Being In Gratitude

I want to share with you an experience that I had this past week.

The town that I live in is,

The hub of the town is a four-way intersection.

It leads to all commerce,

All businesses,

Neighborhoods,

Schools,

And all access to highways.

And it's been under construction for the past four months.

We've not heard very much about the project.

And then this past Monday,

We were notified that paving was going to be taking place the next day.

And the whole town was in an uproar.

It's basically halting business and commerce commute times are moving from 20 to 30 minutes to well over an hour.

And it's,

It's difficult to get anywhere.

Yet I thought to myself how fortunate we are to live in an area that is strengthening our infrastructure and making our roads safer for all of us.

And how many people in the world may not have communities that provide safe roads?

So many areas,

Even those near to me are experiencing roads being washed away from flooding and many bridges are collapsing for years of use and lack of funding for repairs.

I'm so grateful for our town,

For our community,

Keeping us all safe,

Even when it is perceived as a big inconvenience,

I am thankful.

And in the spirit,

I invite you to practice gratitude for many things that you may have in your life.

So let's take our seats and explore together what our hearts are grateful for.

Whether they're small moments with family and friends,

Or larger things that we often don't consider,

Things as simple as having clean water and healthy food.

So let's begin by finding our way into a comfortable but upright posture on a chair or a cushion.

And just taking time to settle into the body in this posture.

Maybe noticing the angles of your legs and your arms,

The weight of your sit bones on the surface that you're on.

And maybe taking a few deep breaths in and on each exhale,

Letting go of any tension that you may be carrying into the practice.

And then allowing gravity to just wash over you,

Connecting you to the earth below.

Just taking this time and settling into the body even deeper.

And now bringing your awareness to your breath.

Breathing in,

Know you're breathing in.

Breathing out,

Know you're breathing out.

And without changing how you're breathing,

Just letting your breath bring you into this space,

This moment right here and now.

Maybe becoming aware of the expansion of the body with each inhale and the softening of the body on the exhale.

Being with this body,

Breathing as we arrive in stillness.

Now moving your awareness to your heart center and just checking in with what's here.

What are you carrying in your heart?

This might be sensations,

Warmth,

A tightness or a vibration.

Maybe you notice your heart beating.

Just seeing what's here without wanting anything to be any particular way.

Just allowing and accepting with kindness all the sensations that your heart is offering you.

And of course,

Thoughts will happen and that's okay.

Just letting them be and then letting them go,

Just like clouds passing through the sky.

Being kind and releasing any judgment towards yourself for you are only being human.

And then returning awareness to your heart and being with whatever is arising and passing here.

And now I invite you to call to mind and bring into your heart one person that you're grateful for.

It may be someone close to you,

A family member or a friend,

One who's always there for you.

And recalling moments with this person and how it felt.

Maybe feeling what's arising in your heart as you think of this dear one and offering gratitude for this person being in your life,

Either silently or out loud.

I am so grateful for knowing you.

Thank you for all you've done for me.

Thank you for your kindness,

Your expression of friendship and love.

Thank you.

And then releasing this person from your heart just for the moment because they're always there and calling to mind a place that you love.

One that you go to for the safety and support it provides or the ease you experience there.

And it might be a place in nature or it could even be a room in your home.

And as you bring this special place into your mind's eye,

Notice the sensations,

The feelings and emotions that it might bring forth in your heart.

And offering gratitude for this special place.

I am so grateful for the support and ease you provide.

Thank you for being a safe and calming space for me,

For sheltering me from the storms of my mind.

Thank you for the beauty that makes me smile when I think of you.

Thank you.

And then letting this place dissolve and calling to mind something you enjoy eating.

And it could be as simple as a piece of fruit or a vegetable.

Or it could be your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant.

And really picture this in your mind's eye,

All the details,

The smells,

Its texture,

The flavors.

Is it salty or sweet?

Is it rich or creamy?

Is it warm or cooling?

Just really letting your senses open with each detail.

And then checking in with your heart and noticing what's alive as you extend your gratitude for this food,

This fruit or vegetable.

I am so grateful for the nourishment you give me.

I'm thankful for how you taste and smell.

Thank you for the joy you bring me when I think of you.

And then consider all that's involved with this food,

This meal,

This fruit or vegetable.

All the people involved with bringing it to your plate.

Maybe the clerk at the grocery store or the person that stocks the shelves or the cooks and servers and the truck drivers that bring the food to your store or restaurant.

Thank you,

All of you,

For all that you do.

And let's not forget the farmers that plant and tend to crops.

Thank you.

And the earth,

Soil,

For bringing rich nutrients to you through this food,

These vegetables and grains.

And the sun and water,

All elements so necessary in feeding us all.

Thank you,

Thank you,

Thank you.

Just feeling this gratitude within you,

Knowing the benefit of experiencing gratitude,

Even for those things we often take for granted,

Is deepening our positive emotions.

And now letting go of any technique and imagery,

Just feeling this whole body and heart as we sit in silence,

Allowing gratitude to be within you for the next few moments.

And now returning your awareness to your breath as it moves in and out of your body.

Letting the body expand and contract with each breath in and out.

Becoming aware of sounds in your space,

Those sounds from farther away and those sounds closer to you,

And that might include the sound of your breath.

And noticing the sensation of the air as it touches your skin.

And feeling the entire body filled with sensations arising and passing such aliveness here.

And then bringing your awareness back to the weight of your contact points on the surface you're on as you are held here to this earth and part of this earth.

And then congratulating yourself for spending this time in gratitude for so many things in your life,

Including this time in practice.