Hi and welcome to this daily dose of gratitude.
Start by sitting upright but without it being uncomfortable.
Make sure that the front of your body is open so as to receive the full range of your breath.
Close your eyes to turn your attention inwards and start breathing slowly through your nose.
Become entirely still.
The only thing moving in you is the air coming in and out of your nostrils.
Now notice what's happening in your experience of this moment.
The different sounds around you.
The sensations of your chair or cushion beneath you.
And if you feel a particular mood today,
Notice how that mood manifests within your body.
Turn your attention to the sensations of your breathing and notice how your body is breathing on autopilot without you having to do anything but to observe this rising and falling movement.
Now,
Starting at the top of your head and all the way down to your toes,
Observe the sensations in your body with curiosity.
If you notice stronger sensations,
Slowly sweep your attention once again on this area and notice if they're linked to any particular emotion you're feeling today.
If at any point during this meditation you're distracted by thoughts,
Sounds or sensations,
It's perfectly normal and it's okay.
When you notice these thoughts,
Simply bring your attention back to your breath,
That is to the sensations of the air coming in and out of your nostrils or to the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen.
Follow your breath from the very beginning of the inhale to the very end of your exhale.
And now,
Simply by observing your breath,
Allow it to slow down so that the flow of air moving in and out of your body becomes thinner and thinner,
As if your breath was following the rhythm of tiny waves on a quiet beach.
When you follow your breath with your full attention,
It's as if you were diving in the depths of your inner ocean.
You can watch the waves of your thoughts and emotions from an area of calm and serenity.
If you get caught into one of these waves,
It's all right.
Simply bring your attention back to your breath.
Now bring something beautiful that you saw in the past week,
Such as a place in nature or a work of art.
Visualize this scene as if it were happening right now.
Here and now,
Feel the sensations in your body when you're in the presence of beauty.
With every inhale,
Breathe in a feeling of gratitude for witnessing such a beautiful sight.
Now bring to mind something delicious you ate or drank this past week.
Here and now,
Feel the sensations in your body when you eat or drink something you love.
With every inhale,
Breathe in a feeling of gratitude for this delicious experience you had.
Now remember a recent interaction you had with someone that made you feel good,
Perhaps a good laugh with a friend,
A meaningful conversation,
Or even a hug.
Visualize this situation as if it were happening right now.
Here and now,
Recall the sensations you felt in your body during the event.
With every inhale,
Breathe in a feeling of gratitude for this moment of connection with someone.
Now bring to mind a recent moment when you found the courage to do something that felt difficult in some way.
Picture this situation as if it were happening right now.
Here and now,
Feel the sensations you felt in your body at that moment.
With every inhale,
Breathe in a feeling of gratitude for the challenge you went through that made you a little stronger.
Now bring to mind someone you're grateful to have in your life.
Notice what specific aspect of your relationship with this person you particularly appreciate.
Maybe it's your ability to support each other through difficult times,
To have fun together,
Or to have meaningful conversations.
Pick one such aspect of the relationship and imagine yourself living it now.
With every inhale,
Bring to your body a feeling of gratitude for having this person in your life.
Now think of someone you care about in whose life something wonderful has recently happened.
Perhaps someone who was sick is now feeling better,
Or someone achieved a personal goal,
Got a new job,
Found a new home.
Visualize the joy and relief they must have felt in that moment.
Here and now,
Feel the sensations of gratitude in your body for their good fortune and for being able to witness this moment of happiness in their life.
With every inhale,
Breathe in gratitude for the joy and blessings in the lives of others.
Finally,
Bring to mind a moment when you did something kind or meaningful for someone else recently.
Perhaps you took the time to listen to someone,
You helped prepare a meal or simply offered a smile or kind words.
Picture this moment as if it were happening right now.
Here and now,
Feel the sensations of warmth in your body that come from having made a positive impact,
No matter how small.
With every inhale,
Breathe in a sense of gratitude for the care and kindness you're capable of giving to others.
We will now focus on five affirmations to strengthen your ability to feel gratitude naturally throughout your day.
Pay attention to the words contained in the affirmations while remaining focused on your breathing.
First affirmation,
I'm grateful for the people I love.
Second affirmation,
I'm grateful for the beauty around me.
Third affirmation,
I'm grateful for the pleasant experiences in my life.
Fourth affirmation,
I'm grateful for the challenges that make me grow.
Fifth affirmation,
The more I focus on the good things in life,
The more generous life becomes.
Before ending this meditation,
Once again notice your current mood and observe how you feel when you're connected to the present moment.
You can now slowly come back to the space around you by noticing your surroundings,
Starting with the ambient sounds,
The weight of your body on your seat,
And when you're ready,
You can slowly open your eyes.
I hope you enjoyed today's daily dose of gratitude.
Have a great day,
And I'll see you soon for another meditation.
