When you arise in the morning,
Think of what a privilege it is to be alive,
To breathe,
To think,
To enjoy,
To love.
Marcus Aurelius Begin by settling into a position that's comfortable for you,
Wherever your body feels supported and at ease.
Let your body rest,
Let your shoulders drop,
And you can close your eyes gently if that feels safe or keep them open,
Whatever feels comfortable for you.
Take a long deep inhale,
Hold at the top and exhale fully.
Take another gentle breath but this time imagine it arriving like the early light of dawn,
Spilling softly into your body,
Allowing you to feel more aware.
Continue breathing this way,
Feeling the rise and fall of your chest.
Imagine it like it's the rhythm of life.
You've awakened today,
Your heart beats and your eyes see and your lungs move.
Take a moment to truly appreciate that,
To recognize that,
That you're alive and today is full of possibility.
I'd like you to shift your attention to the present moment,
To what's here and now,
And let your mind scan gently over all the blessings in your life that you can imagine,
Large,
Small,
That exist in this very moment.
We can begin with the body,
You can feel the air entering your nose and filling your lungs,
The sensation of your body being supported and the simple gift of breath.
Just focus on that for a moment.
Now let's move outward.
What are you grateful for this morning that's outside of you?
Perhaps you have a warm drink waiting for you after this meditation or maybe a friend or a loved one in your life.
Maybe just the moment of quiet before the world begins moving.
Now let's be a bit spontaneous.
I'd like you to just think of the first thing that comes to mind,
Something real that's in your life and just hold it gently in your awareness,
Something you can be grateful for.
As you have it there in your mind's eye,
Say to yourself,
Thank you.
Just that,
You don't need to name what thank you's for,
Just let the words just allow you to feel grateful.
Repeat again,
Thank you.
Once more,
Thank you.
Let yourself feel these words,
Because gratitude in its truest form doesn't always need a reason.
It's just a state of openness and a recognition of the miracle of life exactly as it is.
Now that you're rooted in gratitude,
Let's turn our awareness outward towards the horizon of your day.
I'd like you to try and imagine it.
What's it going to look like for you?
And with that,
Take a deep breath in and release it into the air.
Any worries,
Any anxieties or anticipations,
Just release them for a moment.
As you do so,
I'd like you to imagine that you're standing at the edge of a vast open field.
Let's call this the landscape of possibility.
The sky is wide and the path ahead is unwritten,
And in this space anything is possible for you.
As you breathe in the fresh air of this landscape,
Ask yourself what might be waiting for me today that I haven't yet imagined.
Let that question float.
Because there might be a lot of things to be excited for amongst some of the anxieties and anticipations that came out earlier.
You don't need to answer it fully,
This is just about curiosity,
Imagination.
Because life is better with an open mind and a ready heart.
Remember there is a future version of you who ends this day proud of what you've lived and what you felt.
So let yourself glimpse them just for a moment.
That version of you,
What energy do you carry?
With that imagination right there in the forefront of your mind and a heart full of gratitude,
Let's gently bring our focus back to this moment and ask ourselves,
What do we want to carry with us today?
It might be a sense of calm or a desire to learn,
A spirit of boldness.
Whatever arises,
Just hold it gently and just repeat it inwardly as your intention for the day.
So you could say,
Today I move through the world with presence and kindness or today I trust in my own timing,
Whatever comes to your mind.
Just let your own words form naturally.
And as you say these words,
Repeat it one more time and that way we can create a gentle commitment to our day.
Finally,
Let's close with a few centering breaths.
Let's inhale,
Breathing in appreciation for this moment and exhale,
Releasing doubt or resistance.
Inhale,
Opening to the fullness of the day ahead and exhale,
Grounding yourself in peace.
One more time,
Inhale possibility and exhale gratitude.
Just begin to wiggle your fingers and toes and just allow the room to become more present in your own mind.
Let your awareness because you're ready for the present moment.
Take things one step at a time and in doing so,
You will always be ready.
Have a wonderful day.
