Greet The Day -- With Gratitude

This morning meditation is intended to infuse you with gratitude -- for others, for yourself. The meditation focuses on breathwork, visualization, and the senses. The intent is to extend our gratitude beyond the meditation and carry it forward with us as we go about our day.

Transcript

Good morning.

Thank you for joining me.

This meditation is about gratitude,

About fostering gratitude and carrying this feeling with us throughout our day.

I'd like to start with a quote from A.

A.

Milne,

From Pooh and his friends.

Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart,

It could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.

May we all be like Piglet.

Gratitude is good for us.

It's good for our physical health and our mental health.

When we feel grateful,

Our brain structure actually changes.

Our immune system is strengthened.

Our stress levels drop.

Let's get settled and begin.

And we'll start with the breath.

Breathe in for a count of four,

Hold for a count of four,

And then release for a count of four.

This will help us to concentrate,

To settle,

To be still,

And to balance.

Let's begin.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Holding,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhaling,

Two,

Three,

Four.

We're going to repeat that,

And this time we're going to focus on how the breath feels,

How it feels in our nostrils,

How our lungs feel as we hold,

How the body feels as we exhale.

We're going to hold for a count of four and feel the stillness and hear the silence.

We're also going to inhale and exhale and feel and hear what that breath sounds like.

So let's begin.

We'll breathe in,

Two,

Three,

Four.

We'll hold,

Two,

Three,

Four.

And now we'll exhale,

Two,

Three,

Four.

And one final time,

Just to bring us to this place of stillness and to this place of awareness,

A focus on the breath and the body.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Holding,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhaling,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Now let's just take a minute to do a quick body scan to look for areas where there is tightness,

Tension,

Or soreness.

And we're going to breathe in to those areas.

We're going to take that lovely oxygen and fill those crevices with where there's tightness,

Where there's some anxiety,

Where there's some tension or soreness.

And as we breathe into those areas,

We're going to help to release that negative energy.

And when we exhale,

We will let that out.

We will no longer need that and try to send it out into the universe.

Breathing in with an awareness of the body,

Sending the breath to those areas where you do have some tension,

Some discomfort.

Now we'll do the same thing,

But we're looking instead for areas where there is a worry,

Some anger,

Perhaps some irritation,

Jealousy,

A negative emotion.

We can feel that emotion in our body and in ourself.

So breathe in to that negative emotion.

Be aware of it.

Send your breath towards it.

Let it fill you.

And then exhale and let it out.

Release it.

Send it out into the universe where it will dissipate.

One final time to get rid of any discomfort,

Mental or physical.

A breath in to those areas where we are not comfortable,

Not 100% ourselves.

Exhaling and release.

Now let's move on from the negative,

The stuff we hold on to that weighs us down,

And let's move to those things that lift us up,

That speak to our heart.

We're going to start with an outward focus and move inward.

So think about all the things in your life today that make that life easier,

That make it more comfortable and convenient.

It's not 1700s.

It's not 1800s.

It is the contemporary world and ease and convenience define this world.

But to get that ease and convenience,

Thousands,

Hundreds of thousands of people have had to work on our behalf.

They've had to invent.

They've had to build.

They've had to create.

They've had to construct.

And we're going to take just a second to thank them.

Thank them for making our life easier.

For the little things like the ice cube maker in the fridge and the big things like the car we drive or the plane that can get us home for Christmas or any other holiday we celebrate.

So having thought about all of those people who've helped us,

Strangers,

Not known to us,

But making our life easier because of the work they do,

The energy they have,

The ideas they brought to life.

Now let's take a moment for closer to home.

Some of the things that more immediately we're grateful for.

This may be the sunshine coming in your window.

It may be the fact that the weekend is around the corner and you're looking forward to relaxing.

It may be lunch with a friend,

A walk with the dog.

But take just a few seconds to reflect on those things right now or right around the corner that you're grateful for.

Now we'll move a little closer.

We'll think about the people,

The pets in our lives.

Those who smile at us,

Who cheer us on,

Who make life brighter and better.

And they may be family,

They may be friends,

They may be animals,

They may be colleagues and acquaintances,

But their presence makes our day a little better.

And so now take a minute to think about those people and the joy and help they bring to your life,

A life that you're grateful for.

Now as you think about those people,

Those pets,

Both near and far,

Immediate and removed,

Ask yourself this,

What have I received from and what have I given to?

So it may be a person's name that you put at the end of those questions.

It may be a broader concept such as what have I received from my community,

What have I given to my community.

But take a moment now to focus on those two questions.

What have I received from blank?

What have I given to blank?

With gratitude on our mind,

Let's turn to our senses.

Let's start with sight,

Inward or outward.

Bring to mind a place,

An experience that you have seen and that you're grateful for.

This could be something you did on vacation,

It could be a favorite outfit,

It could be someplace you're dreaming of visiting.

But picture this,

Picture it in your mind and feel the gratitude to have that reality in your life or that possibility in your life.

Visualize that as you visualize this person,

Place,

Item in your mind.

And now we'll shift to a scent,

To a smell.

Is there an aroma that makes you feel instantly grateful?

Is it the smell of gingerbread in the house?

Is it a favorite bubble bath?

Is it the baby's freshly washed clothes?

Breathe in that smell.

Feel it in your body.

Breathe it in again and feel the gratitude.

Now try sound.

Is there a tune,

A melody?

Perhaps it's waves lapping at the ocean shore.

Perhaps it's a favorite song.

Perhaps it's the sound of someone's voice.

But hear it now.

Hear it,

Feel it,

And pay attention to the gratitude that comes along with it.

Now try touch.

Are there things in your life that when you feel them you also feel instantly grateful?

It may be a favorite toy from your childhood that you like to hold close.

It may be the fur of a beloved pet.

It may be a coat,

A jacket that when you put it on it envelops you in warmth.

Feel that now and feel how it wraps you in gratitude.

You've taken your senses to evoke a sense of gratitude and you can do that at any time.

At any time throughout the day you can breathe in a sight,

A sound,

A feeling,

A memory.

It will take you somewhere and it will infuse you with gratitude.

I'd also suggest that you might like to start and end your day on a note of gratitude.

Before you get up in the morning,

Before the feet hit the floor,

Just take 30 seconds to say,

Today I am grateful for.

.

.

And remind ourselves that we have much to be thankful for.

Likewise at night as we're going to sleep,

Before we drift off,

Our final thoughts will be,

I am grateful.

Here is what I am grateful for.

I'd like to close with a few affirmations.

Breathing in and breathing out.

With every breath I breathe,

I breathe in gratitude.

I am willing to find happiness in each moment.

I choose to be kind to myself and love myself unconditionally.

Today I will take time to be grateful.

Today I will tell others I am grateful to have them in my life.

Today I will tell myself I am grateful for this life I am living.

I'd like to end with a quote from the poet Maya Angelou.

This is a wonderful day.

I have never seen this one before.

Thank you for spending this time with me.

I'm Dawn Lee.

I wish you joy and peace on your journey.

Take care.