Welcome to this practice of cultivating gratitude in the body.
This is your space to slow down,
To reconnect and to nourish yourself with appreciation.
Take a moment to find a comfortable position,
Whether seated or lying down,
Allow your eyes to gently close if that feels safe and feel the support of the surface beneath you,
Let your shoulders drop,
Your jaw soften and your breath begin to slow naturally.
Take a long smooth inhale and a full relaxing exhale.
Let yourself arrive here fully,
One more deep breath in and slowly sigh it out.
Nothing to do,
Nowhere to be,
Just you and this moment.
Before we move into the body,
Gently bring your attention to the rhythm of your breath.
Notice how it flows without effort,
Without needing to be changed.
Feel the inhale as it gently expands the chest and belly and the exhale as it softens and releases.
Allow each breath to be an invitation to relax a little deeper.
With every inhale,
Imagine breathing in ease.
With every exhale,
Imagine letting go of any tension or distraction.
Bring gentle awareness to your heart space,
The center of your chest.
If you'd like,
You can place one or both hands over your heart,
Feeling the warmth of your own touch.
As you breathe in,
Sense the rise of your chest.
As you breathe out,
Feel it soften beneath your hands.
Begin to silently repeat to yourself on the inhale,
Thank you.
On the exhale,
I appreciate this moment.
Visualize a soft glow radiating from your heart,
Growing warmer with each breath.
And imagine this glow as your gratitude.
Gently expanding.
Perhaps you bring to mind something or someone you're grateful for.
Or maybe it's simply gratitude for being here,
Breathing,
Alive.
Now shift your awareness to your hands.
Feel the energy within your palms,
Your fingers.
Consider how your hands allow you to touch,
To create,
To connect.
Silently say to yourself,
Thank you,
Hands,
For all that you do.
Thank you for the ways you help me navigate the world.
As you breathe,
Feel gratitude radiating out through your fingertips.
Filling your hands with lightness and warmth.
Bring your focus now to your feet.
Notice the soles of your feet,
The arches,
The toes.
Feel the points of contact where they meet the floor or the surface beneath you.
Reflect for a moment on how your feet carry you through life,
Grounding you,
Supporting you.
And silently repeat,
Thank you,
Feet,
For moving me forward and for grounding me.
Feel gratitude pooling in your feet,
Anchoring you to the earth.
Now shift your awareness to your breath itself.
Notice how effortlessly it flows in and out,
Sustaining you moment to moment.
Visualize your breath as a gentle wave.
Always returning,
Always supporting you.
Silently offer thanks.
Thank you,
Breath,
For giving me life.
Thank you for nourishing me without me even needing to ask.
With each inhale,
Feel a sense of appreciation filling your lungs.
And with each exhale,
Let that appreciation spread gently through your body.
Now expand your awareness to include your entire body.
Feel the crown of your head,
Your face,
Neck,
Shoulders,
Arms,
Torso,
Hips,
Legs,
And feet.
Acknowledge the intricate systems within you,
Your heartbeat,
Digestion,
Immune system,
Nervous system,
All working without needing your conscious attention.
Silently repeat,
Thank you,
Body,
For supporting me in ways seen and unseen.
Thank you for carrying me through life.
Visualize a wave of gratitude now gently washing over you from head to toe.
And feel the soft hum of aliveness pulsing through every part of you.
Rest here for a few final breaths,
Allowing this sensation of gratitude to settle deeply within you.
Take one long,
Nourishing inhale.
And a full,
Soft exhale.
Trust that this sense of appreciation is something you can return to at any time.
Always present,
Always available.
When you feel ready,
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
Maybe stretch softly.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Carrying this feeling of gratitude with you into the rest of your day.
