Happiness

Hello all,

May this be helpful.

In the search for myself in this life I have spent numerous nights in church basements (AA & Alanon) and one thing always touched me. Prayer and meditation.

At first I did'nt understand why but as time wore on I began to connect with my heart.

I eventually moved on to a small meditation group. As in AA we would share our literature and ideas with one another. One night we all were invited to write our own Metta, a sort of heart felt prayer that we could repeat to ourselves. During this time I also learned about the power of a little smile on my face and how that can directly impact my happiness.

Over the years I've had a few different way's of using that Metta\Smile. One while driving. My mind was free of the normal chatter and it was quite easy to focus on my driving while doing the Metta\Smile.

I would wish the occupants of the car just ahead of me, "a peaceful ride to their destination", or "May that car be a peaceful and safe place for everyone in it". While doing this Metta I would also smile, just slightly.

Doing this I was aware of a peaceful happiness.

(Even as I type this I'm smilling. Some new habits are great).

One day while driving I used a different Metta. All the while remembering to smile, just slightly.

May I be happy

May I be peaceful

Well, that was even stronger, just like sunlight.

As I go thru my Metta\Smile, I would breath in (silently) and then during the out-breath (in my head), I'd say, "May I be happy", then a silent in-breath and again on the out-breath, "May I be peaceful", and so on. I found that if I rushed this without the quiet in-breath, I'd feel drained.

I also began to use this Metta on others. All the while remembering to smile, just slightly.

May I be happy

May I be peaceful

May Marsha be happy

May Marsha be peaceful

and so on.

I've begun to use this daily.

Same results, peaceful happiness, right now.

Practicing this Metta\Smile has created in me the ability to lay my hands on a sense of peaceful happiness whenever I choose to.

Even though my path is littered with "stuff", I can be happy, right now.

I'm glad I choose to.

I hope you choose to.

:)



Scott Tweet