10-Part Appreciation Practice
This practice combines gratitude, mindfulness, and positive psychology to reduce stress levels and increase happiness. We combine the power of attention, grounding, appreciation, and visualization to create the most powerful practice. We take the time to move through each of our fingers or parts to ground, connect with the moment, and then focus on something we appreciate before noticing how and where that is.
Transcript
Welcome to the 10-finger appreciation practice or appreciation meditation.
While I will be using and giving the instructions for the 10 fingers,
You can also use 10 toes,
10 parts of the body,
Or simply just imagining 10 of something.
However,
It is recommended to use something that you can connect with physically in the present moment and the fingers or other parts of the body can be quite visceral in experiencing something that's concretely happening here and now.
What we're going to be doing is moving through each of the fingers,
Bringing to mind something small that we appreciate,
Taking the time to experience gratitude,
Thankfulness,
Appreciation,
Not just conceptually,
Theoretically,
Mentally,
But also viscerally,
Experientially,
And in the body.
For illustrative purposes,
I'm putting my hand up right now asking you to grab your finger in any way or configuration that works best for you,
And then once you do that,
You can place the hands comfortably on the lap or on any other object.
We'll be going through the fingers and,
As always,
Feeling free to go with a degree that's comfortable for you.
What I say is an invitation.
You don't have to accept invitations.
However,
I do recommend having an open,
Curious,
And caring mind and taking a break whenever that feels to be the wisest choice.
With that,
Now that we've taken hold of the thumb,
If not already,
Having a more comfortable,
Supportive,
Wakeful posture,
Getting a sense of the body as it comes into contact with the floor or the chair,
The cushion,
Getting a sense of the room or the space you're in,
What does it feel like,
What can you hear,
What's happening around you,
As well as,
As best you can,
Getting a sense of the body breathing in this moment.
And we can narrow the attention now towards the finger,
The thumb.
Maybe noting how firmly or softly you're holding,
Adjusting if need be.
And I invite you to bring to mind now something that you appreciate that's in the space you're in right now.
It can be maybe the comfort of the chair,
A favorite painting,
Your computer,
Or whatever it is,
Something small,
Something immediately around you that you can be grateful for having right now.
And as you allow the mind to think about that,
Widening the attention to the body as well and perhaps sensing what it's like in the body,
What does it feel like to be in the body,
What does it feel like to be in the room,
What does it feel like to be in the chair,
Perhaps sensing what it's like in the body,
What does it feel like to appreciate.
We're not trying to change,
We're not trying to evoke a certain experience,
We're just paying attention to what's here right now with more openness and with more care perhaps.
On the next out breath,
You can let go of the thumb and take hold of the next finger.
Connecting,
Grounding,
Anchoring to the present moment via touch,
Noticing how's it like to make contact with this finger.
And we can now bring to mind something we appreciate in the building that we're in.
Maybe it's a home,
Apartment,
Or a structure,
Or just in the wider space that's around you.
Maybe there's one thing in particular or maybe the mind is scanning several things.
And as we do so,
Keeping the attention a bit wider and noticing if there's any shifts or changes in the body,
In the feeling,
In the body,
In the mind,
In the body,
In the mind,
Or changes in the body,
In the felt emotion,
Sensation.
On the next out breath,
We can let go of the finger,
Reach towards the next finger,
The middle finger.
Connecting to that sense of touch.
Maybe noticing some pulsating,
Some vibrating,
Some tiny movement as we hold on to this middle finger.
Inviting you now to bring to mind something you appreciate about the physical location you're in right now,
The city,
The town,
The village.
It's something you could be grateful that's here.
Witnessing what the mind does,
As well as witnessing what it's like in the body.
As we breathe the next breath out,
We can let go of this middle finger and then take hold of the next finger,
The ring finger.
Let's bring to mind now something that we appreciate about the body,
Our body.
Being mindful of our negativity bias.
As we explore maybe one,
Maybe a few things that we can appreciate about the body here and now.
Maybe it's a simple fact that I can hear what's being said,
That I'm breathing right now,
That my heart's beating.
