Today I'll be guiding you through a reflection and a visualization to immerse you in the experience of joy and get you thinking about it more deeply.
So let's go ahead and get started.
To begin,
Go ahead and find a comfortable position,
Adjusting yourself so that your back is straight and your chest is open so that you can deepen your breath.
Go ahead and close your eyes and take a couple of slow deep breaths,
Allowing the air to fill your lungs and then releasing it slowly and gently.
Once more,
Breathe in and fill your lungs with air and release it slowly,
Feeling your body relax and settle.
You can adjust your body in whatever way you need to allow yourself to settle in even more and let your shoulders drop,
Relaxing your neck and upper back.
You might even roll your head back and forth a little just to loosen up your neck even more and then settle back into stillness.
Continue to breathe slowly and gently,
Noticing any areas in your body where you're feeling tension.
Try to breathe into those areas of tension and then on the exhale,
Focus on releasing and allowing your body to relax even more.
And now take a moment to think about the word joy.
You can say it quietly to yourself,
Joy.
And take a deep breath in and say it again on the exhale,
Joy.
Begin to think about what joy means to you.
What comes to mind when you think about the meaning of joy?
Now see if you can recall a specific memory of a joyful experience or a situation from any point in your life.
It can be a memory of anything that brought you a sense of great happiness,
Delight,
Pleasure.
Replay this memory in your mind and pay attention to the details of the experience.
As you replay this experience in your mind,
What's happening that's bringing you that sense of delight?
Where are you?
Is there anyone there with you?
Tune in to all of your senses,
Really immersing yourself in the experience.
What sounds can you hear?
Is there any smell or scent associated with this memory?
What's the temperature of the air around you?
What physical sensations can you feel?
Are you touching anything?
Now pay attention to what joy feels like.
Letting the joy rise up within you.
What does it feel like when you're joyful?
Notice how your body feels.
Where in your body do you feel joy?
Allow the feeling of joy to fully come into your body.
If you haven't already,
You can even bring a small smile to your face to help you stay with the feeling of joy.
Feeling how the smile can amplify that sense of happiness or delight.
Taking a deep breath and allowing the joy to fill your chest and expand throughout your body.
Appreciate just how wonderful this moment feels.
Enjoying and appreciating the pleasant feeling that joy gives you.
Thinking to yourself,
This is what joy feels like and committing it to your memory.
This is what joy feels like.
Very good.
If you found that your mind has started to drift,
Take a moment to bring a joyful experience or an image back into your mind.
Imagine it and allow the feeling of joy to rise up within you again.
And now as you hold this peaceful,
Pleasant feeling,
I'd like you to imagine what it would be like if you could embody this feeling more often in your everyday life.
How would it impact you?
What do you think would change or be different?
If you could embody a feeling of joy more often,
What impact would it have on your interactions and your relationships?
Now as this meditation comes to a close,
Go ahead and take a deep breath.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Bring your awareness back into your body,
Aware of yourself sitting or lying right where you are,
Right here,
Right now.
When you're ready,
You can slowly open your eyes and look around you,
Taking in your surroundings and seeing the world with a sense of joy and peace.
Wonderful.
I hope you're able to find little moments of joy throughout your day.
Take good care.
