Pause For Gratitude: Calm Your Mind (Pink Noise Background)

Welcome to today's meditation.

Gratitude is one of those skills that can help us live with more peace and joy.

I call it a skill because it's something that we can practice and get better at with time.

When we cultivate gratitude,

We're better able to notice life's small moments.

The warmth of the sun on our skin,

A smile from a stranger,

Or the quiet rhythm of the breath moving through the body.

Our research has shown that cultivating gratitude can improve our mental health,

Deepen our relationships and increase our overall sense of well-being.

Over time,

These small moments of appreciation can create a foundation of contentment,

Helping us approach life with a softer,

More open heart.

Today,

We're going to explore gratitude together,

And my invitation to you is to come back to this meditation every day for a week,

And then at the end of the week,

Take a moment to reflect on whether anything has shifted for you.

Okay,

Let's begin.

Starting by finding a comfortable position,

Sitting or lying down in a way that feels both alert and relaxed.

If it's comfortable,

I invite you to close the eyes,

Or if you prefer,

Keep the eyes open with a soft gaze resting a few feet in front of you.

And let's take a moment to check in with ourselves.

What's here right now?

Perhaps there's a calmness,

Or perhaps the mind feels busy.

Maybe the body feels light and easy,

Or maybe there's some heaviness or tension.

Whatever is here is perfectly okay,

There's no right or wrong way to feel,

We're simply noticing where we are in this moment.

And now,

Gently bringing our attention to the breath,

Without trying to change the breath in any way,

Just noticing how the body is naturally breathing.

What does it feel like to breathe right now?

As we breathe in,

Perhaps we can feel the coolness of the air as it enters the nostrils,

Or the gentle expansion of the chest or belly.

And as we breathe out,

Maybe there's a softening,

A sense of letting go.

There's no need to force the breath or control it,

We're just allowing the breath to flow naturally,

Trusting that the body can breathe exactly as it needs to.

We're not so much watching the breath as we are experiencing the breath,

We're feeling the inhale and feeling the exhale,

One breath at a time.

Notice that the body knows exactly what to do,

We don't have to make any effort,

The breath is always here for us,

Steady and constant.

Let's take a moment to appreciate this breath,

This life force that sustains us.

Ok,

Good.

Now we can allow the awareness of breath to move into the background and we're going to explore gratitude through our senses.

Let's begin by bringing awareness to our eyes,

These eyes that allow us to see the world around us,

The faces of loved ones,

The beauty of nature,

The colours of a sunrise or even our own reflection in the mirror.

And for those of us who experience the world differently,

Perhaps we can bring gratitude to the images held in the mind's eye,

Or the memories of beauty we've encountered in the past,

Like a sunset,

A smile or the simple feeling of light and shadow.

Next,

Let's turn our attention to the ears,

These ears that receive the sounds of life,

Laughter,

Music,

The voices of those we love,

And even gratitude for those moments of peaceful silence.

Now bringing our awareness to our sense of smell,

And if there are no smells in our environment,

Perhaps we can recall the scent of fresh flowers,

Or the salty ocean air,

Or the comforting aroma of a meal shared with others,

Or maybe we can simply be grateful for the sensations of the air moving through the nostrils as we slowly breathe in,

And slowly breathe out.

Bringing gratitude to the lips,

The mouth,

The tongue,

These areas allow us to taste and savour,

To nourish our body,

To speak kind words and to share a smile or a kiss.

And finally,

Bringing our awareness to the hands,

Being grateful for these hands that hold,

Create and care.

Hands that have the ability to connect with the world around us,

To comfort,

To applaud,

To embrace.

Let's pause here for a moment,

Letting this gratitude settle into the body,

Perhaps settling into the heart if that feels right.

Ok,

Good.

Now let's expand our gratitude outward to the people in our lives.

I invite you to bring to mind someone whose presence or efforts have touched your life.

It could be someone you see often,

Or someone whose kindness often goes unnoticed.

Picture this person in your mind's eye.

Imagine their face,

Their gestures,

Their voice.

Reflect on the ways they've supported or enriched your life.

If it feels right,

Silently offer them your thanks.

We might say silently in our minds,

Thank you for being here,

Thank you for the gifts you bring into my life.

Or choosing your own words if that feels better.

Imagine them receiving your gratitude,

Imagine them smiling,

Imagine their hearts softening as they feel your appreciation.

Now let's bring to mind someone you deeply care about.

Picture this person,

Or maybe it's a pet,

And think about what they mean to you,

What you love about them,

The experiences you've shared,

And the way their presence has shaped your life.

Allow yourself to express gratitude toward them,

Thanking them for being who they are and for the connection you share.

And finally,

I invite you to bring to mind something specific you're grateful for today.

It might be a moment of kindness you've experienced,

A favourite place you visited,

Or even something as simple as the delicious cup of coffee you had this morning.

Allow yourself to rest in this sense of gratitude.

Ok,

Good.

And now,

If it feels right,

I invite you to reflect on a challenge or difficulty in your life.

It could be something big or small,

Whatever feels manageable to bring to mind.

And if we're not quite ready to reflect on our challenges today,

That's perfectly fine.

You're always welcome to set this aside for another time or to simply stay with the breath.

It's entirely your choice,

Whatever feels manageable in this moment.

If you are choosing to reflect,

Noticing if there's anything this challenge has taught you or how this challenge has shaped you.

Perhaps it has offered you strength,

Wisdom or resilience.

If it feels right,

Maybe we can offer gentle gratitude for what this experience may have brought us.

And if gratitude doesn't arise,

That's perfectly ok.

Simply being here with our experience is enough.

And as we come to the end of this practice,

Let's take a moment to notice how we feel.

Has anything shifted?

Maybe there's a sense of ease,

Warmth or connection.

Or perhaps things feel much the same and that's ok too.

Ok,

Let's gently bring our awareness back to the body.

Feeling the surface beneath us.

Feeling the support of the ground or the chair.

Bringing our awareness to the sounds around us,

Sounds inside the room,

Sounds outside the room.

If it feels good,

Taking a deep breath in and a long,

Easy breath out.

And whenever we're ready,

Slowly opening the eyes,

Taking in the light and colours of the room.

We can have a little stretch if that feels good.

And let's take a moment to acknowledge ourselves for showing up today,

For taking this time to nurture our hearts and minds.

Thanks for joining me,

I'm Chibs Okereke,

May you have a beautiful and peaceful day.