What is it like in the body?
Maybe there's an opening,
Maybe there's a closing,
Maybe there's a change in temperature,
Change in how the breath is or the heart rate.
On the next exhalation,
We can let go of the ring finger and grab the pinky finger now.
Paying attention to what it's like to take hold of this finger.
How is it similar?
How is it different to the others?
Let's reflect now for a moment about one thing we can appreciate about where we grew up.
Paying attention to the mind,
As well as the felt or sensed experience in the body.
Breathing out,
Reaching and taking hold of the thumb on the other hand.
Noticing what's here,
Maybe temperature,
Maybe the heart rate,
Maybe the heart rate.
On the other hand,
Noticing what's here.
Maybe temperature,
Dryness,
Moisture.
Shifting more of the attention to here and now.
Directly experiencing something in the present moment,
Such as the thumb.
Inviting us now to appreciate something about our work,
Our profession.
If you're not working currently,
Perhaps a hobby or a passion,
Something that you're working on.
Noticing not only where the mind goes,
But the language,
The tone,
The words,
The story,
The images,
The concepts as they unfold moment by moment.
As well as what's happening in the body.
And if nothing's changing or happening,
That's okay too,
Just noticing that as well.
Next out breath,
Letting the thumb go,
Letting it be.
Taking hold of the next finger,
Our pointing finger.
Bringing the attention to the present moment via the anchoring of touch.
Inviting you now to reflect or think about someone you appreciate in your life right now.
Maybe a friend,
Maybe a family member.
Someone you appreciate in your life right now.
Maybe it's a family member,
A friend,
Maybe a stranger that did something nice,
Smiled.
Something simple,
Doesn't have to be grand.
Being with the mind and the body as we appreciate.
Breathing out,
Letting go,
Letting be.
As we move to the next finger,
Our middle finger on the other hand.
Taking some time to sense,
Touch.
Bringing to mind now,
Something we appreciate.
Another tool or object or thing in our lives.
Maybe it's the phone or maybe it's the clothing.
Maybe you reflect upon those two that I just mentioned or something else.
Giving yourself some space now to open mind,
Open up the mind.
To appreciating some things and opening up to how's that felt in the body.
On the next finger,
Our middle finger.
To how's that felt in the body.
On the next out breath.
Letting go of the finger,
Letting it be as we take hold.
The ring finger,
The next finger.
Bringing to mind something that you appreciate about the day so far.
And or something that you might appreciate in the future.
That might come up today or that's part of the plan.
Breathing out,
Letting go,
Letting be.
Maybe breathing in,
Grabbing that last finger,
The pinky finger.
As I ask you finally to appreciate or reflect about what comes up when I ask you to appreciate something from this practice,
From this exercise we've just went through.
Next out breath,
Letting go of the fingers.
Taking these last few moments just to be.
Soak in any after effects,
Reflections,
Echoes,
Ripples of these practice we've just done.
Taking your time to transition to whatever's next.
If you've had the eyes closed,
You can begin to gently open them up.
I thank you kindly for taking part in this 10 finger appreciation practice.
Hopefully it gave you more awareness to what the mind and the body does when we appreciate.
Getting more familiar with our reactions,
With our habits.
As well as taking time to notice what it's like to appreciate more holistically.
Not just in mind but also in body.
This isn't just a cognitive checklist.
We have also time in this practice to experience.
How the mind causes certain emotions,
Biochemistry,
Which changes the physiology,
Which can then give us a sense of what happens in the body.
This is a practice.
The more that we practice,
The more that we can learn and cultivate and nourish qualities,
Attitudes,
And understandings for what it's like to appreciate.
Especially since we have a negativity bias and we've evolved from a functional perspective to be quite negative and look out for threats and dangers constantly.
So last but not least,
It can be quite supportive if you're a practitioner.
So last but not least,
It can be quite supportive in nourishing you,
Supporting you in difficulties,
But also just to be more present and to soak in the goodness that's always present.
That's always present.
Thank you.
All the best.
And I appreciate you for making the time to be here and practice with me.
All the best.
