Welcome.
Make yourself comfortable in a space where you can rest without interruption.
Feel the support beneath you,
Welcoming your way,
Inviting you to arrive fully here.
Notice the sounds in the room around you,
Maybe the hush of quiet,
The hum of a heater,
Or a soft ticking somewhere nearby.
Let the pace of this moment begin to slow,
As if time itself softens,
Like snowflakes drifting quietly outside a winter window.
Sense the air on your skin,
Perhaps cool against your cheeks or warm by a nearby lamp.
If the season around you is decorated,
Imagine a glowing fire or a winter tree adorned with soft lights,
Passing a gentle glow across the room.
Let the glow wrap around your body like a warm blanket.
Feel your shoulders release,
Dropping a little more with each exhale.
Bring your attention to your chest.
If it feels okay,
Place a hand there,
Lightly,
Tenderly.
Notice the rise and fall beneath your palm.
This rhythm has carried you through every season of your life.
Inhale slowly through your nose,
Feel your chest expand just enough,
And exhale slowly through your mouth with a gentle sigh.
With each inhale,
Imagine drawing in a soft golden light like the glow from a candle.
With each exhale,
Release any stale or heavy energy,
Anything you've carried,
Anything you don't need to hold.
Let the golden light gather in your chest,
A warmth that is steady,
Grounded,
And soothing.
With every breath,
Picture the warmth growing a little brighter,
Like amber stirring under fresh kindling.
The warmth doesn't burn,
It comforts,
As if you're sitting by a quiet fire on a cold night.
Let this expanding light make room for everything inside you.
Joy,
Grief,
Fatigue,
Tenderness,
Hope,
All of it welcome.
If mixed emotions are present,
Simply acknowledge them.
There's no need to force gratitude or hide anything true.
Whisper internally,
There's space for all of me here.
Feel your body soften as you give yourself that permission.
Turn your awareness gently inward,
Toward yourself.
Reflect on the ways you have shown up for you this past season.
Maybe you made it through a hard day,
Tried something new,
Or rested when your body asked for it.
Acknowledge the resistance you've cultivated,
Even in imperfected ways.
Whisper softly,
I am grateful for my own courage.
Let that phrase settle under your hand,
Into the warmth at your heart.
Let this gratitude extend to your body,
The lungs that breathe,
The heart that beats,
The feet that carry you.
Offer appreciation for your mind,
Its ability to learn,
Imagine,
Adapt.
Even tender parts,
Tired parts,
Uncertain parts,
Thank them too for signaling their needs.
Let your inner light move towards those areas,
Offering warmth and acceptance.
Recall a moment when you surprised yourself with patience or kindness.
See it like a small ornament glowing on a winter tree,
A light you may have forgotten.
Whisper,
I honor my journey.
Feel your chest subtly expand around those words.
Now,
Let your gratitude gently widen to include others.
Picture one person or several,
Friends,
Family,
Mentors,
Pets,
Chosen family,
Anyone whose presence has enriched your life.
Imagine them gathered with you around a warm fire,
Faces illuminated by a soft light,
Eyes gentle,
Familiar.
Notice how your heart responds to each other,
Warmth,
Sadness,
Complexity,
All welcome.
Feel the texture of your gratitude for them,
A listening ear,
A steady hand,
A shared laugh,
A challenge that helped you grow.
Acknowledge the complexity of these relationships,
Love,
Tension,
Care,
Distance,
All part of them being human.
Whisper,
Thank you for walking with me.
Imagine sending a warm light from your heart to theirs,
Trusting it will reach them near or far.
Allow your mind to wander through the past months gently without forcing memory.
Notice the small nourishing moment,
A quiet morning with tea,
A shared meal,
An unexpected compliment,
A walk beneath a starry sky.
Let yourself smile if it feels natural or feel whatever emotion arises.
Each memory is like placing a new log on the fire,
Adding warmth and depth to your inner heart.
Include too the challenging experiences that taught you something,
A difficult conversation,
A setback that redirected you,
A loss that deepened your heart.
Honor them not for their ease but for the growth they invited.
Whisper,
I'm grateful for the lessons I've learned.
Feel the light in your chest burn steadier.
Let your field of gratitude expand beyond your inner circle.
Imagine the warm light in your chest flowing outward into your neighborhood,
Your community,
To the strangers whose paths crossed yours,
The barista who smiled,
The person who held the door open for you.
The driver who let you merge.
Feel this light expand further over landscapes,
Cities,
Forests,
Touching animals,
Plants,
Oceans,
People you'll never meet,
Places you'll never go.
This isn't forced love,
It's the recognition of shared existence.
You are part of a web where gratitude travels freely.
Let the image shift to a winter tree adorned with lights,
Each bulb representing a being on the planet,
All connected by the same string of life.
Your own light is one among many,
And when you shine brighter,
The whole string glows.
Whisper,
My heart can hold both joy and sorrow.
Feel the truth of that linking you to countless others.
Who feel the same.
Begin drawing your awareness back toward your body,
But carry this expanded feel with you.
Feel your hands resting on your chest or lap.
Feel the ground supporting you.
Feel the air touching your skin.
The warmth you've cultivated is still here,
Steady as ambers beneath soft ashes.
Think of one simple phrase you can carry with you into difficult moments.
Like a soft inner lantern,
This warmth is always with me.
Imagine bringing this into your daily life.
You wake up and place a hand on your heart.
You face a challenge and remember the circle of lights.
Picture yourself at a moment of stress,
Standing in a line,
In a crowded room,
Feeling tired or alone.
You whisper your phrase and feel your system soften.
This is gratitude as a resource,
Not performance,
Not pressure.
Let the imagery of your heart,
The winter tree,
And the circle of people slowly fade.
Take two deeper breaths in through the nose,
Out through the mouth.
In through the nose,
Out again through the mouth.
Wiggle your fingers and toes if it feels good.
Roll your shoulders gently.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Carry the softness and the expansiveness of this practice with you,
Knowing your heart can hold it all.
As a final whisper,
Say,
I am open,
Connected,
And whole.
Let that truth ripple through your entire system,
Like lights flickering gently on a winter night.
