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.”