Читать книгу The Zen of Joy - Matti Anttila - Страница 7

When I am happy, I see the happiness in others. When I am depressed, I notice that people’s eyes look sad. When I am weary, I see the world as boring and unattractive. -Steve Chandler

This simple technique will take 16-18 minutes the first time and 4-5 minutes after that. (3-4 minutes to unplug the phone(s), turn off the cell phone, lock the doors and/or ask the family not to engage you in any way for 7 minutes; 5 minutes to do the technique and a minute or two to bask in the delightful feeling of bliss you will experience.)

The How-to-be-Happy-24/7 Meditation

This informal technique is simple and easy to remember.

Step 1: Breathe From the Mouth

“Relax the lower jaw and let your mouth open just slightly. Start breathing from the mouth, but not deeply.

Just let the body breathe so it becomes more and more shallow.

And when you feel that the breath has become very shallow and your mouth is open and jaw relaxed, your whole body will feel very relaxed.

Step 2: Feel a Smile

“In that moment, start feeling a smile — not on your face but all over your being — and you will be able to.

It is not a smile that comes on the lips; it is an existential smile that spreads just inside.

Try and you will know what it is, because it cannot be explained.

No need to smile with your lips on your face but just as if you are smiling from the belly, the belly is smiling.

And it is a smile, not a laugh, so it is very, very soft, delicate, fragile — like a small rose opening in the belly and the fragrance spreading all over the body.

Once you have known what this smile is, you can remain happy for twenty-four hours a day.

And whenever you feel that you are missing that happiness, just close your eyes and catch hold of that smile again, and it will be there.

In the daytime as many times as you want, you can catch hold of it. It is always there.”

How long did that actually take you? 2-3 minutes? Is that about right? And how long will it take you the next time you want to “catch hold” of that inner smile and feel the happy feeling again? What do you think? 2-3 minutes again? Or maybe just a few moments? Literally just a few seconds?

If you have a few seconds right now, try it out for time. Go ahead, I’ll wait and be right here when you are done. Check your watch, catch hold of the inner smile by closing your eyes, breathing shallowly through the mouth and feeling the warmth of it spread from your belly to all over your body. Now look at your watch again. What was your time? I did it while waiting for you. My time was about 13 seconds. Do you think you may be able to find 15-60 seconds occasionally? OK, that is your first assignment.

Your first mission, should you decide to accept, is: Anytime you feel like it, whenever you want, stop and feel the inner smile. (Time commitment: 13 seconds) It matters not if it is once a day or every hour on the hour. (Say, that’s a good idea, don’t you think?) All that matters is that you accept the mission and JUST DO IT!

Put this manual down now and stop reading. Come back to it later; and you will remember to come back to it. When? It matters not. This is not a race. There is no timetable. You get to do this at any pace you want. You get to set the agenda and the timing. Come back to it when you feel the inner urge to do so. OK? And be sure to enjoy the process. Allow yourself to luxuriate in this. Luxuriating can be done for just a few seconds. It doesn’t need to be taking a day off to spend at a spa. That’s a great thing too, but there is no need to save up your luxuriating until you have time for that. You can do it for a few seconds and still get great benefit.

I do mean it. PUT THIS MANUAL DOWN NOW! Don’t let me catch you reading any further until you take at least one day to one week to luxuriate with this wonderful, awesome, delightful and energizing exercise/protocol called the Inner Smile. See ya next time.

Don’t move the way fear makes you move.

Move the way love makes you move.

Move the way joy makes you move.

-Osho