Author: Harsha Patil

This season, this time frame—winter—reminds us to go inward a little bit. It invites us to choose what we want to feel. And in this guided meditation, we imagine something deeper, something lasting: joy, merriment, and generosity. Not just for a moment, not just for the holidays, but as energies that can live inside of us, year-round.

Welcoming Winter Energy Through Guided Imagery

We begin by simply breathing in the crispness of the season, unafraid, and welcoming it into the warmth of our bodies. As it merges with us, it reminds us that when we invite in, we connect. We imagine a peaceful winter scene—maybe a fireplace, soft blankets, snow falling outside. “So often,” the voice says, “we’re familiar with sitting back and worrying… but this time, let’s imagine.”

Guided Meditation for Joy and Happiness

In that imagined space, we invite in the spirit of joy—not as something to get, but something already here. “A breath and an invitation is all it takes for the spirit of joy to enter you.” We find out where joy lives in our bodies, what it looks like, feels like. And sometimes, we find we have placed a rock over it. But even that rock can become a diamond, worn proudly. “The more joy there is, the more joy there is,” and everyone gets a cup of it.

Gratitude and Generosity Meditation for the Holiday Season

Then enters merriment, rushing in contagious and wild, dancing with joy on the floor of our imagination. It fills our bellies, our throats, our eyes. “It spreads like that, doesn’t it?” And just like that, even grumpy Uncle George is swept into the dance. “There’s no room to be aggressive toward myself today,” the voice declares, “I’m watching joy and merriment dance.”

And then, gently, generosity steps in. A little behind us at first, hesitant maybe. But soon, it teaches us that generosity is not only about giving—it is also about receiving. “Be generous with your mind,” we are told. Let it think freely. Let your ears open, your heart receive. These energies—joy, merriment, generosity—want to dance with you. They do not require anyone else to teach you. They live inside of you.

Imaginative Meditation to Transform Emotion into Memory

We are reminded that imagination is powerful enough to become memory. “Isn’t that amazing?” Something that began in imagination can live on as something real. “So take this party into your way of being,” we are told. Invite in what you want. Make it your memory. Make it your life.

And perhaps the most loving truth of all:
“You don’t need someone else when you’re all that is.”

This is not just a guided meditation. It is a remembering. A soft invitation to imagine—and then live—a life of joy, merriment, and generosity.

Watch or listen to the full guided meditation on Joy, Merriment, and Generosity here:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is guided meditation for joy and happiness?

It is a gentle practice where you invite joy into your body through breath and imagination. As the meditation says, “A breath and an invitation is all it takes for the spirit of joy to enter you.” You breathe in the crispness of the season, imagine a warm, peaceful space, and allow joy to awaken within. Even if something is blocking it – you can lovingly move it aside and let joy flow. This meditation helps you connect with the joy already inside you, simply by imagining it, breathing it in, and letting it be felt.

2. How can I use meditation to invite generosity into my life?

Through meditation, you can experience generosity not as something you do, but as something you become. Generosity in this practice is both giving and receiving. You dance with it, letting it teach you through presence. It shows you that generosity is not only financial—it’s listening, touching, kindness, love. You invite it into your body: your toes, legs, mind, heart—and discover it opens you to receive as well as give.

3. Can imagination during meditation feel real enough to become a memory?

Yes. As I said in my video,“Isn’t that amazing? … I can already recollect it as a memory … and I can return to that as a memory.”
By imagining a peaceful scene and inviting joy, merriment, and generosity, the experience can linger in the body and mind and becomes memory – even when it began as imagination.

4. How do I bring winter’s energy into my meditation practice?

Begin by breathing in the crisp, cold air – “unafraid of it, just saying hello to it, bringing it into the warmth of our bodies.” Imagine the season’s stillness, emotional warmth, and possibility. As the cold merges with your center, it wakes up your system and reminds you that invitation and warmth begin from within.

5. What if I feel resistance, like I don’t deserve joy or generosity?

Resistance often appears as a rock covering the spirit of joy. But imagination invites you to “just love that little rock” – move it, shift it. You can remove resistance playfully: let it roll away, transform it (even into a diamond!), and allow your true energies – joy, merriment, generosity – to flow freely once more.

6. What is active imagination meditation?

Active imagination meditation invites you to create and explore inner experiences that feel alive. In this practice, you do not just visualize – you interact. “You follow the air into your lungs and nestle down right next to your heart… and imagine a scene in front of you.” You invite joy, let it dance, talk to generosity, and even love the parts of yourself that resist. This isn’t passive thinking – this is engaging your imagination as a living teacher and letting it shape your experience. As the meditation says, “Even the rocks roll in and enjoy it too.”

Hey friends,

What does my relationship to myself mean? That we have a relationship with our minds, thoughts, feelings, and body. That our view of the world becomes our world. Recently, I had a life experience where the fear of lack was running my relationships around people and money. In this recording, I describe how that fear of lack opened my awareness to my own being and my abundance.

Everything that happens in life is really a reflection of your relationship with yourself. The relationship you have with yourself is the most complicated because it involves your thoughts, your emotions, your beliefs, and the way you treat yourself in every situation. That is the heart of this guided meditation and the story I share in this video.

