The Smiling Meditation

By Toby Helmstetter, LAc

Several years ago, I went to see Tibetan monk Thich Nhat Hanh, poet, scholar, and peace activist give a free talk to hundreds of people in a public park in Oakland. The day was full of inspirational talks and helpful guided meditations, one of which was this one. If you read or saw “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert then this meditation will also sound familiar. When in Indonesia, Gilbert meets a medicine man who tells her to do the following meditation every day. It’s a bright and sunny meditation that can help lift a difficult mood and warm up any cold, wintry day.

Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Take a few slow, deep breaths and begin to feel your body relax. Connect with your breath, following each inhalation and exhalation. As you begin to slow down and relax, turn your awareness to your body. From here the meditation is simple, and can be done really any way you desire. Imagine all of the cells inside your body smiling. You can picture each body part, each individual organ, and each cell down to its tiniest particles with a smile on it. You can add colors to your visualization, like gold or a warm pink or soft green. Simply picture each and every cell in your body smiling. Do this for five minutes, or as long as you wish. Then open your eyes and feel the benefits of your smiling self!