Four Levels Of Gratitude

Hello and welcome meditators to this meditation practice on gratitude.

Gratitude is in my very humble opinion,

One of the most life giving,

Nourishing practices that we can engage in.

From a personal standpoint,

My gratitude practice has had the biggest impact on my mental health overall.

Gratitude has been scientifically proven to increase our mood even on our most challenging days.

So just like eating a healthy diet,

It can have a lasting positive impact on your body.

Some studies have found that consistent gratitude practice can have a lasting positive effect on our brain and mood.

How cool is that?

One study in particular done by Wong and Brown in 2017 at Berkeley found that practicing gratitude weekly had a more lasting positive effect on their students than traditional therapy alone.

On the emotional guidance scale developed by Abraham Hicks,

Joy,

Love,

Appreciation,

Freedom and empowerment are among the highest vibrational emotions a human can experience.

And we want to be experiencing those as much as possible.

One of my favorite quotes about gratitude is from the amazing Brene Brown and she says,

You don't have to feel grateful in order to practice gratitude.

Because let's face it,

We don't always feel grateful,

Right?

But when we are not feeling grateful in particular is one of the best opportunities to practice gratitude and has the most potential in shifting us toward love,

Appreciation and those higher vibrational emotions.

So today for our gratitude practice,

I'm going to walk you through four levels of gratitude.

Feel free to write down some of the things that come up for you or you can just sit quietly and let those thoughts,

Emotions and sensations bubble up.

So take a moment here wherever you are at to get nice and comfortable.

Feel free to close your eyes.

Let the whole body relax here.

And starting to connect with that beautiful breath of yours.

Feeling the gentleness,

The ease of the breath.

Maybe even in this moment here as you connect with the breath,

Finding some gratitude for the breath.

The breath that fills you with this life energy.

This breath that sustains you,

Your creativity,

Your physical energy,

Your mental energy,

Your spiritual energy.

Take a moment to really soak in the gratitude for the breath.

And as you're taking in this gratitude,

Note how the body feels.

How does gratitude feel in your body?

Does it feel light?

Does it feel expansive?

Does it feel open,

Energized?

Letting those feelings and sensations come to the surface.

Let the body take on this expression and this feeling and this vibration of gratitude.

And keeping with this vibration of gratitude and appreciation throughout this meditation,

We're going to move into the first level of gratitude.

And that is gratitude for what is.

What is present in your life right now that you are incredibly grateful for?

What are the circumstances and the experiences that fill you with appreciation and gratitude?

And really allowing those thoughts,

Those images,

Words,

Feelings and sensations to arise in the body.

Feel the gratitude for what is in your life.

Take a nice big breath in and out.

And moving into our second level of gratitude here,

Gratitude for what isn't.

What are you grateful for the absence of in your life?

What is not particularly present in your life at the moment that you are incredibly grateful for?

Really allowing those thoughts and images,

Sensations and emotions come to the surface.

Experience the gratitude and appreciation for what is not present in your life.

Feeling it in your body in every cell.

Take a breath of gratitude here,

Breathing in and breathing out.

And moving into our gratitude for what was.

What have you experienced in your past that you have immense love and appreciation for?

What do you look back on your life in immense gratitude for?

So grateful for having experienced having done something.

Feel into that experience in this moment.

Feel the gratitude for what was.

Maybe a smile comes to your face.

Enjoy and appreciation for something you've experienced in your past.

Maybe there is something from your past that was difficult,

That was challenging,

That you can now find gratitude for.

Take a breath of gratitude here together,

Breathing in and breathing out.

And now stepping fully into gratitude for what will be.

There is a bright,

Beautiful,

Amazing future ahead of you,

My love.

What are you already grateful for that will be and exist in your life,

In your very near future?

What are you already grateful for that is coming your way,

That you are taking inspired action toward?

What dreams are going to come true for you?

What goals are you going to achieve?

Step fully into the gratitude of those things coming into fruition for you.

Feel into the gratitude,

Feel into the love and the appreciation,

Knowing that those things are going to come true.

And taking another breath of gratitude here,

Breathing in,

Feeling the sensations of gratitude in the breath,

In the body.

And then exhale,

Let it go,

Surrendering,

Knowing that you're on the right path.

Taking the next few moments here to just sit in this gratitude and this love.

You can start to wiggle the fingers and the toes.

And gently when you feel ready,

You can flutter those eyes open,

Taking in the gratitude of the environment around you and what you're surrounded in.

I am forever grateful for you,

For being here,

For meditating with me today.

May your day,

May your week,

May your months ahead be filled with gratitude.

So we meditate together again.