Welcome,
As we explore gratitude,
Let's get comfortable as we begin.
Settle in,
Sitting or lying down,
Let's take in a long,
Deep breath,
And if you wish,
Holding it for a second or two.
Then let it go,
And as you release your breath,
Feeling any tensions of the day leaving your body,
Close your eyes,
Or if you prefer,
Slightly open,
Glancing softly in front of you.
There's nothing else to think about,
And nothing else to do,
Except listening to my voice,
And relax.
So what is gratitude?
You may think of gratitude as being happy in the present moment.
It is a little different than the happy we might feel when receiving a gift,
Or buying something new,
Even though we could be happy and grateful about those things too.
Gratitude is a state of mindfulness or awareness that lasts longer than the sometimes brief pleasure of getting something new.
In gratitude,
We may notice how even the smallest action,
The smallest things in life,
May bring harmony and happiness in our life and the lives of others.
It leads to a heightened level of awareness of just how fortunate we are in this moment,
A realization that what we already have is enough.
With a gratitude mindset,
There is less need to want more.
I invite you to join me in a moment for a three-minute meditation on gratitude.
Let's consider just one thing in your life,
Anything or anyone that is making you happy right now or has made you happy recently.
Perhaps it is a person who has been a friend,
Or a loving brother or sister,
Parent or grandparent.
Perhaps it is a recent success you have had at work,
In school,
Or having achieved a personal goal,
Or anything else that comes to mind.
The possibilities of gratitude are endless.
As you take three minutes for gratitude meditation,
Just focus on the one person or thing that is making you feel gratitude in this moment.
The background music will continue,
And a soft bell will sound at the end.
I will watch the time,
Starting now.
Well done.
You have joined hundreds,
Maybe thousands of others who may have been meditating at the same time.
How did it make you feel?
Are you more content now than when we started this session a few minutes ago?
I do hope so.
With gratitude-focused meditation,
You are strengthening your resolve to be a positive impact in the world.
Here is my challenge for you today.
In the next day or two,
Find a moment where you have discovered a reason to be grateful.
I also invite you to try more of the three-minute meditations in this series.
By sharing these with others,
We can work together to make the world a better place in our mindful thoughts and in our interactions with the world.
Thank you for being here today.
I am grateful.
Be well,
My friend.
