Hello and welcome.
My name is Victoria and this is a meditation for joy.
Being joyful is not a prerequisite for this class nor is it necessarily the desired outcome.
If you've taken my class before and you've my live classes you will know that this is a place to discover and explore what joy is,
How joy lives in your body and how to continue to cultivate it.
So today we will be using positive affirmations,
A little bit of breath work and a bit of journaling to keep exploring what that means.
Let's begin.
Finding somewhere comfortable to sit.
Begin to sit up nice and tall elongating the spine,
Planting the soles of the feet on the ground,
Relaxing the shoulders away from the ears and maybe if it feels safe and comfortable in your body beginning to close the eyes.
Inviting softness in the muscles of the face,
The jaw,
The tongue and from this place beginning to observe.
What do you hear?
What do you feel?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
What is happening right here,
Right now?
Taking this observation a little bit more inwards.
What emotions are present here?
Letting go of any expectation of what you think needs to be here and letting go of any judgment of what actually is here.
Just observing,
Just noticing then beginning to observe the breath.
Notice as your belly expands with each inhale and deflates with each exhale.
What is the pace?
What is the rhythm of your breath?
Even here with the breath,
Can you notice any sensation of joy?
How can this breath become joyful?
Taking a few more breaths just at your own rhythm,
At your own pace.
And then on your next inhale,
Drawing an air through the nose,
Filling up your chest,
Your ribs,
Your belly with air.
Good and slowly exhale.
Again,
Just like that big inhale,
Filling up with air.
And exhale,
Slowly let that air release.
Last time,
Inhale.
And exhale.
You have the option to stay here in this place,
In this place of comfort,
In this place of exploration,
Or you can grab a paper and pen and begin the journaling portion of this meditation.
It's also okay to sit here and reflect on the questions I will ask.
If you need to pause and take a minute to grab a paper and a pen,
Do so now.
Once you are ready,
Let's begin.
The first question that I will ask today is,
What is joy?
What is joy?
And this is for you.
What is joy for you?
What is joy for you today,
Right now?
Saying yes to whatever comes to mind,
Even if it doesn't quite make sense.
What is joy?
And staying on that question as long as you need to,
We're moving on to question two.
What does joy look like?
What does joy feel like in your body?
Is there an image that comes to mind?
Maybe a specific person.
Does joy have a specific feeling?
Is it a warmth?
Is it an energy?
Does it feel like a blanket wrapping around you?
What does joy feel like?
What does joy look like?
Staying on this question as long as you need to,
Or moving on to our last question.
What qualities do you possess or would like to possess that bring joy into your life?
Again,
What qualities do you possess or would like to possess that help you bring joy into your life?
Is it your sense of humor?
Is it your peaceful nature?
Your compassion?
Your kindness?
What qualities do you possess or would like to possess that bring joy into your life?
Good,
And once you've answered that last one,
Either writing down multiple qualities or picking just one,
You can rephrase them into I am statements.
So for example,
I am peaceful.
I am silly.
I am compassionate.
If this seems especially challenging today,
Simply focusing on I am here.
Because that's all you need to be.
I am here.
And when you're ready,
Perhaps taking as long as you need here.
But when you are ready,
Setting either your paper and pen aside,
Or continuing to connect with your breath,
Connect with your body.
We will use these I am statements as our affirmations today.
So on our inhale,
We'll think the words I am and exhale thinking about one of those qualities that you possess that bring you joy.
Let's begin.
Inhale,
I am exhale one of those wonderful qualities of yours.
Inhale,
I am exhale one of those joyful qualities.
Inhale,
I am exhale one of those qualities and really notice what that quality feels like in your body.
Good,
Keep this going.
Keep this going at your own pace.
If you want to cycle through a few qualities,
Feel free.
The new one pops into your mind.
Say yes to that.
Explore that as well.
You got this.
Taking the last few moments to finish up.
If you were cycling through a few qualities or finding a place where you would like to end today,
Slowly transitioning back to your body,
Bringing the focus back to your breath.
And if your eyes were closed,
Maybe beginning to blink them open,
Starting to notice what you see and maybe finding one object or one thing in this space that brings you joy.
Maybe it's a certain color that draws you or a sentimental object.
Whatever it is,
Notice how that joy feels inside of you.
Let that sensation fill you up and take you and take it with you through the rest of your day.
Thank you so much everyone.
My name is Victoria and have a wonderful rest of your day.
