Hello,
And welcome to your gratitude meditation.
In this meditation,
You'll be focusing on appreciating the things in your life.
To begin,
Find a comfortable posture,
Whether that be seated or lying down.
Allow your shoulders to relax,
And the muscles in your face.
Allow your hands to rest comfortably either by your side or in your lap.
And begin with taking a nice deep breath,
Inhaling through the nose,
And exhaling slowly through your mouth.
One more time,
Inhaling through the nose,
And exhaling through the mouth.
You may close your eyes now,
Or simply soften your gaze.
And we'll begin by focusing on something simple you are experiencing in this moment.
It could be the side of a tree swaying in the wind,
Or the warmth of sunlight on your skin,
Or maybe just the experience of the comfort from the chair you're sitting in or the bed you're lying in.
Or the simple wonder of pausing in the midst of your busy life to engage with this practice right now.
Choose one thing to notice,
And allow it to fully move into your mind's experience.
Let the appreciation and gratitude arise,
And fill your body and mind.
Now think of someone you don't know well,
But who has supported your experience today in some way.
It could be a bus driver,
A person who stocks the grocery store,
Even the author of a book that you're reading right now.
Allow yourself to feel how you've benefited from the gift of their work.
Allow yourself to feel appreciation and gratitude.
Think about the tools that you use that support your work and your life.
Your computer,
Your mobile phone,
Your books,
Buildings,
Equipment.
Choose one thing and consider all that was needed for its creation.
Appreciate and feel gratitude that you have access to these tools.
Feel gratitude for the people that you work and live with.
Think of a particular person whose work or effort directly supports your work and life.
Appreciate their contribution,
Their good intention,
Saying in your mind to them,
Thank you.
Now bring to mind someone you care about.
Picture them in your mind.
Think about what this person means to you,
What you appreciate about them,
Who they are,
What you've experienced together,
The experience that they've had in your life.
As you imagine them,
Notice what feelings you're experiencing.
What sensations do you detect in your body,
Especially those in the area of your heart?
Let yourself express gratitude towards them,
Thanking them for being who they are and for the presence in your life.
Imagine them receiving your gratitude.
Now bring to mind something in particular you are grateful for today.
Feel the appreciation and gratitude for its presence in your life.
As you bring these things to mind for what you're grateful,
Allow yourself to rest in this experience.
When you cultivate a practice of gratitude,
You may find yourself able to be grateful for difficult or unpleasant experiences.
If you'd like to bring one to mind,
One for which you'd like to be able to express gratitude,
For your gratitude and appreciation,
Thank the challenge for what it may offer you.
Gratitude for our body,
For our mind,
And for the simple fact of being alive in this moment.
Finally,
Appreciate the opportunity to pause and experience this very practice of gratitude in itself for all you have brought to mind during this meditation.
For all of the countless gifts in your life,
Say thank you to all the people,
To all that is around you and part of you,
For all that you have experienced,
For all of this.
Thank you.
Allow the sense of gratitude to fill you completely as you breathe in and breathe out,
Settling on the breath right here,
Right now,
Fully alive and present in this moment.
Finish with a full deep breath in and a long slow breath out.
Now gently and slowly open your eyes,
Raise your gaze and return your awareness to the place where you are.
If you wish to extend this practice or make it a habit,
You can try thinking of something you feel grateful for every morning when you awake.
If it helps,
You can place this in a journal or try just practicing expressing appreciation today to a person for whom you feel grateful,
Simply saying thank you.
I now offer you my gratitude for joining me for this meditation.
Enjoy the rest of your day and I hope to be with you again soon.
Be well.
