Welcome to this evening gratitude meditation.
This is an invitation to end your day with an open and full heart and to consciously honor the gifts this day has offered you.
Find a quiet place where you can sit down or lie down comfortably.
Allow your eyes to close gently.
Bring your awareness to your breath,
Inhale deeply and exhale softly,
Again inhale and let the breath flow out slowly.
With each breath that follows,
Allow your body to soften a little more.
If you notice any areas of tension,
Invite them to release with the exhale.
There is nothing you need to do,
Nothing you need to achieve.
Now gently bring your awareness to your heart space,
Either your physical heart or your heart chakra in the middle of your chest.
Your heart is often described as the seat of gratitude.
Perhaps,
You can sense warmth here,
Openness or a subtle movement.
Whatever it is you feel,
It is exactly right the way it is.
If during the practice you notice gratitude somewhere else in your body,
That is perfectly fine,
Simply allow yourself to feel where it is present today.
Take a few more breaths here,
Resting your attention in this space.
Now gently turn your awareness toward the day that lies behind you.
There is no need to search or to analyze.
In the quiet,
Moments of gratitude may begin to show themselves.
Allow them to arise at their own pace.
First,
Invite a moment in which you were with yourself,
A moment of presence,
Honesty,
Rest or awareness,
Perhaps breath you noticed,
A feeling you allowed,
A boundary you honored.
Take your time and see what shows up.
If something appears,
Gently rest with it.
Feel the gratitude in your body.
Breathe into it and let it spread with the exhale.
Take your time here.
Next,
Allow a moment of gratitude connected to another person to emerge,
A conversation,
A smile,
Support given or received or simply shared presence.
You don't need to force anything.
If a moment shows itself,
Welcome it.
Notice how gratitude feels in your heart and body.
Now invite the moment of connection with another living being.
This could be an animal,
A plant,
A tree or nature itself.
Perhaps a brief encounter,
A look,
A sense of aliveness.
Let yourself feel the gratitude for this connection.
Breathe gently and stay with the sensation.
Next,
Allow something very small to come into awareness,
Something that might seem insignificant at first yet felt special to you today.
Maybe a sound,
A taste,
A ray of light,
A quiet moment.
Let this small gift be enough and notice how even the smallest things can open the heart.
And now,
Broaden your awareness.
What is something in your life that you may usually take for granted?
Something that is simply there day after day?
Maybe your body,
A place to rest,
Breath,
Safety,
Support.
Allow gratitude for this to arise in whatever way feels true.
If at any point nothing comes to mind,
That is completely okay.
There is no right or wrong here.
Every day brings new opportunities to notice moments of gratitude.
Now,
Once again,
Take all these moments you collected and bring them together as your little treasure of gratitude for today.
With each inhale,
Gently receive these moments.
With each exhale,
Allow the feeling of gratitude to spread through your body.
Perhaps there is a soft smile in your heart,
A sense of contentment,
A quiet fullness.
Rest here for a few more breaths,
Allowing gratitude to settle and integrate.
These moments are part of the true richness of your life.
When you feel ready,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the room.
Feel the surface beneath you.
Notice your breath.
Start by moving your hands,
Your fingers,
Your feet and your toes and then you may gently open your eyes.
I invite you to carry this feeling of gratitude with you into the evening and into your sleep.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself.
I wish you a peaceful and restful night.
