A meditation on gratitude.
So take a moment to be where you are and just physically feel into the present of the body in its posture of the airflow coming in through the nose or the mouth of the sounds you might hear even the textures that you might be feeling with the hands and let yourself be welcomed here as you arrive in the moment.
Slowing down a bit to just nestle in like a dog or a cat that makes a little circle before they plop down.
Welcome to this moment as you breathe in and release out your own rhythm.
So with this acknowledgement of turning towards this openness,
This spaciousness around you,
The air plentiful,
Crisp and rejuvenating,
The arms and back able to relax and melt down.
Nowhere to go,
Nowhere to be,
But to just be able to take a step back.
Take a moment just like a bird perched on a branch,
Scanning around,
Seeing all the spaces that the light touches,
Hearing the sounds of the leaves blowing in the wind,
Gently wrestling their leaves.
And this word gratitude coming in as an intention,
As an invitation.
So here's what I think gratitude is.
It's this idea of,
Wow,
This is really nice.
And I'm glad that it's here.
Because if it were missing,
Gosh,
I'd really notice.
Maybe things wouldn't look as nice or feel as nice or be as effortless,
Gentle or kind without it.
So with that in mind,
Think about what's nice right now.
You can start with what's nice in this moment that you can physically see.
Maybe it's the green around you.
Maybe it's the trees changing colors,
The nice airflow.
Maybe there's a nice memory that pops into your head of someone's face,
Or a moment that made you laugh or feel at ease.
Nothing significant,
But actually the opposite.
The small moments that really felt nice.
Maybe it's gratitude for what you can physically feel as you lay the hands down on the surface of the earth that's firm,
That's got you,
That's stable and reliable.
And just how nice that is.
So take a moment to beam out just like the bird perched on the branch,
Scanning for what is nice?
What's gentle?
What do I appreciate right now?
Things that we take for granted that we don't really pay any attention to.
But if they were missing,
Gosh,
We'd really notice.
If I wasn't able to use my body in ways that I can trust,
I would miss that.
Or maybe in moments of discomfort,
Gratitude that the body is always there to keep me safe.
Always there to know how to help me,
Even in ways that I don't understand.
This act of taking a step back,
Zooming out far,
Far away as if viewing this life,
This person,
This body from the sky,
From a bird's eye view.
What is it in my life that I do have,
That I get to experience?
Sure,
We have difficulties.
But also,
Taking in that intention of what is nice.
Breathing in,
Releasing out.
So we'll start to wind down from this gratitude meditation,
Setting ourselves on a path forward today with the hopes of feeling richer,
More appreciative,
And more light as we journey into the rest of our day.
Thank you for joining me in this gratitude meditation.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.
