Whatever you've been doing,
Wherever your thoughts have been,
Let's pause now for some gratitude.
Allow yourself to feel your inhale and your exhale,
Letting your breath be your first gift.
Place a hand over your heart,
Just feel that gentle rise and fall beneath your palms.
And as you breathe in,
Breathe in with gratitude,
Receiving this moment as a gift.
And as you breathe out,
Just let what's come before go for now.
And say thank you breath for arriving again and again and again.
And now feeling your body and letting your body feel its support.
So feeling your feet or your seat,
Pressing your feet or seat a little more into the ground or the support underneath you that's on the ground.
Let your body remember safety and stability as it senses the connection between you and the earth.
And as you feel that quiet support beneath you,
Recognize that it's holding you in the same embrace as the forests,
The rivers,
The sky.
And you can say thank you earth for the ground beneath me,
For holding me steady always.
Now feeling your body,
Maybe placing a hand somewhere on your chest or your belly or your limbs,
Feeling the movement of breath in your body as a caress.
Whispering I'm here,
This is me.
And then you can say thank you body for carrying me forward always into what's new.
Now let your being sense all the space around you,
The expansive air,
The vastness,
That air warm or cool,
Touching your cheeks,
Touching your skin,
Touching your hands.
Entering into your nostrils and tumbling down into your lungs.
Now as you feel the touch of the space and the air,
Say thank you skin for feeling the air on me.
And thank you senses for sensing the space all around me.
And now you can tilt your face toward the light,
Real or imagined or remembered.
Let it land on you and say thank you sunlight and thank you sky for shining even when I forget to look.
And now entering your heart,
Let yourself soften in,
Soften into that space,
Feeling your own tenderness.
And say thank you heart for still being open,
Still feeling,
Still beating.
Bring the picture of someone you love into your vision,
Into your inner vision.
Or perhaps there's a photograph you can look at right there.
And let the feeling of connection rise in you.
And say thank you loved ones,
Known and unknown,
For being part of this web of love.
In some way can you sense potential shimmering in the space ahead of you?
So looking a little with a soft gaze ahead of you and beyond.
Sensing there's a shimmering,
There's light there,
There's openness.
And say thank you possibilities for existing even before I can see you.
Remember that you've received kindness and felt joy in your life.
As you bring in that memory,
That acknowledgement,
Let the essence of a smile rise inside you and perhaps blossom on your lips.
Let yourself feel the warmth that comes when kindness and joy are recognised.
Feel the aliveness of this moment.
Smile into the words thank you kindness and thank you joy for finding small ways to return.
And can you gently turn your attention to some small piece of goodness?
It could be remembering,
Recognising or anticipating something that feels good,
That you know is good,
That's in your life.
Or with your gaze,
Noticing the play of light.
A picture on the wall,
The soft coat of a pet.
Someone's smile.
The sound of birds or music.
The way your breath moves in your chest deliciously.
Stay for a moment longer than usual with this goodness.
Soften your shoulders,
Unclench your hands.
Opening more to this moment.
Feel your palms,
Feel your heart.
Feel what it's like to allow the good things in without effort.
And say thank you life for inviting me into so much goodness.
And then soften your touch.
Rest a hand on your arm or clasp your hands gently together.
Feeling yourself.
As if holding something precious,
Which you are.
Give yourself a hug.
In some way feel the warmth of your own presence.
And say thank you me for being here.
For being real.
For being willing to receive.
And then let an inner smile rise.
Until it becomes an outer smile perhaps on your face.
And you might say quietly I'm so glad to be me today.
I'm so excited to receive all that is meant for me.
And then as we finish this pause.
Take a big breath in and let your senses open.
And as you breathe out really feel the air on your skin.
The hum of existence around you.
Breathe as if love itself is entering your lungs.
Filling you with warmth and ease.
Let your heart soften even more and your shoulders release even more.
As your body settles into trust and belonging and knowing.
Registering the truth.
You are in the middle of a miracle.
In every moment.
You are in the middle of a miracle.
Carry this knowing with you.
As you go forward with your day.
Continuing to notice and feel all the small wonders that greet you.
Thank you for taking this pause and practicing with me today.
And until next time,
Bye for now.
