A meditation for cultivating gratitude.
Gently close your eyes.
Make any adjustments in your seat to find ease.
Take a deep inhale through your nose,
Welcoming the oxygen down deeper into your belly,
Holding the breath out and then slowly releasing the air through your open mouth.
Inhale and allow your belly to rise and exhale,
Belly falls.
Notice if there are any areas in your body you can let go just a little bit more.
Start by relaxing your ankle joints,
Roll them right to left.
Relax your feet.
Relax your knees down towards the mat or your seat.
Relax your thighs.
Create space in your hip joints,
Allow them to soften.
Now create those spaces along your spine in between your spinal columns from your tailbone to your lower back to your middle back and your upper back.
Softening through your wrists,
Your elbow joints and your shoulders.
Open your jaw a little bit and allow it to release.
Release any tension you might still be holding onto in the crown of your head.
And from all these spaces that you've melted,
Enjoy the relaxation that comes into your body.
Now call to mind a few of the things in your life that you could be grateful for.
Breathe deeply and have gratitude for the air that is filling your lungs and keeping you alive.
Have gratitude for your body,
For the work it does for you all day long.
Have gratitude for your home,
Wherever you are in this moment,
The safety,
The warmth and the comfort it provides.
Have gratitude for the people in your life,
Loved ones,
Friends and family,
Teachers,
Anyone that you can call to mind and have gratitude for in this moment.
Feel the love,
Understanding and compassion that gratitude brings into your heart.
Notice how this gratitude brings you into the present moment.
For the next few moments,
Enjoy this peaceful space you've created within you and when you are ready,
Open your eyes.
