human limitation.
And when you feel an easing self-compassion or forgiveness,
Then releasing your hand from your heart.
And the next step is to explore gratitude.
Seeing if we can find something within this situation for which we're grateful.
Maybe there's some way in which this problem is actually contributing to your life right now and to your growth and transformation.
And also finding gratitude for the people or things that are supporting you right now And opening now into our next step,
That of compassion.
Allowing that sense of compassion for yourself and your struggles to arise now.
Maybe a sensation at the heart.
Remembering that it takes time to grow and to learn.
We are not perfect and suffering is inevitable.
It's part of the fabric of life.
Seeing if we can sense the light of compassion or kindness shining from your heart and flowing throughout your whole body.
And now sending that compassion to your loved ones or even to the people you may be struggling with and out even wider to anyone in need of love and compassion.
And we bring the practice to a close by feeling the deep generosity that is always in your heart.
Imagining yourself radiating this generosity of spirit out to all those around you.
With a sense of wondering how we can transform into opportunities to give to others.
We may begin to notice the irony that when we give joy to others we experience true joy for ourselves.
