Greetings friends,
This is Paul and I'd like to welcome you to this short practice of gratitude.
This exercise comes from the Buddhist practice of Muddhita,
Which means appreciative joy.
It connects us to the inner spring of infinite joy that is available to everyone at any time,
No matter your circumstances.
It can be understood as simply showing up for happiness with a caring presence.
As you do this type of practice regularly,
You train your mind to regularly notice and appreciate happiness and you will gain many benefits from this type of practice.
You will feel more fulfilled by joy.
You begin to recognize happiness more easily in your life and you train your mind to treat happiness as an important experience.
So finding a comfortable posture and begin to settle into your body.
Inviting in relaxation from the beginning of this practice.
Notice your breath and begin to appreciate the life offered from each inhalation.
Just appreciate the simplicity of it.
And with your exhalation,
Let go of any tension in your mind or your body.
And now bring to mind a time in which you recently experienced happiness.
It might be something small like seeing a friend or watching a sunset or the simple joy of lying down at night.
So when you have something,
Allow yourself to feel the experience of contentment or happiness or joy,
Whatever that memory brings for you.
Really welcome that feeling and memory in and allow yourself to feel it.
Notice how it feels in your body and where it's located.
Breathing into it,
Recognize the subtleties of contentment or happiness in your body.
And with the intention of cultivating gratitude,
Offer yourself these phrases of appreciative joy.
Keep the memory in your mind and offer these phrases silently to yourself.
May my happiness continue.
May my happiness grow.
May I be present for the joy.
May I appreciate the joy in my life.
You can substitute whatever word resonates with you.
You know your own experience,
Just be true to yourself.
Whether it's contentment or happiness or joy.
Really feeling that in your body and offer the phrases silently to yourself,
Finding a rhythm with the practice.
May my happiness grow.
May my happiness continue.
May I be present for the joy.
May I appreciate this joy in my life.
Focusing your attention on the words and the intention of appreciating this happiness.
May my happiness continue.
May my happiness grow.
May I be present for the joy.
May I appreciate this joy in my life.
And now we'll bring to mind somebody else in your life who has experienced some happiness recently.
So picture this person in your mind smiling as you observe their joy.
Rejoice as much as possible in their happiness.
Really appreciating their joy or contentment or happiness.
And as you did with yourself,
Offer these phrases of gratitude.
May your happiness continue.
May your happiness grow.
May you be present for your joy.
I'm happy for you.
Returning again to the visualization of this person smiling to bring up the happiness and continue with the phrases.
May your happiness continue.
May your happiness grow.
May you be present for your joy.
I'm happy for you.
Continuing to come back to the phrases silently to yourself whenever your mind wanders.
May your happiness continue.
May your happiness grow.
May you be present for your joy.
I'm happy for you.
And just feeling the contentment or happiness or joy in your body.
The warmth or the vibration or the buzzing.
And when you're ready start to notice your whole body.
Come back to your breath.
You might like to start to wiggle your toes and fingers.
Have a big stretch and take this energy into your day.
Enjoy.
Namaste.