When Fear of Lack Surfaces

It began with something as ordinary as a radiator problem. My truck had been worked on by someone a friend suggested, but after it was done, it started having radiator issues again. I called the mechanic back and asked if he wanted to have a look at it. He said he was busy and have my other shop look at it. When they did – the mechanics told me, “We can tell you what’s wrong. The wrong radiator was installed.”

My immediate thoughts were a frenzy of: I’ve been cheated. I’ve paid twice. How could this happen? My mind went into overdrive. But what really came up wasn’t anger at the mechanic – it was fear. Fear of losing money. Fear of not being okay.

When I asked myself, “What if I knew that I was okay? That I was going to have the money for this?” my body softened. In that small moment, awareness opened. I realized the issue wasn’t him, it wasn’t the radiator- it was my relationship with myself, my thoughts, and how I treat myself when something goes wrong. 

Awareness: The True Source of Peace

The awareness that came was this:

“It has nothing to do with that person. It is my relationship with myself and awareness.”

That changed everything. I didn’t have to chase anyone down or hold anger. I could choose peace. I could choose awareness over fear. My relationship with myself sets the tone for every experience in my life. When I choose awareness instead of reacting in fear, I reclaim my power.

So many of us have been taught that when something goes wrong, we must “learn our lesson.” But what if life isn’t about learning lessons in a hard way? What if it’s about learning yourself — learning how to be aware, how to love yourself, and how to live free of self-punishment?  Cause my biggest issue was also being mad at me for trying something differently.  

How to Overcome Fear as a Participant in the Universe 

This video explores what it truly means to be in relationship with yourself – to see that you are not separate from the universe but part of it, a participant in creation itself. It’s not about faith or hope. It’s about awareness — the quiet recognition that you are already taken care of.

The freedom came when I realized that I didn’t have to be angry at the original mechanic or myself. I could be aware that the funds would be there, that I would be okay, and that it was not about him or me being stupid. That is the essence of abundance and self-love, not being dependent on how others act, but knowing that you have your own back as a part of life itself.

By focusing on my relationship with myself, I was able to shift away from fear and lack. the external didn’t dictate my peace or my happiness.

Choosing Awareness Over Fear

My relationship with myself is what determines how I experience life. When I chose awareness over fear, I could sit with my thoughts without being consumed by them. I could recognize the anger, the frustration, but not let it define me. The relationship you have with yourself is the most important because it shapes your reality.  That abundance or my money – was not in someone else’s pocket – that abundance wasn’t up to someone else’s pocket.  

By the end of this reflection, I found peace, not because everything went perfectly, but because I understood: nothing outside of me can take my peace or my happiness. The money, the mistake, the external situation- it all became secondary to my awareness of myself.

Your Relationship with Yourself Matters Most

If you’ve ever felt wronged, cheated, or fearful about losing something, this talk will help you turn inward -to reconnect with the part of you that already has your back. You are not separate from the universe. You are the universe. Your relationship with yourself shapes your life.

Watch or listen to this guided meditation and let it remind you that awareness and self-love are the keys to abundance. You do not need to lean on faith or hope. You need only to lean into yourself, the universe within you, and the recognition you are loved and supported (by you as life itself). 

Watch or listen, and let it remind you that you and the universe are not two separate things. You are the same, evolving together in awareness and love.

Watch or listen to the full guided meditation on Understanding Your Relationship With Yourself here:

Note: You can also explore more topics through my app. Here is the link: https://onelink.to/livingasawareness

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to have a relationship with yourself?

It means you are in constant relationship with your own mind, thoughts, feelings, and body. Everything you see in life reflects how you relate to yourself. When I noticed my fear around money, I saw that it wasn’t about anyone else -it was about how I was meeting myself in that fear. Having a relationship with yourself means being aware of how you respond inside when life happens.

Why is the relationship you have with yourself the most important?

Because everything in your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. When my truck had the same problem again, I thought I was angry at someone else, but I was really meeting my own fear of lack. When I softened and asked, “What if I knew I was okay?” peace returned. The relationship you have with yourself is the most important because it shapes every experience you have. When that relationship is kind and conscious, your whole life begins to reflect that even more.

How does the relationship you have with yourself set the tone for your life?

Your thoughts and emotions set the vibration for everything you experience. When I moved from fear to awareness, my whole body softened, and the situation lost its charge. The tone of your inner world becomes the tone of your outer world. If you live in fear, you attract fear. If you live in awareness, life meets you there.

What kind of relationship do you have with yourself when fear or lack take over?

That relationship often feels tight and reactive. When fear runs the show, your thoughts might say things like “I’ve been cheated” or “I’m not okay.” I have felt that too. But once you see those thoughts for what they are- reflections of fear- you can shift into awareness. Then the relationship with yourself becomes softer and more supportive instead of punishing or fearful.

Why should you build a conscious relationship with yourself?

Because awareness changes everything. When you stop blaming yourself – or the world – and start seeing how your thoughts shape your experience, you begin to live in peace. For me, it was realizing, “It has nothing to do with that person. It is my relationship with myself and awareness.” That is freedom, not having to control or chase anything, just being aware and kind within yourself.

The relationship you have with yourself is the most complicated – how can you simplify it?

By slowing down and becoming aware. Complication comes from overthinking and reacting to every fear that arises. When I paused and asked myself what was really happening, I saw that the situation wasn’t about money or anyone else – it was about how I was relating to myself in that moment. Awareness simplifies everything because it brings you back to peace and clarity of the deeper issue.