Five senses gratitude meditation.
Close your eyes or look downwards with a soft focus.
Take one or two breaths and allow yourself to settle into stillness.
We're going to work through our five senses looking for small things that we can cultivate a sense of gratitude for.
We'll start with vision.
Begin by bringing to mind a sight that you're grateful for,
Something that you appreciate visually.
It could be a colour,
A shadow,
A shape,
A movement.
Perhaps it's the sight of someone's face,
Their eyes,
Their smile.
Perhaps it's a view or perspective,
The countryside or a building that you like to look at.
Notice the colours,
Shades,
Shapes,
Expressions.
Take a moment to rest in this visual image of something that you appreciate,
Something that you might feel grateful for.
We might feel grateful for being able to use our vision to experience the amazing world of colour and shape.
Breathe in and allow yourself to rest in the experience of gentle gratitude.
Now letting go of the visual image,
We're moving to the sense of smell.
Can you bring to mind a scent that you appreciate?
Is there an aroma that has a particular meaning for you?
A scent that brings comfort,
Nourishment or a sense of well-being?
Perhaps something uplifting?
What is it about that glorious or interesting or subtle smell that makes you smile?
It could be gratitude for something familiar or perhaps it's something you've never smelled before and just piques your curiosity,
Enlivens you.
Breathe in and absorb the smell,
Noticing how it stimulates your body and mind.
Now moving on to the experience of taste.
Allow something to come to mind that has a taste that you enjoy or are grateful to experience.
Breathe in and allow yourself to gently savour this taste.
What aspect of the taste do you most appreciate?
And perhaps also thinking about how the food or drink that generates the flavour is able to come to you.
Taking a moment to think of all the people who've been involved in growing the ingredients,
Cultivating it,
Harvesting,
Transporting perhaps from a very long way away to packaging and selling.
And just wishing well to everyone who's been involved in this chain that leads to you.
A gentle wishing of thanks and offering gratitude and appreciation for their efforts.
And now we'll move on to the sense of touch and texture.
Bringing to mind a physical experience that you appreciate.
Perhaps it's sharing a hug with someone we care about.
Notice how thinking about this can fill you with gratitude for the joy of human contact.
Or perhaps you have a beautiful pet that you can stroke and cuddle.
Or some lovely material with a texture that feels warm to the touch,
Soft and calming.
Or perhaps you might lift a hand and place it over your own heart.
Just noticing the warmth and the pressure and sending yourself a sense of kindness and well wishing.
Being grateful to ourselves for everything that we do each day,
All the little efforts we make.
Just acknowledging and offering ourselves thanks and appreciation.
And finally moving on to the sense of hearing and sound.
Perhaps just tuning into the sounds around you right now.
How many sounds can you notice?
Can you feel gratitude that you're able to experience sound?
Is there a particular sound that you are grateful to receive?
A piece of music that gives you joy?
Perhaps it's the sound of children laughing,
Of loved ones breathing,
Or even the regular rhythm of the sound of the beating of your own heart.
As we come towards the end of this practice,
Perhaps you could carry this attitude of gratitude with you.
Why not offer a sense of gratitude to every person who does anything at all for you today,
Even if it is their job to help you?
Perhaps take a moment to make eye contact,
Smile and offer your thanks.
We might take notice of what happens when we allow our hearts to open up and be filled with appreciation.
How this affects our feelings and how we relate to other people.
And now just bringing your awareness back to the physical body sitting.
Noticing your seat on the chair and your feet on the ground.
And blinking your eyes open as the practice comes to a close.
