Autumn Gratitude Pranayama And Meditation

Welcome to this gratitude meditation to connect you to the happiness within.

Find a comfortable seat or lie down if you're needing some extra relaxation today.

Get settled in a comfortable position that will allow you to feel relaxed yet alert.

You can sit on the floor or on a chair.

Just be sure to sit in a way that your spine can be long and upright.

Try to eliminate any disruptions or distractions for the duration of the meditation.

When you're settled,

Start to become aware of all the parts of your body that are touching the surface beneath you.

Maybe it's your calves,

Maybe it's your toes,

Maybe it's your sit bones,

Maybe your back.

And just lie here,

Noticing how you feel in your body today.

Letting your breath glide over any places that feel stuck or sticky.

Knowing that there's nothing to change and there's nothing to fix.

This is your opportunity to just be.

This will be your time to take a moment to relax into the blessings of the season with this guided meditation on gratitude.

As you put all of your attention on all that you have to be thankful for,

You'll connect to the happiness that's part of your inherent nature.

Gratitude is a natural theme of the autumn season.

From making gratitude lists to sharing what you're thankful for at your Thanksgiving table,

There are so many ways you can express your gratitude.

Yet gratitude starts from within.

Before you can express your thanks in an authentic way,

It's important to connect to all the goodness in your life and your own heart first.

A gratitude meditation can set your day on a new course.

Try this gratitude meditation on your own or with others to feel your happiness expand.

Take a deep and cleansing breath.

Inhale through your nose,

Letting your belly,

Your chest,

Your lungs,

Your cheeks expand.

Take in a little bit more air.

And as you exhale,

Let an open mouth exhale out and start to soften your eyes.

Option to close your eyes if you feel comfortable to do so or simply turn your gaze downward.

Let's begin by simply bringing awareness to the breath as it is without trying to change it.

Can you notice if your inhale is longer than your exhale or vice versa?

Try counting the length of each in-breath and out-breath.

Noticing the rhythm with a sense of curiosity.

Now begin to even out your inhalations and exhalations so that they're the same length.

Spend a few rounds of breathing lengthening the shorter half of the breath to balance the longer half.

Breathe in for 1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Exhale 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Inhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Exhale 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Inhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Exhale 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Inhale,

Exhale.

Inhale one more.

Exhale.

We'll first bring gratitude to our senses.

Bring attention to what you can hear.

Without labeling the sound,

Simply notice your ears' ability to hear the world around you.

Give thanks to your ears for working so well and for allowing you to hear everything that makes up this moment.

Thanks to your ears for letting you hear the voice of your family and your friends,

Your favorite song,

And the birds singing outside.

Now notice your sense of smell.

Your appreciation to your nose for letting you smell freshly baked cookies,

The unmistakable scent of a campfire or your favorite candle,

Your favorite meals or fresh sweets.

Without your nose,

You couldn't breathe in the ocean air or the life of the trees around you.

Give thanks for your ability to smell.

To your taste buds now offering your gratitude.

To your tongue and your mouth for letting you taste your favorite coffee drink or tea and the array of food that nourishes your system.

To your lips for kissing your partner or children or pets or family members or friends.

Offer your heartfelt thanks to your sense of taste for letting you engage with the flavors of the world.

Now notice what you feel with your skin,

The temperature of the air on the parts of you that are exposed,

The texture of the clothing that's keeping you warm,

And the delightful sensations on your fingertips that let you feel the electricity in your heart when holding hands with your friends,

Your soulmates,

Your people,

Your tribe.

To the skin that lets you feel the texture of sand at the beach,

Sense a breeze on your neck,

And enjoy a good massage.

To wrapping yourself in warm blankets when you're cold and stripping off clothing in front of a fan in your hut.

Thanks to the skin for helping you feel your light.

And now to your eyes.

Keeping your eyes closed,

Can you send waves of gratitude to these magical eyes for letting you see the world around you.

Letting them be agents of love.

To view the world around you through your love,

Your care,

Your attention.

For making it possible to make eye contact with your loved ones,

To see the smiling faces of the people around you,

And the community that you learn and grow with.

To your eyes which let you see art,

Nature,

And beauty in all forms.

