Guided Meditation: Altruistic Joy
"Let your body settle into a posture of ease and balance.
"Gently close your eyes and settle your attention in your body and in the present moment.
"Invite into your attention a friend who is happy or joyous. They may be delighting in the birth of a child, in recovered health after a spate of illness or in a life event that has brought a newfound happiness.
"Sense their gladness, gratefulness, or delight as you have seen it in them.
"Offer them a generous wish that their happiness may deepen and continue.
"Find a few simple words or phrases that express the generosity of heart you feel for them:
" 'May your happiness deepen.'
" 'May your life continue to bring gladness and delight.'
"Next invite into your attention someone whom you envy or feel some resentment towards because of the happiness they are experiencing. It may be a friend, a colleague or even someone you do not know but whom you admire and yet at the same time envy.
"Offer to that person a generosity of heart that rejoices in their gladness, accomplishments, or successes:
" 'May your happiness deepen.'
" 'May your gladness continue.'
"Sense whether it is possible to offer that same generosity of altruistic joy to yourself. Take some moments to reflect on the many blessings and moments of happiness and ease that are present in your life in this moment. Reflect on your capacity for love, care and empathy, on the people in your life who care for you, on the moments of gladness and delight you encounter. Say to yourself:
" 'May I deepen in happiness and generosity.'
" 'May I live with appreciation and gladness.'
"When you are ready, open your eyes and come out of the posture."
