Sensing Gratitude

For the days when gratitude doesn't come as naturally. This compassionate and calming meditation guides the listener through the five senses to find gratitude in the little everyday moments we can sometimes take for granted.

Transcript

Hi,

I'm Kris and I too have days where gratitude just seems out of reach.

And you know those days where you spill your coffee or your car won't start.

The days where everything just seems to be going wrong.

And we sometimes call these bad days.

But I don't believe in bad days.

I believe that all days are comprised of individual moments that are presented to us in the form of choices.

And when we slow down,

We can choose how we perceive,

Feel about,

And react to these moments.

And so my intention is to make gratitude as natural and effortless as possible by calling on your five senses so that you can add a little more peace or joy to your day.

And I thank you for choosing to meditate with me today.

Well,

Let's start by finding a comfortable space for your body to rest.

It can be seated or lying down.

Just choose any position that allows you to feel completely at ease.

And take a big expansive breath,

Filling up your lungs completely.

And as you exhale through your mouth,

Allow your eyes to gently close.

Start to breathe in and out through your nose.

Allow the eyelids to become very heavy and the area around your eyes to soften.

Let the jaw and the tongue relax and the shoulders to drop down away from the ears.

Start to slow the breath down a little.

Feel the sensation of your ribs softly expanding with your inhale and gently contracting in with your exhale.

Notice if you're holding any tension in the arms or hands.

And if so,

Compassionately respond by gently releasing it.

Slow the breath down a little more.

And now notice if you're holding any tension in the hips or legs or feet.

And again,

Just lovingly releasing it.

Bring your attention back to the sensation of your ribs gracefully floating out to the sides on your in-breath,

Effortlessly floating back in on your out-breath.

And then focus on the area of your heart as you slowly breathe in and out through your nose.

And at any time during this meditation,

You may choose to allow one or both hands to rest over your heart.

We sometimes think that we need to be happy in order to be grateful.

And it is actually gratitude that precedes happiness.

But for right now,

In this moment,

I'll ask you to call upon your five senses to elicit feelings of joy and comfort.

So slow the breath down a little more.

Drop your shoulders.

Make any movements that the body needs to feel even more comfort.

And then allowing the eyes to stay closed,

Call to mind something beautiful.

Something that never fails to make you smile.

It may be a sunset or stars lighting up the night sky.

Or maybe it's an exquisite garden or the first fresh snowfall of winter.

It could be the smile of a loved one or seeing the look of wonder on a child's face.

Simply scan the archives of your mind for images that bring you joy.

And when you find one that really lights you up,

Concentrate on that image as you focus on the area of your heart.

Continue to breathe slowly in and out through your nose.

And if it feels right,

You can silently repeat I am on your in-breath and grateful.

And now start to call to mind a sound that brings you joy.

You may choose something subtle and soothing,

Like waves lapping onto the beach or wind rustling through the leaves of the trees.

Maybe something a little more energizing like laughter or music.

Or maybe you find enjoyment from a simpler sound like popcorn popping or the crackling of a campfire.

There may even be a sound you currently hear that makes you happy.

But once you settle on the sound of your choice,

Focus again on the area of your heart.

Breathing in,

I,

And breathing out.

Now tuning into your sense of smell.

Maybe you already have one in mind.

It could be the smell of newly cleaned laundry or freshly cut flowers.

Or maybe that first cup of coffee brewing in the morning.

Or the scent of your favorite meal wafting from the kitchen.

Maybe it's a scented candle.

Or perhaps a perfume or cologne that brings back wonderful memories.

And whatever your thing is,

That smell that you just can't help but melt into.

Hold it close to your heart.

Breathing in,

I am.

Breathing out,

Grateful.

And if your happy scent was from something delicious,

Maybe you stay right there for the sense of taste.

Maybe you can think of something that brings you even more joy.

You're thinking of a favorite mouth-watering dessert or an ice-cold lemonade on a hot day.

And when you find that taste,

Allow yourself to savor the moment.

Imagining this satisfying taste.

Your attention to your heart as you breathe in,

And breathe out.

Finally,

The sense of touch.

Perhaps you are already experiencing the feeling of a warm blanket or a soft cushion or pillow.

Maybe you can even feel the sun on your face or cool air on your skin.

You may choose to bring to mind the feeling of a comforting embrace or petting a beloved animal.

And when you find that feeling that fills you with so much love,

Happiness,

Or peace,

Once again,

Pull that feeling into your heart space.

Breathing in,

I am.

Breathing out,

Grateful.

And now,

Still holding all of those things in your heart,

Call anything to your mind.

Any sight or smell or feeling that brings you comfort or joy.

Any amazing memory or moment in time that brought you great happiness.

Bring those into your heart and feel as it swells with gratitude.

And allow your heart to fill with even more things or people or places.

Continue to scan the archives of your mind,

Seeking out any moments in time of contentment or pleasure or excitement and allow yourself to soak it in,

Really feeling the gratitude.

Allow it to permeate all the cells of your body.

Breathing in,

I am.

And breathing out,

Grateful.

Brene Brown says,

I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness.

It's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude.

So start to bring more energy to your inhales.

Begin to bring a little movement back into your toes and fingers.

Take a deep inhale and allow the energy to move up through your feet and legs and into your hips.

Inhaling deeply,

Bringing energy into your ribs and the area around your heart.

And taking a moment here to lock in the feelings of gratitude and allowing energy to move up through your hands and arms,

Bringing some energetic movement into the shoulders and neck,

Stretching through the body if it feels good.

And then allow that energy to travel up and into your throat and jaw and maybe allow the lips to curl into a smile.

And then finally bringing your attention to the backs of your eyelids and taking your time to slowly and gently bat them open.

And if you feel so inclined,

You may take this opportunity to jot down some things you are grateful for or even share them with a friend or loved one.

May you hold in your heart all the gratitude,

Joy,

And peace you desire,

Sending big love,

Bright light,

And a smile.

And I humbly thank you for meditating with me today.

Reviews

We all need to be reminded to hold Gratitude for the simple things in life 🙏 Thank you for sharing this gentle meditation. I am Grateful 😊. May you be well💜💫

I was a ball of anxiety. this really helped. Thank you