A Smiling Meditation

Here is one of my favorite meditations that I may have shared with you before.
It's a nice chance to cultivate and deliberately call on the feeling of joy and contentment.

Begin: Relaxed position sitting or laying down. Eyes closed and body alert and awake begin to track your inhale and exhale. Become aware of the overall quality in your body and if it's possible try to soften into areas of tension.

1. Saying silently: I am aware of breathing in (as you inhale). I am aware of breathing out (as you exhale). Repeat as many times as you want.
Eventually shorten to I am breathing in or just in. I am breathing out or out.
Continue to let your body relax into the natural pace of your breath.

2. Next say silently: I am aware of breathing in deep (as you inhale). I am aware of breathing out slow (as you exhale).
Continuing with Breathing in deep or deep. Breathing out slow or slow.

3. I am breathing in ease. I am breathing out calm.
Breathing in ease. Breathing out calm.
Ease. Calm.

4. The fun part!
For this one you want to elicit a sense of smiling from the deepest part of your physical body, create a smile with your insides. It may or may not produce a smile on your face, but I will venture to guess that you won't be able to help it.

I am aware of smiling. I am aware of releasing.
I am smiling. I am releasing.
Smile. Release.

5. The grand finale.
I am aware of this moment. I am aware of the perfect moment.
This moment. The perfect moment.

Finish by bringing your attention back to your breath and slowly, mindfully opening your eyes.

This meditation was taken from a teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh.