For this simple practice,
We're just going to hold finger in turn.
And we'll start by breathing in and as we breathe out,
Moving the hands slowly and gently holding on to the thumb of one of your hands with the other hand.
Doesn't matter which hand.
Gently holding this.
Gently but securely holding the thumb.
Feeling the pressure on the thumb.
Feeling the touch.
Feeling the warmth.
And if this feels a bit strange or doesn't feel like it's working for you,
You can always let go of the hand and just do the rest of the practice.
That's fine.
I'm bringing to mind now one thing that you've seen today,
One thing that you're grateful for that you've seen.
This could be a sunrise.
This could be a warm cup of tea.
A smile.
A butterfly.
And seeing if it's possible to choose something that you've experienced really recently and something that's really small.
We're teaching our minds to see the little beauties in the everyday.
There's lots of research behind this showing that this does help us remold,
Reshape our minds.
What are you grateful for you've seen today?
Holding this memory,
Holding this in your mind.
Perhaps the image or the sense or even just the word as you hold the film in your hand.
Breathing in and breathing out,
Releasing the holding of the thumb,
Letting go of this image.
Breathing in now.
Now again,
Noticing the body breathing,
The body on the ground here in this moment.
Breathing in and as you breathe out,
Taking hold of the next finger,
Holding that in your hand.
Feeling the secure touch of the hand,
The warmth.
And bringing to mind something you're grateful for that's nourished you recently.
It's nourished you today.
Perhaps food.
Perhaps a drink.
Perhaps something that's nourished your soul.
Perhaps music.
Perhaps yoga.
And sensing,
Holding in your mind's eye this thing you're grateful for.
And if you're struggling to find something,
Knowing you don't have to find the perfect thing,
There is no perfect thing.
How does it feel to bring this to mind?
Breathing in and as you breathe out,
Letting go of the hands,
Turning to the body on the ground,
The breath in the body.
And breathing in.
As you breathe out,
Taking hold of the next finger,
The last finger we'll hold in this practice.
And bringing to mind an interaction with another that you're grateful for.
Seeing if you can find something small that happened recently.
Maybe the smile of a stranger in the street.
Maybe the nuzzle of a cat.
Bringing this to mind.
Noticing how this feels.
As the mind wanders off,
Not worrying about this,
Knowing that this is the nature of minds.
Gently and kindly guiding your focus back to this moment.
Back to your memory,
An interaction recently that you're grateful for.
Sensing the finger in the hand as you do this.
Breathing in and as you breathe out,
Releasing and relaxing the hands down,
Letting go of this memory.
Coming back to the breath.
Back to the body on the ground.
And perhaps saying an intention now to take something of this practice on with you into the rest of your day.
So anything that you'd like to take with you.
