Welcome to this meditation focused on gratitude and loving-kindness.
Please find a comfortable posture.
Close your eyes and turn your attention inwards.
Begin to observe your natural inhalations and natural exhalations.
Begin to slow your breath down,
Taking longer inhalations and longer exhalations.
As you begin to slow the breath down and focus more inward,
You will be able to hear your heartbeat a little easier.
Bring your mind's eye to your heart area and observe your heart beating.
Take a moment to thank your heart for beating and keeping you alive while asking for nothing in return.
You can further strengthen this intention by mentally saying thank you to your heart.
Continue to repeat this affirmation to yourself and this intention of thanking your heart.
As you continue to repeat this intention,
You'll observe small waves of bliss arise from the heart space.
This may be very small at first,
But as you strengthen your meditative concentration,
These feelings will start to arise and strengthen in your heart area.
And much like the heart,
Begin to reflect on what ways meditation has brought you peace,
Has brought you calm,
Has brought you centeredness.
It is a practice that is free and nourishes you without asking for anything in return.
How wonderful it is to have this beautiful practice to come back to in our busy modern times filled with activity.
You may strengthen your intention of thankfulness towards your meditation practice by mentally repeating the phrase,
I am grateful for meditation.
And reflect upon the fact that as you meditate right now,
There are thousands of other practitioners around the world doing the same thing,
And a few even listening to this track with you.
Some of these meditators practicing loving-kindness are sending intentions of goodwill over to you right now.
And you be open to receive this.
And just as you receive thoughts and feelings of peace and well-being from other meditators,
Begin to send these intentions back out to them.
You may use the phrase,
May you find peace,
May you find happiness,
While visualizing in your heart center the faces of various practitioners and meditators all over the world.
And also in different settings,
The same country as you,
In different countries,
From urban cities to rural towns,
And everything in between.
See your fellow practitioners in your heart center,
Sending you love,
And in turn,
Send them love as well.
Reflect on how wonderful it is to have a community of fellow practitioners,
Teachers present and of the past,
And friends from all over the world,
Supporting you right now,
In this moment.
Bring your attention back to your heart center.
Observe how your body and your mind feel.
And just know that we can come back to this feeling at any time.
Meditation,
Gratitude,
And the feeling of support from our fellow practitioners can provide us a safe haven of peace and joy.
In a journey of life,
Bring your hands to heart center,
And thank yourself for practicing today.
