The purpose of this meditation is to guide you into a peaceful state of relaxation while helping you connect with your beautiful feelings of gratitude.
To begin,
Gently close your eyes and allow your breath to flow naturally through your nose.
As you settle into this meditation,
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling.
Start to notice any sounds in your environment,
Allowing your awareness to drift naturally from one to the next.
If no sounds are present,
Gently shift your focus to the rhythm of your breath or the soft background music,
Staying open and aware until a new sound arises.
To ensure that you're comfortable and to begin the relaxation process,
Let's adjust your posture.
Lift the crown of your head towards the sky to gently lengthen your spine.
Your spine should feel comfortable and relaxed,
There's no need to overextend.
Now bring your attention to your jaw,
Slightly part your teeth and on your next exhale,
Allow your jaw to drop a little and feel your face soften.
Shift your focus to your shoulders,
Take a deep inhale and as you exhale,
Let them drop away from your ears,
Releasing any stored tension.
Finally,
Lift your chest slightly,
Tuck your chin towards your chest and feel a light stretch at the back of your neck.
With your posture set,
Notice how your breath flows more freely in and out of your body.
Now let's focus on deep breathing.
On each inhale,
Direct your breath into your belly,
Feeling it expand like a balloon.
As you exhale,
Gently pull your belly button towards your spine,
Releasing all the air from your lungs.
To deepen your breath,
Inhale into your belly again,
Continue to breathe in until your breath naturally stops.
As you exhale,
Gently pull your belly button towards your spine,
Releasing all the air from your lungs.
You can also experiment with small pauses after each inhale and exhale,
Listen to your body and find the rhythm that feels best for you.
Breathing deeply and slowly in this way calms your nervous system,
Signalling to your body to relax.
Continue to breathe this way for the rest of the meditation.
As you maintain this deep belly breathing,
Shift your awareness to your body,
Noticing the different points of contact.
Feel the weight of your hands on your thighs,
Your feet on the floor and the surface beneath you.
Allow your focus to rest on each point of contact,
Noticing any sensations before moving on to the next.
Keeping your attention on the body,
Place a smile on your face and notice how your body responds.
Feel the positive energy flow through you,
The bigger the smile,
The greater the uplifting sensations you will experience.
Now bring to mind something you are grateful for,
Perhaps a person,
A pet or anything that brings joy to your life.
Picture this moment in vivid detail,
What are you doing,
Who are you with,
How does it make you feel?
As feelings of gratitude begin to flow through your body,
Let go of the thoughts and focus on these beautiful feelings.
As this meditation comes to an end,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the sounds around you.
Gently bring your attention back to the points of contact on your body.
Finally become aware of the rise and fall of your breath.
Before you open your eyes,
Take a moment to notice how you feel now and compare it to how you felt when you began this meditation.
Remember,
This feeling is always within you and you can return to it any time.
When you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
