This is an energy-boosting,
Feel-good meditation from the institution of Zen.
The physical act of smiling can make you feel happier in an instant,
Even if you aren't feeling happy in that particular moment.
When you smile,
Your facial muscles send signals to your brain that trigger the release of mood-boosting chemicals like endorphins that trick your brain into feeling positive emotions.
So why don't we start this meditation with a smile?
If you want to.
Even a little smile is enough to feel better in just a second.
You could even smile a little bit more,
And a little bit bigger,
And see if you notice an improvement in your emotional state.
I'd like to start this practice with a quote by late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh.
Breathing in,
I calm body and mind.
Breathing out,
I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment.
I know this is the only moment.
Visualize your body connecting to the earth beneath you,
Anchoring your awareness in this moment.
Gently close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose.
And hold.
Hold your breath here,
Just for another second.
And now exhale through your mouth.
Let's do that one more time.
Inhale the good stuff.
Hold at the top.
And exhale,
And let go of what no longer serves you.
Keep breathing deeply and slowly while your body settles even further and your mind slows down.
Notice the top of your head.
Feel any sensations in your head and face.
Drop into your shoulders and arms.
Let them soften and relax.
Bring awareness to your chest and belly.
Feel your breath moving in and out.
Focus on your legs and feet.
Sense their connection to the ground.
I want you to remind yourself of something that brought you pure joy or anything that made you truly happy.
It could be a person,
A place,
Or an experience.
Step inside this moment and take a few seconds to visualize yourself in this happy memory.
Take a look around.
Notice what you see.
Notice what you hear.
Are you touching anything?
Maybe you're hugging someone or writing a letter.
Or holding somebody's hand.
Or stroking the silky smooth coat of your furry four-legged favorite friend.
How does it feel to be here in this moment?
Keep visualizing while you allow the positive emotions connected to these memories of faces and places flow through you.
Now we are going to enhance these feelings by engaging your senses.
Imagine your favorite song come on the radio and you grab the remote control to turn it up.
Up,
Up,
Until the volume is just perfect and it feels like you are stepping into a warm,
Familiar hug.
And that every beat,
Lyric,
And melody wraps itself around your emotions pulling you into a place that feels uniquely yours as your heart opens,
Expands,
And lifts with joy.
It's like time has stopped and nothing else matters.
You feel energized and alive in a way that feels truly magical.
Now we are going to use your mental remote control again to adjust the color and brightness of your memory of faces and places.
First you turn it up.
Up,
Up,
All the way up until all you can see is luminous white light.
And then you turn the brightness down.
Down,
Down,
All the way down until it reaches that perfect level where you can see clear and the colors around you look more vibrant than ever.
Perfect.
Now let's intensify this feeling.
Multiply it.
Triple it.
With your mental remote control in your hand you turn up this feeling.
Up,
Up,
All the way up as this wave of joy and elation radiates through your body and becomes more vivid the more you turn it up.
Up and up until you reach that perfect level Feeling genuine euphoria as this electrifying energy is entering and charging up each cell in each body part until it's imprinted in your grateful heart where it remains.
And now take a mental screenshot of this elevated state of mind and indulge in it.
Your heart feels overflowing with bliss,
Connection and gratitude as if it could burst.
You feel whole and grounded and there's a genuine smile on your face that you couldn't hide even if you tried.
Take a moment to reflect on the good things in your life and remind yourself that even difficulties have hidden blessings in their lessons.
My thoughts create my reality and I choose positivity.
Every day I create more reasons to smile.
I surrender to the beauty of life and find joy in the simplest things.
I embrace the magic of euphoria and let it flow through me.
I choose to experience life with excitement and passion.
I share my happiness freely with others and it comes back to me multiplied.
I let go of the things I cannot control and focus on what brings me peace.
I celebrate the small wins and blessings in my life.
I am at peace with my past and excited for my future.
Happiness is my birthright.
Take a moment to express gratitude for this peaceful stillness as you start bringing your awareness back to the present moment.
Notice how your body feels when you think positive thoughts and remember that the physical act of smiling alone can trick your brain into releasing feel-good chemicals.
This means that you can create your own happiness with the tools that you already have inside of you.
Take this wonderful feeling with you now into your day and share it because smiling is contagious and shared joy is double joy.
Come back to this meditation anytime you need a quick mood boost.
This was a meditation from the Institution of Zen.
Thank you.
