Hello and welcome.
In today's meditation,
We are planting the seed of gratitude.
Gratitude for the little things in life,
The day-to-day gifts that often go unnoticed.
Let's begin by settling in to a comfortable position.
As you sit or lie down,
Support the body in any way it needs to be supported so that you can be still and quiet.
Then close your eyes,
Bring your attention inward,
And connect to the breath.
When ready,
Breathing a bit more deeply than you usually do and exhaling a bit more slowly.
Observing the breath is one of the greatest ways to bring the mind into a calm,
Focused state.
Now shift your awareness from your breath back to your body,
Feeling the floor beneath you,
Supporting you and holding you.
Now think about the room or the space that you are in and notice how it feels to be here.
What is this place like?
Begin to take notice of the little things around you that you might take for granted as you go about your busy day.
Think of this room as a shelter,
A nest,
A haven,
Keeping you safe from the outside elements,
Keeping you well protected and comfortable.
Feel the air on your skin and notice what it feels like.
Warm or cold,
Appreciate the temperature of the air that surrounds you.
Notice the sounds in this room.
Perhaps you can hear a ticking clock,
The hum of a fan,
Or the murmur of voices.
Feel free to pause this recording or lower the volume if necessary as you observe.
Rather than thinking of these sounds as noises or distractions,
Lend some appreciation to them.
Think of each sound as an opportunity to explore your surroundings and become more mindful of all the moving parts that exist here.
Just listen,
Be present.
Breathe deeply now and see what you can smell.
Go deep,
Uncovering scents that you may not realize exist here,
Inhaling through the nose as you pick up on the subtle aromas.
Perhaps you smell the wood of the floor beneath you or the walls around you.
Perhaps you can smell plants or soil or you may notice other scents drifting in through the window.
Just breathe,
Explore and appreciate this moment of mindfulness.
Now begin to extend your awareness to outside of your immediate surroundings.
Think about your entire home and everything within it.
Bring to mind the things that you use every day to help your life run more smoothly.
See yourself going through a normal day but moving more slowly through it,
More mindfully.
Taking your time,
Getting dressed,
Washing up,
Eating,
Cooking,
Working.
Imagine taking the time each day to express gratitude for all of these modern conveniences.
Try not to dwell on the haves and have-nots.
Simply appreciate every aspect of your daily experience.
Continue to breathe deeply,
Setting an intention to move more mindfully throughout each day starting now.
Extending your awareness even further out.
Think of the world outside.
Think of the blue sky above you,
The sun,
The trees that offer you shade and the soil beneath your feet.
Think of the seasons,
Autumn with its deep rich colors and crisp breeze.
Picture the perfect winter day complete with a warm cup of tea and a comforting fireplace.
Breathe in the dewy freshness of spring watching the flowers bloom as the sun returns to the earth.
Think of the slow lazy days of summer soaking up the sunlight savoring the sweet ripe fruits and cool refreshing drinks.
Continue to express appreciation for the changing of the seasons and the gifts that each one brings.
It's easy to find gratitude for everything that runs smoothly in our lives but how about the bumps in the road,
The twists and turns,
The unexpected dead ends.
We can be thankful for these life lessons too for this is where we find our greatest strength and growth.
All of the little errands,
Minor major annoyances that pepper our days,
Every mishap offers us a chance to slow down,
The chance to live in the present moment and focus our attention on the matters at hand.
Imagine navigating these bumps in the road with grace and ease,
Effortlessly going with the flow and keeping a cool calm head,
Adopting a come what may attitude.
Now take a slow deep breath in,
Fill the entire body and slowly let go.
Release all stress,
All worry,
Fear.
Then take another slow deep breath in and exhale completely.
Again take a slow breath in letting go of anything that prevents you from experiencing gratitude,
Releasing all blocks,
Letting them dissolve,
Breathing in clarity,
Breathing in relaxation.
Allow yourself to find a peaceful steady rhythm of your breath as you continue to invite gratitude into this experience.
In the wise words of author GK Chesterton,
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
Let the sentiment sink in.
The critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
Commit to turning all of your for granted's into gratitude,
Mindfully walking through your life and making an effort to notice more,
Feel more,
See more.
Continue to breathe deep,
Integrating this idea,
Taking everything with gratitude.
Now become aware of your body once again,
Feel the floor beneath you,
The air against your skin,
Hearing the sounds around you.
As you slowly allow your eyes to open,
Taking everything in,
This is your life,
You are here.
As you continue your day or night,
Remember to take everything with gratitude.
