Welcome.
Find a comfortable seat or lie down,
Anywhere that you can truly rest.
Take a moment to notice the support beneath you.
Let yourself be held by whatever is cradling you,
The blanket,
Chair,
Floor,
The quiet underneath it all.
You don't need to do anything right now.
Simply allow yourself to arrive.
Soften the space around your eyes,
The corners of your mouth,
The weight of your shoulders.
Take a slow inhale through your nose and a gentle exhale through your mouth.
Inhale ease,
Exhale release.
Inhale softness,
Exhale letting go.
Notice the movement of your breath,
How your body subtly rises and falls with each inhale and exhale.
Let that rhythm remind you you're alive,
You're here,
And that is enough.
Now begin to invite a steady rhythm to your breath.
We'll breathe together,
Inhale through your nose for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold softly for 1,
2.
Exhale through your mouth for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold for 1,
2.
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold for 1,
2.
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Now we stretch it out a little bit more on the exhale.
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold softly for 1,
2.
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Again,
Inhale through the nose for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold softly for 1,
2.
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
One more time,
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold it for 1,
2.
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Let your breath settle with this nice deep connected breath.
Each exhale,
Quiet sigh,
Message to your nervous system of safety.
As you continue to breathe,
Picture gentle waves smoothing stones on a shoreline.
Your breath calming your body.
Now bring your attention to the center of your chest,
The space of your heart.
Imagine a small warm glow there,
Like the light of a candle.
Each inhale feeds that flame.
Each exhale allows its warmth to spread through your chest,
Your arms,
Your whole body.
Now bring to mind one thing you feel grateful for in this moment.
It might be a person,
A simple pleasure,
Or just this breath.
Now let that warmth of gratitude move through you,
From your heart expanding out to your fingertips and down to your toes.
Feel it soften every place that was holding tension,
Like a wave of calm and warmth washing over you.
If it helps,
Picture yourself beside a gentle fire,
Its warmth nourishing,
Reminding you that you are safe to rest here.
Now we'll move into a quiet thanksgiving of the heart.
A version of metta,
Or loving kindness,
Rooted in gratitude and connection.
I'll say each phrase,
And then I'll leave a few moments for you to repeat it silently or softly aloud.
May I be grounded and at ease.
May I feel grateful for this breath.
May I meet each moment with gentleness.
Now bring to mind someone that you feel thankful for.
A loved one,
A friend,
A teacher,
Even a pet.
See them in your mind's eye,
Surrounded by light.
Again,
I will offer up these phrases,
And you repeat them silently or softly aloud.
Envisioning this person,
This pet,
This friend in your mind's eye,
Surrounded by light.
May you be peaceful and safe.
May you feel loved and appreciated.
May you know the warmth of gratitude.
Let that feeling ripple outward to your family,
Your community,
To anyone who might need the same calm right now.
May all beings find ease in their breath.
May all beings feel nourished and supported.
May all beings remember their connection to one another.
Let's take a deep inhale together,
And a slow long exhale.
Notice what's present now.
Your breath,
Your body,
Your heart.
Feel the quiet hum of gratitude as something warm and alive within you.
Let that warmth linger like an ember.
Steady,
Glowing,
Always here when you pause to notice.
When you're ready,
Take one deeper breath in,
And exhale slowly.
Begin to bring small movement into your fingers and toes.
Carry this warmth into whatever comes next in your day.
Your conversations,
Your meals,
Your actions,
Your practice.
Each one an act of gratitude in motion.
If your eyes were closed,
Gently blink them open.
Thank you for joining me.
