Welcome to today's gratitude meditation.
Thank you so much for joining me and taking the time to rest in gratitude.
In this practice,
We are allowing ourselves to rest and relive moments that we are grateful for.
Our minds are already primed to relive past negative events,
But we tend to forget the positive ones.
Today,
We are strengthening our replay button for those positive moments in our lives,
So that they can become a bit more prominent,
And so that those negative events can spend a bit more time on the back burner.
To get started,
Find a comfortable seat.
This can be lying down,
Sitting cross-legged on the floor,
Sitting in a chair.
However you feel most comfortable and at ease today.
Now close your eyes and take your attention to your breath.
Begin to notice your inhales and your exhales without feeling the need to change anything about it.
Take stock of how you're feeling right now physically,
Mentally,
And emotionally.
Now start to invite your breath deeper into the body.
I like to rest my hands on my abdomen and gently encourage your breath into your belly,
Feeling the rise and fall beneath your hands.
And if you're not feeling much movement there,
Don't force it.
Simply direct your attention into that space.
Now let's tune into your feelings of gratefulness.
As you sit here,
Breathing deeply,
Acknowledge the most basic fact that you are alive.
You are here,
Right now,
Breathing.
That's pretty remarkable.
You are alive.
Next,
Take a moment to think of one experience that you are really grateful for.
Choose an experience that you feel strongly about.
Replay it in your mind.
Picture it happening all over again,
Right now.
How did this moment or experience make you feel?
Allow those feelings of gratitude to resurface.
If it feels good,
Smile as you remember this moment.
Notice how gratitude feels in your body.
Do you feel it in your chest?
In your belly?
Does it feel warming?
Do you feel expansive?
Try and describe or simply notice these feelings and how they feel.
Notice the quality of gratitude in your body as you relive this experience.
Now keep these feelings of gratitude at the forefront of your mind,
But allow the story or the memory to fade again into the background.
Feel this gratitude sinking deep into your body.
If you're not feeling very grateful just yet,
That's okay.
Simply notice whatever is there,
Whatever you are feeling,
And repeat,
I am cultivating feelings of gratitude.
I am cultivating feelings of gratitude.
As you inhale,
Continue repeating this mantra in your mind.
As you exhale,
Invite in any feelings of gratitude that might arise.
Similar to what we first did with this experience,
We're now going to reflect on five things from our day that we're grateful for.
It could be an experience,
It could be people,
Places,
Opportunities,
Anything that comes to mind.
And if you need to look beyond today into yesterday,
Last week,
Last month,
That's okay too.
For each thing,
Replay it in your mind or imagine it in as much detail as you can.
Allow the feeling of gratitude to grow within you as you reflect on each thing.
So let's begin with the first one.
As you recall this moment,
Where were you?
Who were you with?
Why was this moment important?
And how does it make you feel?
If you're stuck,
Consider people that you love,
A beloved pet,
Even strangers that have had an impact on your life,
Teachers that you've learned from.
Breathe into these feelings.
Inhale and exhale.
Now let's move on to the second one.
Dive into this experience as if it's happening all over again right now in your mind.
Again,
Replay the moment.
Who were you with?
Where were you?
And why does this moment matter?
Breathe into this experience of gratitude.
Now let's talk about number three.
Maybe this one is an opportunity that you've had,
A moment that helped you grow or learn more about yourself.
Again,
Play this moment in your mind's eye and really focus on how these moments are making you feel.
How the gratitude is building within you.
Again,
If it feels good,
You can bring a smile to your face.
Now number four.
Maybe this time we'll look at a place that you've been.
What happened in that place?
Why does that place matter to you?
Why are you grateful for that place?
Now number five.
These moments can be big or small,
As small or as simple as someone holding a door open for you.
How did you relive this moment?
Why was this moment important?
Recall how you felt in that initial moment.
Allow the scenarios to fall away,
But continue to rest in this feeling of gratitude.
If you need to remind yourself,
Repeat the mantra,
I am cultivating gratitude.
When you're ready,
Bring your attention back to your mind.
When you're ready,
Bring your attention back to your breath.
Once again,
Start to notice the inhale and the exhale.
Noticing the rise and fall of your belly.
Take a moment now to thank yourself for this practice.
Turn your gratitude inwards.
Slowly invite movement back into your body.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Maybe rock your head from side to side.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Let's go.
