Hello and welcome to this gratitude meditation.
Today we will be expressing gratitude for the little things in life.
For the day-to-day gifts that often go unnoticed.
This meditation is best listened to in your favorite indoor room.
Let's begin by calming the mind.
As you sit or lie down,
Becoming as comfortable as possible,
Allow your mind to become more comfortable too.
Close your eyes now and start to focus on your breathing.
Breathing a bit more deeply than you usually do and exhaling a bit more slowly.
Observing the breath is a great way to bring the mind into a state of focus.
Take your time breathing,
Let it move slowly and effortlessly,
And then shift your awareness from your breath back to your body now,
Feeling the floor beneath you.
Now think about the room or the space that you are in.
How does it feel to be here?
What is this place like?
Begin to take notice of the little things around you that you might take for granted as you go about your busy days.
Think of this room as a shelter,
A haven,
Keeping you safe from the outside elements,
Keeping you well protected and comfortable.
Feel the air on your skin and notice what it feels like,
Warm or cold,
Appreciate the temperature of the air that surrounds you.
Notice the sounds in this room now,
Perhaps you hear a ticking clock,
The hum of a fan or the murmur of voices.
You may pause this recording or lower the volume if necessary as you observe.
And rather than thinking of these sounds as noises or distractions,
Lend some appreciation to them.
Think of each sound as an opportunity to explore your surroundings and become more mindful of all of the moving parts that exist here.
Just listen,
Be present.
Again,
You may pause this recording or lower the volume if necessary.
Breathe deeply now and see what you can smell,
See if you can uncover scents that you may not have realized were here.
Inhaling through the nose as you pick up on subtle aromas,
Perhaps you smell the wood of the floor beneath you or of the walls around you,
Or perhaps you can smell plants or soil,
Or maybe you notice other scents drifting in through the window or from another room.
Just breathe,
Explore and appreciate this moment of mindfulness.
If there is an absence of smell or of any other scents,
That is okay too.
Just notice what you notice.
Now begin to extend your awareness to outside of your immediate surroundings.
Think about your entire home and everything within it.
Bring to mind the things that you use every day to help your life run more smoothly.
Alarm clocks,
Refrigerators,
Sinks,
Closets and clothes.
See yourself going through a normal day but moving more slowly through it,
More mindfully.
Taking your time getting dressed,
Washing up,
Eating and working.
Imagine taking the time each day to express gratitude for all of these modern conveniences.
Try not to dwell on the haves and have-nots,
Simply appreciate every aspect of your daily experience.
Continue to breathe deeply,
Setting an intention to move more mindfully throughout each day,
Starting right now.
Extending your awareness even further now as you think of the world outside.
Think of the blue sky above,
The sun,
The trees that offer you shade and the soil beneath your feet.
Think of the seasons,
Autumn with its deep,
Rich colors and crisp breeze.
Picture the perfect winter day,
Complete with a warm cup of tea or coffee and a comforting fireplace.
Breathe in the dewy freshness of spring,
Watching flowers bloom as the sun returns to the earth.
Think of the slow,
Lazy days of summer,
Soaking up the sunlight,
Savoring sweet,
Ripe fruits and cool,
Refreshing drinks.
Continue to express appreciation for the changing of the seasons and the gifts that each one brings.
Now,
It's easy to find gratitude for everything that runs smoothly in our lives,
But how about the bumps in the road?
We can be thankful for these little life lessons too.
The spilled milk,
The flat tire,
The seemingly endless grocery line.
All of the little errands or minor annoyances that pepper our days.
Every mishap offers us a chance to slow down,
The chance to live in the present moment and to focus our attention on the matters at hand.
Imagine navigating these bumps in the road with grace and ease,
Effortlessly going with the flow and keeping a cool,
Calm head.
Adopting a come-what-may attitude.
Deep breath in now,
Pulling the air as far into the body as is comfortable and a slow,
Letting-go breath as you release all stress.
Another deep inhale and slow exhale,
Releasing expectation.
And a few more slow breaths,
Letting go of anything that prevents you from experiencing gratitude.
Releasing all blocks,
Letting all inner barriers to gratitude dissolve.
And inhaling clarity and relaxation in their place.
Engage with a peaceful,
Steady rhythm of your breath as you continue to invite gratitude into this experience.
In the wise words of author G.
K.
Chesterton,
When it comes to life,
The critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
Let that sentiment sink in.
The critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
Commit to turning all of your for-granteds into gratitude,
Mindfully walking through your life and making an effort to notice more,
Feel more,
And see more.
Take a couple more deep breaths,
Fully integrating this idea of taking everything with gratitude.
And when you are ready,
Breathe naturally and become aware of your body once again.
Feel the floor beneath you,
The air against your skin.
Notice the sounds around you as you slowly allow your eyes to open.
Taking everything in.
This is your life.
You are here,
Right now.
As you continue your day or night,
Remember to take everything with gratitude.
