Smile Meditation

 

It's that time of the year between Thanksgiving and New Year when so many things are happening. Our family is busy with Christmas preparations, birthdays, end of semester projects, tests and professionally, end of the year deadlines. Despite the craziness, I do love this time of year. I love the making and eating treats, wrapping presents, get togethers with loved ones and non-stop holiday music (after Thanksgiving and not a moment sooner!). 

Whether your life is busy right now or not, most likely you're affected by the hustle and bustle around you. There are longer lines, busier stores and lots of traffic. Before the end of the year, you'll probably encounter a grouchy shopper, an overextended worker or someone cutting you off in traffic. It's bound to happen.

It can be easy when you are tired or overextended to get sucked into the negative vortex of energy. As a defense, I recommend a smile meditation. When you find yourself in those stressful and hectic scenarios, take a breath, remember what's important and smile. This can be a wonderful shield from the people around you, who are caught in a downward spiral. It can be a lifeline for someone who is getting dragged down by that spiral too.

I've tested this theory through many holiday seasons and it does work. It's helped me to focus my holiday and end of year energy in a positive trajectory. I know that it will be crazy at the store or on the road, but that will not dictate my experience or reaction. It's also helped me provide respite for others. A smile or even a kind word to a worker who was being treated unfairly by a crazed shopper can go a long way.

From a yogic perspective, the concept of a smile meditation is the practice of yoga and in tune with Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 2.35-36. “When we believe in not harming others, all creatures will cease to feel hostility in presence. For one grounded in truthfulness, ever action and deed, bears fruit.”

Happy Holidays & Namaste!