To whatever degree your eyes let you see,

Thank them for all they do.

For letting you take in the world around you through the windows of your soul.

Take a deep breath in.

Notice what you feel in your heart.

Connect to this expansive feeling in your chest as you let yourself truly savor the full spectrum of your senses.

Now let it go.

Exhale.

Check back in with the balance of your inhales and your exhales.

Inhale for 1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Exhale 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

You've got it.

Keep that breath going.

We'll now bring gratitude to the people in your life.

Bring to mind someone in your life who is easy to love.

Picture this person sitting in front of you.

See them smiling at you,

And through your heart space,

Thank them for being in your life.

As if wherever they were at this very moment,

They could receive your gratitude.

Shower them with love,

Simply for existing.

Now pick another person.

Repeat this with as many people as you like,

Remembering that offering your gratitude to one person doesn't take it away from anyone else.

Just choose the first few people that are coming to your mind.

Thank them for being in your life.

Now bring to mind someone who has made your life easier.

Thank them for whatever they have done to help you out.

Call a teacher in your life.

Someone who has shown you the way,

In either a formal or informal way.

Thank them with your heart for teaching you on this journey,

For sharing their wisdom and their guidance with you,

So that you may share it with the world around you.

Next,

Bring your mind to someone in your life who is harder to love,

And through your heart space,

Thank them for being in your life.

Thank them for the lessons they share and the codes they deliver.

And thank them for the opportunity they gave you to heal and to meet yourself more deeply.

Finally,

Send your love and gratitude to every single person you've encountered so far,

Or will encounter in this day.

Thank them for making your day more interesting and richer and full.

Take a deep breath,

And gather up all the people in your life into your heart.

Hold them there for a moment,

And then let the image of them go.

Let go of all of your air,

And return to the balance of your breath.

Inhale for a 1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Exhale for a 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Good.

Keep going.

Now give thanks to your material possessions.

Turn your attention to the possessions that have the most meaning for you.

The items you have,

Like special jewelry or relics that have been passed down to you from your family,

Or were given to you for a specific purpose,

Like a friendship bracelet or a wedding ring.

Thank your possessions that hold special meaning for you,

Offering appreciation for the memories they hold.

Offer your thanks now to the home you live in,

And all the amenities that help keep you safe,

Nourished,

And healthy.

To your comfortable bed,

Your fully functioning kitchen,

And the water running in your bathrooms and sinks.

Give thanks.

To the walls that keep you warm in the winter,

And the windows that open to cool you when it's hot.

To the roof that protects you.

To the roof that protects you.

Say thank you.

Now to your clothing,

Your shoes,

And all the items you've been able to buy that keep you active and thriving in this world.

The books,

The tools,

And electronics that allow you to connect with others,

Learn new skills,

And broaden your horizons.

Gratitude to the money you give and receive,

Your paycheck,

Your savings,

Your bills,

And your abundance.

Take this moment to release any guilt or shame about thanking your material possessions,

And instead truly appreciate them.

Breathe in deep with gratitude the possessions you hold dear and those that keep you safe,

And exhale any shame or guilt you hold.

Return back to your breath.

Inhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5.

Exhale 5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

And finally,

We'll bring gratitude to this present moment.

Take another deep breath and connect to this moment.

Inhale,

And exhale,

Let that go.

As you exhale,

Gently blink open your eyes and look around you.

Offer your gratitude for everything in your presence that is holding space for you to be meditating right now.

Give thanks to your circumstances and your livelihood,

Which give you the chance to sit in stillness and invite gratitude into your heart.

To your health and physical capabilities that make it possible to sit quietly and improve your outlook and well-being.

To the silence,

The calm,

The light,

The love,

The tears,

The joy,

And everything in between.

Be grateful.

With that,

Take a final deep breath in.

Bring a smile to your face.

Bring your hands to your heart in prayer and seal your meditation with this gesture of respect and devotion.

As you exhale,

Notice how you feel and set the intention to bring this gratitude forward into your day.

My name is Sasha Andriyanova,

And I thank you for sharing your practice,

Your time,

Your energy,

And your gratitude with me today.

May peace be with you,

And I hope to see you soon.