Connecting through appreciation and gratitude.
Before you begin,
Arrange your environment so it's conducive to meditation.
Set up a comfortable seat in a quiet,
Private space and turn off the volume on your phone.
A good seat height sets your hips level with or slightly above your knees.
Consider the lighting,
Sounds,
Visual images,
And scents so you create a sacred space.
In this meditation,
We focus on connecting with the life force within,
Connecting with all beings,
And connecting with the one life we all share through appreciation and gratitude.
Appreciation is recognizing the innate value and purpose of every being,
And gratitude is feeling thankfulness for every expression of life.
Let's begin by sitting comfortably upright with the soles of your feet flat on the ground and parallel with each other.
If you're able to,
Sit far enough forward so you feel some weight in your feet,
Perhaps all the way on the front edge of your seat so you feel the weight of your feet firmly on the ground.
If you need back support,
You can sit back against a seat back.
Rest your hands,
Palms cupped in your lap,
With the tips of your thumbs touching lightly.
Lightly close your eyes.
Take a moment to check in inside.
Notice how you feel right now.
If you could sum up this feeling in a word,
Phrase,
Or image,
What would this be?
Now,
Focus down into the soles of both feet.
Feel the sensations of contact between the soles of your feet and the ground.
Tune into sensory awareness in your feet to awaken your inner senses to the life force within you.
Allow your feet and toes to soften and relax as if they are melting deep down into the earth.
Focus into the sensations in your palms and fingers.
Feel the sensations of contact with your legs.
Allow your hands to soften and relax as if they are melting down into your legs.
As your hands relax,
Allow your arms and shoulders to relax down,
Releasing any tension in your neck and shoulders.
Imagine a string attached to the top of your head,
Drawing your spine gently upright,
Giving you a feeling of vertical spaciousness up through the core of your body,
Up through your spine,
And through the top of your head.
Notice how you feel when you sit nicely upright.
You may feel more purposeful,
Awake,
Empowered,
And intentional.
Bring to mind the intention of this practice,
To connect with the life force within.
Connect with all beings and connect with the one life we all share through appreciation and gratitude.
Now,
Tuck your chin just slightly,
Gently lengthening the back of your neck.
Roll the tip of your tongue up to touch the roof of your mouth.
Soften and relax your tongue here.
Smile,
A subtle smile of appreciation and gratitude.
Allow the feeling of smiling to relax your jaw,
Relax your eyes,
And release any tension from your eyebrows and your forehead.
Allow this smile of appreciation and gratitude to wash down your face,
Down the front of your throat,
And into your heart.
As you focus into your heart,
Appreciate how your heart pumps life-giving blood through your whole body,
24-7,
Without you having to be aware of it.
Feel gratitude for this amazing work of your heart.
As you breathe in,
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
As you breathe out,
Breathe gratitude out through your heart.
Imagine and feel your heart smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude.
Now,
Become aware of all the cells in your whole body.
Appreciate how each cell does its unique job,
24-7,
Without you needing to be aware of it.
Feel gratitude for this amazing work of every cell.
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
As you breathe out,
Breathe gratitude out through your heart.
Imagine and feel every cell smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude.
Now,
Become aware of all of us practicing this meditation together.
Appreciate the unique value and purpose each of us brings to life.
Feel gratitude for everyone sharing in this practice.
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
Breathe gratitude out to everyone sharing this meditation.
Imagine and feel every one of us smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude together.
Now,
Become aware of your family members and friends.
Appreciate the unique value and purpose each of them brings to life.
Feel gratitude for your family members and friends.
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
Breathe gratitude out to your family and friends.
Imagine and feel each of them smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude.
Now,
Become aware of anyone with whom you've had tensions or struggle.
Choose one person to focus on.
Appreciate the unique value and purpose they bring to life.
Feel gratitude for what they bring to life.
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
Breathe gratitude out to those you've had tension or struggle with.
Imagine and feel them smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude.
Become aware of all beings in the whole planet.
Appreciate the unique value and purpose each being brings to life and how the planet supports us all.
Feel gratitude for all beings in the whole planet.
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
Breathe gratitude out to all beings in the whole planet.
Imagine and feel all beings in the whole planet smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude together.
Now,
Become aware of the universal life force extending infinitely across all space and time.
Appreciate the infinite diversity of this quantum field.
Feel gratitude for the one life we all share.
Breathe appreciation into your heart.
Breathe gratitude out to the whole universe.
Imagine and feel the whole universe smiling and radiating the warmth of appreciation and gratitude.
Rest in appreciation and gratitude for the one life we all share.
Feel the infinite space of this one life.
Feel the infinite space of this one life we all share.
We are each a point of awareness within this infinite field.
Smile with appreciation and gratitude for this opportunity to be a point of awareness in this infinite field.
Be thankful for this life,
This moment,
Right now.
Now,
Become aware of your body as a whole from the inside.
Sense the entire space inside your skin.
Notice how you feel.
If you could sum this up in a word,
Phrase,
Or image,
What would this be?
Record this feeling along with your word,
Phrase,
Or image in every cell of your body so you remember it.
Bring it with you and can use it as a landmark to return to this experience anytime.
What would it be like to live from this awareness?
Slowly,
Half open your eyes and take in the feeling of the space around you.
Feel the top of your head.
Feel your hands in your lap and your feet on the ground.
Take a few moments to write down anything you'd like to remember from this meditative experience.
Then stand,
Stretch,
And move in whatever way feels good to you.
Thank you for your practice.
Well done.
