Welcome friends,
Today's meditation will be part of a series around gratitude.
Today we'll be speaking about gratitude of the breath.
So find a comfortable seat that allows you to find a nice alert spine.
Relaxing into the shape.
Let your eyes close if that feels right for you.
And then start to bring the awareness inward.
Noticing how you showed up.
Noticing what's here.
You might start with the physical body.
Noticing the tension in your body.
The areas you might feel a little discomfort or restriction.
Maybe the areas of ease.
And then turn your awareness to your breathing body.
Just this natural flow of breath.
And notice if there's any restriction in your breath.
Any tightness there.
Notice if your breath is shallow and short.
Or is it long and smooth.
I find it helpful to take a few deeper breaths at the beginning of the practice.
Just to bring your body into an equanimous breath.
Where you can feel more steady.
So let's together take a deep breath in through the nose.
And just hold it at the top of the inhale.
And keep sipping in air.
Keep sipping in air.
And then open your mouth and release.
Just let go.
Until there's no air left.
And do that one more time.
Big breath in through your nose.
Your body's expanding from your belly all the way to the top of your collarbones.
And then you're releasing and opening your mouth and letting go.
Now just let the breath be natural.
Preferably breathing in and out through the nose.
As that's the healthiest way to breathe.
Observe the breath as you deeply breathe in.
Your breath to be an anchor for the awareness of this practice today.
A place to set your concentration.
Every living being relies on the breath to stay alive.
We are connected in our necessity to breathe.
We all breathe in the same air.
It's a reminder of how intrinsically connected we are to each other.
Thich Nhat Hanh coined this beautiful phrase,
Interbeing.
To describe that powerful bond that we share.
Because nothing exists in isolation.
He said,
In one sheet of paper,
We see everything else.
The cloud,
The forest,
The logger.
I am,
Therefore you are.
You are.
That is the meaning of the word interbeing.
We inter-are.
So begin to connect to your breathing body a little bit more.
And notice the quality of your breath in this moment.
Bring a gentle awareness to the natural rise of the inhale.
And fall of the exhale.
If it's difficult for you to feel the breath.
Then place one or both hands on your belly.
This is a way to connect to your body.
And if it's helpful,
Feel free to take a few deeper breaths again.
Feeling your belly expand on the inhale.
And retreat back to your core on the exhale.
Once you feel a natural and comfortable rhythm.
Release your hands.
And continue to observe the rise and the fall of your steady breath.
Breathing in represents gratitude.
Taking in the fullness of life.
And feeling it fully within your body,
Your mind.
Breathing out represents generosity.
What you're giving to the world.
How you open your heart and share it with those around you.
Letting your energy flow.
Both gratitude and generosity are associated with happiness.
And there have been many studies.
That have shown when we are feeling gratitude.
We're activating the left prefrontal cortex of the brain.
And deactivating the limbic system.
Which is where the fight or flight comes in.
Where we become reactive.
Where we resist being truly present and at peace.
So the question arises.
In this moment.
What is blocking your heart?
Marianne Williamson said.
Every problem emerges from the false belief.
We are separate from one another.
And every answer emerges from the realization we are not.
When we release that separation of self and others.
We bring ourselves home to this moment.
To this breathing body.
To our interbeing.
So what does it feel like?
To awaken the heart?
Take your hands together in prayer.
And rub your hands together.
Keep rubbing your hands together until you feel that intense heat between your hands.
This might take a few seconds.
When you start to feel that fire.
Place your right hand on your heart.
And your left hand on top of your right hand.
And breathe deeper into your heart space.
Breathe in light.
Gratitude.
Love.
Breathe out compassion for others.
Generosity.
Love.
And you are connected to all beings.
You are welcome to take longer time if you need a little bit more.
But if you are ready to come back to this space.
Then start to make small movements with your fingers,
Your toes.
And maybe begin to deepen your breath.
And when it feels right for you.
Open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me.
Namaste.
