Welcome to Community Mindfulness Project's appreciation meditation.
Choosing a sitting posture that you might take if you were sitting face to face with a dear friend or a loved one.
Maybe it's toward the front end of a chair as if you're leaning in to speak with them.
Maybe it's cross-legged on the floor as if you're both sitting facing each other having a quiet conversation.
Taking a moment to settle into this moment in this posture,
Bringing attention into the body.
Maybe sensing into the chair or the floor beneath you for a moment.
Noticing the temperature in the room.
Taking in the sounds in and around your body in the room and out beyond the room.
Really connecting with this moment.
Now bringing to mind a dear friend or a loved one and picturing them sitting right across from you relatively close to you if that's comfortable facing you.
Having a real sense of their presence.
Sensing them looking at you,
Seeing you with love and kindness.
Without judgment.
Smiling gently as they hold you in their gaze.
Feeling the kind heartedness and appreciation emanating from them wrapping around you like a warm soft blanket.
Maybe they have a hand or both hands on their heart as they gaze at you.
Seeing you for the wonderful being they know you are.
Resting in this sense of being truly seen,
Truly appreciated for exactly who you are.
Noticing what it feels like in the body,
In the jaw,
In the shoulders,
In the belly,
In the hands,
In the low back,
In the legs,
And even in the feet.
What does it feel like to be held in appreciation?
Now hearing this dear one say to you,
You are whole and good exactly as you are.
You are made from the same stuff as every other good thing in this universe.
You are complete.
You are perfectly you.
Your very essence is goodness from the core of your being.
You are full.
You are enough.
You don't feel that way.
That is your true nature.
Letting these words sink in,
Trusting the wisdom of your dear loved one.
And repeating them to yourself,
Maybe placing your own hand or hands over your heart.
I am whole and good exactly as I am.
I am made from the same stuff as every other good thing in this universe.
I am complete.
I am perfectly me.
My very essence is goodness from the core of my being.
I am enough,
Even if I don't always feel that way.
That is my true nature.
Now resting in an exploration of what it feels like to hear those words from yourself about yourself.
Noticing what that feels like in the body,
In the jaw,
In the shoulders,
In the belly,
In the hands,
In the low back,
In the legs,
And even in the feet.
What does it feel like to hold yourself in appreciation?
Now holding your dear one in the gaze of your own mind,
Taking them in,
In all of their wonderfulness,
Appreciating their goodness.
With your hand over your heart if you like,
Sending them love and kindness and appreciation in a way they can most certainly feel.
Now saying to them,
You are whole and good exactly as you are.
You are made from the same stuff as every other good thing in this universe.
You are complete.
You are perfectly you.
Your very essence is goodness from the core of your being.
You are enough,
Even if you don't feel that way.
That is your true nature.
Noticing what that feels like in the body.
What does it feel like to offer this appreciation to someone?
And now bringing to mind beings from all different walks of life,
Those you know and those you don't know,
Imagine them all sitting with you and saying to them,
You're whole and good exactly as you are.
You are made from the same stuff as every other good thing in this universe.
You're all complete.
You are perfectly you.
The very essence of each one of you is goodness from the core of your being.
Each of you is enough,
Even if you don't feel that way.
That is your true nature.
And resting in that offering of appreciation for yourself and others,
Known and unknown.
Now offering a wish to yourself and all beings.
May we all be well.
May we all live with ease.
May we all live in peace.
Take care.
