Welcome.
My name is Maha Bodhi.
This practice is best done at the beginning of your day when you are clear and refreshed.
Especially if you have a busy day ahead of you,
An important meeting,
A presentation,
Or a job interview.
Maybe even a critical conversation.
Begin by finding a quiet place,
Finding a comfortable seat,
Finding length in the spine as you draw up the shoulders down and away from the ears,
Lifting your heart up to the sky.
Take a few moments,
Relax the body,
Slipping the eyelids closed,
Releasing any lingering stagnation from your sleep,
Releasing any habitual gripping in the body,
Any tension,
Softening and slipping into a state of ease.
The softer you become,
The longer you will be able to stay in a flow state.
As if you were in water,
The less you move,
The easier you're able to float.
Begin by noticing the breath,
Deepening the inhales and lengthening the exhales.
Taking a full breath in,
Pause at the top but see if you can soften.
Open your mouth,
Lengthen the exhale,
Completely emptying the breath.
Two more deep breaths,
Inhaling deep,
Filling the entire body with breath,
Pausing at the top,
Opening the mouth as you exhale completely,
Letting go.
Last one,
Inhaling deep,
Pause,
Exhale through the mouth,
Feeling a little lighter,
A little more free.
Too often at the beginning of our day,
Especially if we have a busy schedule ahead of us,
We tend to breathe in a shallow way.
Here in this space,
You have the opportunity to pay more attention to your breath,
Taking more time with each inhale and each exhale,
Allowing the breath to become your fuel for the rest of your day.
When you open the heart to a feeling of gratitude,
You open the entire body to a state of receptivity.
The mind thinks it's already received,
That all these beautiful things already happened.
As your thoughts create your reality,
Things begin to happen for you.
Now allow your mind to travel over the events of the day ahead.
From waking up until the evening when it's time to come to rest,
Visualize your day through an optimistic lens and begin to send gratitude to all the people that you might interact with and all the events that are planned on your calendar.
Set an intention to disconnect from any responsibilities or stress about how your day might go.
Remember that you are here to send gratitude in advance for your day and pave the way for success.
Think about everyone you will come into contact with.
Who is the first person you will interact with today?
How about the last person you will interact with?
Visualize the conversations you will have,
The smiles or maybe the laughs that you will exchange.
Orchestrate every moment of interaction.
And as you do so,
Express gratitude for these moments of connection.
Even if there might be any misunderstandings or maybe arguments,
Remember that we are all human.
You can learn a lot about other people if you simply listen and remain present.
Sharing your experiences with others is a gift.
Collaborating with others is a true treasure aligned with gratitude as you continue to construct the connections of the day.
Consider the notable events that you will experience.
Maybe a small gift,
A great meal or even a beautiful sunset will do.
What will you experience today?
Expressing gratitude for each and every one.
Simply express gratitude for all the skills that you carry,
Everything that you utilize in your daily life.
Perhaps you're especially good at solving problems,
Putting logic at work or maybe you called upon your creative side or channeled your compassionate nature to remedy a situation.
Appreciate these gifts and trust that you are growing them every single day,
Becoming stronger with each experience.
Continue to sit with this awareness,
Breathing effortlessly.
Now come back to the present moment,
Allowing the day to begin to unfold right here in this moment.
Your mind is free of stress,
Your heart full of gratitude,
Ready to start a fresh day,
A clean slate full of possibilities.
Allow openness and gratitude course through you.
The deep feeling of excitement to launch a productive,
Joyful day.
And whether you accomplish everything you set out to do today is no matter.
You show up,
You are present and you give it your all.
Take a big breath in through the nose,
Pause at the top,
Open your mouth and exhale as you sigh it out.
Go ahead and start your day feeling peaceful,
Grateful and already fulfilled.
I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.
