Learning to be happy with Da Hello.
Welcome to this meditation on love.
In this meditation,
We will use a visualization to cultivate our sense of love and to develop joy at the thoughts of others happiness.
Find yourself in a comfortable position.
However you feel comfortable.
You can stand,
Sit,
Lay down.
You can have your eyes open or closed.
And begin to settle in your body.
Let your shoulders come down and your face relax.
Follow your breath for a little while.
Perhaps you'd like to take a few deliberate breaths.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
And just begin to feel your body.
The surface beneath you.
The clothing upon you.
Allow your breath to become natural.
And begin to listen to the space all around you.
All you need to do right now is be passively aware of sounds and sensations.
Feel through your body the temperature and texture.
And if you come across any tension in your legs,
In your shoulders,
Anywhere at all,
Just have the intention to relax.
To let go.
Have the intention now to grow calm and to relax.
Connect to this moment by finding what you hear and feel to be interesting,
Fascinating.
And now I want you to think on love.
The word love.
How does it feel to love someone?
Is it joyful?
Is loving others joyful?
Is it warm?
Is it expensive?
Perhaps loving others makes you feel bigger than yourself.
Perhaps loving others puts your heart at ease.
And relieves your mind of some self concern.
Since just for a moment you forget about yourself.
And the key to developing this pleasant feeling is through considering the meaning of love.
And remembering or imagining how it feels in the body,
In the heart and mind.
So when you feel love,
Does your body feel energized?
Warm,
Maybe tingly,
Relaxed.
How does it look to be loving?
Your posture is open.
You lean back.
You relax.
You smile.
Your eyes are bright.
And how does love sound?
A cheerful voice.
And think of the ways love manifests.
Physically,
We may hug other people.
We may give them gifts.
Do things for them.
And verbally,
We compliment,
Encourage.
But most of all,
We give our love through smiling.
And so I want you to try smiling now.
And bring to mind someone that you care deeply for.
A friend,
A family member,
Your partner,
A pet.
And it's perfectly alright to bring many people there into the screen of your mind.
Standing before you are those you care for.
And imagine them smiling.
Really visualize their lips.
Like you're zooming in on their mouth.
You see their lips parting.
You see their teeth.
The wrinkle at their cheek.
You look further up into their eyes.
Maybe you can hear their laughter.
And you feel that sense of connection between your hearts,
Your eyes,
The smile,
The twinkle.
It says,
I love you.
It is joy.
And as you imagine now,
The people that you care for,
Happy and free,
Smiling and laughing.
Perhaps you realize that love is very simple.
It is the joy you feel at the thought of others happiness.
Love is nothing other than happiness itself.
The happiness that comes from wishing others well.
And concentrate now on any pleasant feeling that's arisen through this imagery and through this contemplation.
Look into your body.
For any sense of comfort,
For calm and relaxation.
And take joy in it.
Take pleasure in the feelings you're experiencing now.
And as you enjoy whatever sense of peace or pleasure you feel now,
Connect with that intention.
Find it in yourself.
This sincere and genuine wish for others to be happy.
Perhaps you hear inside your mind these words,
I really want you to be happy.
Your joy is my joy.
I am here for you.
And perhaps imagine hugging this person or these people now,
Giving your affection to them.
You want them to be comforted by your loving affection.
Whatever pleasant feeling you might have at this moment,
It is an energy,
This feeling.
And you can give it to them.
Suspend disbelief for a moment and imagine that this loving feeling reaches them.
Wherever they are right now,
That your affection touches their heart,
Their mind.
Think on a time in which someone's love or care for you has touched your heart.
And remember then how powerful love is and that it's yours to give.
Never underestimate the value of care and affection.
And it's perfectly okay if you don't know how to show it or feel as if there aren't practical opportunities.
Trust that what you're doing now is benefiting others as much as yourself.
Feel this love for them.
Imagine they can feel it.
And perhaps thinking of how precious this love is and how precious these people are to you.
You begin to feel thankful,
Grateful and you say in your mind to them,
Thank you,
Thank you.
And you bring your attention to the sounds all around you.
You bring your attention to your body again,
To the surface beneath you,
To the clothes on your skin.
You breathe deeply.
You sigh and relax.
Slowly opening your eyes if you had closed them.
And smiling you return to your day.
