How to Do the Inner Smile Meditation, Step by Step

The Inner Smile meditation is done sitting down: you form a slight smile on your face, then move your attention through your body in a set order, carrying the feeling of that smile with it. It is not laughter and not laughing out loud; it is a quiet smile turned inward. The steps below are the general form in which the practice is commonly taught.

What is the Inner Smile and where does it sit in the Tao tradition?

The Inner Smile is a seated meditation counted among the Tao practices of Chinese origin. It is taught within the body of practices passed on under the name Universal Tao, where it is counted among the basic exercises.

Many teachers show the Inner Smile as a practice in its own right and also use it as an opening before moving work such as qigong. The wording differs a little from teacher to teacher; the order is broadly the same.

How do you prepare before you start?

• Choose a calm place where you will not be interrupted for a while.
• Sit towards the front of a chair with the soles of your feet on the floor.
• Keep your back upright without strain and rest your hands in your lap.
• Leave your breathing as it is and let it flow.
• In the common form, the tip of the tongue lightly touches the roof of the mouth and the eyes are closed.

No special clothing or equipment is needed. Clothes that do not pinch and a chair you can sit on comfortably are enough.

How is the Inner Smile meditation done, step by step?

In general it follows the order below.

• Recall a smile: bring to mind a face, a memory or a view that makes you smile, and notice the feeling in your eyes and between your eyebrows.
• Spread it across the face: take your attention to your cheeks, the corners of your mouth, your jaw, neck and throat.
• Front line: move your attention in turn to the heart, the lungs, the liver, the kidneys, the spleen and pancreas, and then the lower abdomen. Stay a few breaths with each and smile there.
• Middle line: bring your attention back to your eyes, swallow once and follow the smile from the mouth down the food pipe to the stomach and the intestines.
• Back line: start from the eyes again, take your attention to your forehead and the inside of your head, then down along the spine to the tailbone.
• Gather: bring your attention together at the navel area, stay there for a few breaths and open your eyes slowly.

What is listed here is only the path that attention follows. The order does not mean that the practice has an effect on the organs or on health; the Inner Smile is not a method of treatment.

How long does the Inner Smile meditation take?

There is no fixed length. Some people go through the face and the front line only and finish in a few minutes; others move through all three lines without hurry and sit for longer. The time depends on how the practice was taught to you and how much time you have that day.

Beginners mostly keep it short. Starting with a single line and adding the others over time, instead of trying to memorise the whole order at once, is a common way in.

How do you practise on your own at home?

• Pick the same corner each day and, if you can, the same hour; a habit settles more easily that way.
• Write the order on a piece of paper and keep it beside you for the first days.
• If your attention wanders, return to where you were without criticising yourself.
• If you cannot sense an area, do not linger there; move on to the next.
• If at any point you feel uncomfortable, open your eyes and stop.

You do not need to set an expectation about what you will feel. The experience differs from person to person, and even from day to day.

Where does the Inner Smile come into Merve Tüfekçi’s Tao session?

Merve Tüfekçi has trained in Universal Tao. In the Tao session, the Inner Smile and qigong (Chikung) are worked on together. The session opens with a short conversation, the practices are shown step by step and done together, and if you wish, you can repeat the practices on your own at home.

The session is one to one; it can be held in person at Şifa Köyü in Şile or online, in Turkish or in English. For a date and the details you can write to us and our team will get back to you.

In short, the Inner Smile is an attention practice with a clear order that needs only a chair and a little quiet. Doing it once together with a teacher can make it easier to continue at home. These practices do not replace a doctor or a psychologist.

This post is for general information only; it is not medical or legal advice.

Tao, Inner Smile and Chikung session →

The Inner Smile: Smiling to Our Six Main Organs →

Contact →

Frequently asked questions

What is the Inner Smile meditation?

It is a seated Tao meditation. You form a slight smile on your face and move your attention through the body in a set order, carrying the feeling of that smile with it. It is not laughter or laughing out loud.

In what order does attention move in the Inner Smile?

In the common form you begin at the eyes and face. First come the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen and pancreas; then the digestive tract; last the head and spine. The practice closes by gathering attention at the navel area.

How many minutes does the Inner Smile take?

There is no fixed length. A short round can be finished in a few minutes, while all three lines take longer. The time depends on how the practice was taught and how much time you give it.

Is the Inner Smile a treatment?

No. The Inner Smile is an attention and meditation practice, not a method of treatment. If you have a health complaint or are under treatment, you should consult your doctor. The experience differs from person to person.

Can the Inner Smile be practised with a teacher?

Yes. In Merve Tüfekçi’s Tao session the Inner Smile is shown step by step and done together. The session can be in person or online, in Turkish or in English. You can write to us for details.

← All Articles