Gratitude as a path to happiness,
A guided meditation with Angelica Janic.
Welcome to this meditation on cultivating gratitude.
Take a moment to find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down,
And when you're ready,
Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in,
And as you exhale,
Letting go of any tension or stress that you may be holding onto.
As you begin this meditation,
Start to focus your attention on the present moment.
Where are you today physically?
What are some of the sensations that are coming up?
Where are they located?
How do you feel mentally?
What thoughts are in your mind's eye today?
And what emotions are attached to them?
Acknowledge it,
And then let it go.
Bringing yourself back to the warmth of the inhale,
The exhale,
Just above the area of the upper lip,
Noticing the sensations as your breath passes in and out,
How the skin underneath the tip of the nose feels.
Taking this time to recognize just how precious your breath is,
As each inhale represents life and each exhale represents a state of surrender,
Of letting go.
Allow yourself to feel a sense of gratitude for being alive,
For having this moment to simply be,
For having this opportunity to explore the practice of cultivating gratitude.
Begin by bringing into mind something that you are grateful for.
This can be anything,
Big or small.
Perhaps you are grateful for a loved one in your life,
A beautiful sunset,
Or a warm cup of coffee or tea that you got to enjoy this morning.
Allow yourself to really feel the gratitude for this thing or person.
As you hold this feeling of gratitude,
Notice how it begins to spread throughout the body.
Maybe it originates somewhere specific.
Each day will be different.
You may feel a sense of warmth in your chest,
Or a tingling sensation throughout your body.
Allow this feeling to grow and expand as you continue to focus on the feeling of gratitude.
Bring to mind something else that you are grateful for.
This could be something entirely different from your first thought,
Or it can be related.
Again,
Allow yourself to feel the gratitude for this thing or person.
Focusing on the feeling of gratitude as it spreads throughout your entire body and mind.
As you continue to cultivate this sense of gratitude,
Begin to shift your focus back into the present moment,
Allowing yourself to fully engage with the present moment,
Keeping the eyes closed,
Picking up on the subtleties with your other sensations.
Is there a smell in the air?
How does the clothing feel on your skin?
What sounds can you hear that is just behind this guided meditation?
Noticing the beauty.
Starting to feel the cultivation,
The sense of thankfulness and appreciation coming into your mind.
Taking this moment to scan your body from the crown of the head to the tips of the toes.
Feel the appreciation of each body part and its ability to move you in the world.
Whether you have the full ability to walk,
Run,
Dance,
Whether you have the ability to touch with your hands,
Feeling the warmth or the coolness of the ever-changing environment.
Feeling grateful for the ability to smell,
To see,
And to hear the world around you day to day.
Feeling thankful for your ability to perceive the world around you in every moment as best as you can process.
Taking this time to be thankful for your good health,
For the loved ones in your life,
A roof over your head,
And any other positive experiences.
As you continue to feel this sense of gratitude for everything,
Everyone that is present in your life,
Notice how this sense of energy begins to permutate every aspect of your being.
Allowing you to feel more and more connected to the world around you.
Start to notice the subtleties and how interconnected every living being truly is.
And how precious all aspects of life are.
Has any sensations changed its orientation in the body when you feel or think about gratitude?
Taking a deep breath in through your nose,
Hold the peak of the breath for as long as you can without feeling discomfort.
When you are ready to exhale,
Either out of the nose or mouth,
Allow yourself to release any remaining tension or stress.
Taking this time to self-reflect of who you know in your life that you would like to send the energy of thankfulness to.
Think of this person's name,
Their personality,
Their smile,
How they move through space.
How time has changed who they've become and where they are going.
Imagine as if your thoughts,
Emotions,
And energy have the potential to send this message of great thankfulness toward them now.
Perhaps even imagine you giving them a big and warm embrace,
Showing a sense of gratitude for their presence in your life,
The things they have taught you,
Or whatever you have grown to learn.
Bringing your attention back to your body in this moment in time,
Let's inhale the shoulders up to the earlobes,
Breathe in,
Breathe in,
Breathe in and lift.
Exhale out of the mouth as you relax your shoulders back down.
Focusing on this feeling of gratitude that you have cultivated and allowed to guide you throughout your day.
Know that you could return to this feeling of gratitude at any time and that it will always continue to support and uplift you as you move through life.
We're here for just a few more breaths together before we close.
Witnessing the rise and the fall of your belly,
The softness in the skin.
As we bring this meditation to a close,
Take a moment to thank yourself for taking the time to cultivate gratitude.
Whenever you are ready to wiggle your fingers and toes,
Rubbing your palms together,
Creating friction,
Warmth in the palms.
Gently begin to open your eyes,
Feeling the warmth of your own hands.
Taking a deep breath in through the nose,
Exhaling out of the mouth.
Bringing your palms down toward your chest,
Placing them just on top of your heart.
Allowing yourself to carry this sense of gratitude with you,
Not just throughout your day,
But moving forward.
Taking as much time as you need in this space and resonance that you've created for yourself.
