Someone recently shared her greatexcitement at a simple meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh. “I breathe in peace, I breathe out and smile.” She said she couldn’t believe how her emotional state changed simply by smiling as she exhaled. The other day, I was stomping through a really challenging exercise video, and in the midst of some impossible series of moves, the instructor said, “Don’t forget to smile, it burns more calories!” A student of mine recently went on and on about her dog. “I’m telling you, he really smiles when he’s happy!”
So what happens when you smile? If you tried it right now, it might feel a little fake. Many articles have been written about the genuine vs. the “fake” smile. One can fake a smile for a few minutes, but if it’s insincere, it will drop away shortly unless you pay attention. And if you intentionally keep your mouth in a smile long enough, the rest of your face, and the rest of you, is bound to follow.
Try this: sit with your face as neutral as possible, whatever your definition of neutral is. Close your eyes and imagine the corners of your mouth moving outward. Don’t do anything, just imagine. Picture the outer corners of your eyes moving out as well. Imagine your whole face widening. If you feel something starting to happen, go along with it. As your face and mouth widen into a smile, notice your breath, your posture, and especially your upper chest. Now slowly, bring your face back to its neutral position. Relax a moment and notice how you’re sitting now.
Sense your mouth and gradually, allow the corners of the mouth to turn down, as if gravity was pulling the corners. Feel free to do it small or let it grow to a full fledged frown. Notice what happens to your breath, your neck, your upper chest. But don’t do it too long. Frowning can begin to pull everything down, your head, your chest, your mood. After all, we never see pictures or statues of a frowning Buddha.
We want to have freedom of choice when it comes to expression. No one wants to be stuck in a compulsive smile, or feel that frowning is one’s “natural” expression. Just being aware of your facial expression can help you feel more supported as you sit and stand. Of course, the face and mouth have a myriad of options for expression that goes way beyond the smile and the frown. Just imagine the possibilities!