Welcome to this practice to support you in showering yourself with gratitude.
I'm Mary Beth Hyland,
Alignment Coach and Teacher here on Insight Timer.
Today's guided meditation is a play on words because you are invited to safely listen and follow along with it while taking a shower.
It's a particularly impactful way to begin your day.
However,
If it's more comfortable for you to simply visualize yourself in a shower,
That will work too.
The choice is always yours.
Through this simple practice,
We are going to reinvent the possibility of what your typical routine might look like when you bathe.
It's the opportunity to mindfully connect,
Reflect,
And grow as someone who cares about your body's well-being and appreciates the vessel it provides and the messages it sends.
We'll begin at the top of your head and make our way down to your toes as you intentionally connect and give gratitude to each part of your body along the way.
Let's begin.
Before you step into the shower,
Whether it be literally or figuratively,
Let's pause and take one moment to connect with your heart.
Closing your eyes,
Placing your hands on your heart,
Taking long deep breaths in and out of the nose,
Simply bow your head towards your heart to set your intention for this practice of showering in gratitude.
Repeat the following mantra aloud or in your mind.
I honor my body as it's the keeper of my soul.
I have deep gratitude for all that it does to serve me and all of the messages it gives me.
I take this time to shout out my prayers.
I'm going to give you a little bit of a shout out.
I honor the messages it gives me.
I take this time to shower myself with gratitude.
Now as you step into the shower,
Find a comfortable temperature and truly be present in this moment.
Not thinking about your to-do lists or trying to solve any problems,
Just paying attention to this moment.
Let's begin by noticing the feeling of the water on your skin.
Simply noticing the temperature and the pressure,
Noticing the sensation of it washing over you,
Noticing how it offers you the opportunity to refresh and renew yourself in its properties.
Water symbolizes rebirth,
Healing,
Change,
Dreaming,
Clarity,
And intuition.
Building on those profound values,
Let's start with your head and slowly move down your body,
Paying attention to the specific region that we are acknowledging and giving it thanks for all the ways in which it serves you.
You're invited to cleanse yourself in this practice by letting your body cleanse itself.
You're invited to cleanse yourself in this practice by washing your hair when we focus on your head,
Cleansing your face when we focus on your face,
And so on.
Once again,
That choice is yours.
Let's begin now by focusing your attention on the top of your head,
Putting your hands and your hair on your skin and connecting with its touch,
Its texture,
Its temperature,
Giving it thanks for all the ways in which it serves you.
It's not only the crown of your head but also the vessel that carries your beautiful mind.
Take a moment here to express your gratitude through your thoughts and physical touch for your perfectly imperfect head.
Now make your way down to your face,
Seeing and sending gratitude to your eyes,
Being the windows out into the world for showing you so much,
To your nose,
Having gratitude for all the scents and fragrances that you have delighted in as a result of its gifts.
To your mouth for being the megaphone through which you can express your thoughts and impact lives,
To your ears that enable you to hear the delight of your own thoughts and emotions,
To your ears that enable you to hear the delight of a bird song,
To the sounds of your favorite album,
To this entire face which serves as your first place of deep connection,
Your first place of deep connection with others.
Take a moment here to express any further thoughts of gratitude for your perfectly imperfect face.
Moving your way down through your neck,
Appreciating the home of your voice box and your partner in seeing nearly all directions,
Gently roll your neck and perhaps even give it a light massage with your hands,
Whatever feels good and releases any built-up tension or stress.
Take a moment to express your gratitude for your perfectly imperfect neck.
Now onto your shoulders,
Having so much appreciation for all the things that you've done for your life,
Having so much appreciation for all that they carry in this life's journey,
Perhaps giving them a gentle roll or a rub,
Just saying thank you for all that you do to serve me each day,
These perfectly imperfect shoulders.
Onto your chest,
The keeper of your heart,
Expressing gratitude for all the ways in which it keeps you feeling strong and powerful.
Down through the arms,
These arms which allow you to embrace another being,
To feel the warmth of a hug and appreciate the strength that these arms provide,
Giving complete gratitude for these perfectly imperfect arms.
And finally,
Onto each hand and finger that's connected,
Taking your hands now and gently rubbing them against one another's palms,
Doing so at such a tension that you can almost feel the ridges of your fingerprints against your skin,
Appreciating these hands that enable you to create anything you can imagine,
Remembering the connection and love that's ignited through high fives,
Pinky swears,
Or even holding hands with loved ones.
Give gratitude for your perfectly imperfect hands.
Now down to your torso,
The place where all your food is digested and where butterflies often live,
The place where you can feel the warmth of your hands,
Where butterflies often live,
The place where you check in to see if you're in or out of alignment,
Those gut knowings that always serve you when you listen,
Giving any gratitude now that you have for your perfectly imperfect torso.
On to your back,
Thankful for holding you together,
The spine of a dream,
The spine of a true warrior who has chosen to stand tall in this life's journey through the highs,
Lows,
And everything in between.
This backbone has kept you moving forward even when it may have felt impossible,
Taking moment here to have gratitude for your perfectly imperfect back.
Moving down to your seat,
Having an appreciation for the divine power that comes from this part of ourselves,
The ability to reproduce,
To experience pleasure,
And the ability to release what isn't serving us.
Take a moment here to express your gratitude for your perfectly imperfect seat.
Now down to your legs,
These carriers of your direction,
The powerhouses that enable you to move,
Glide,
Dance,
Kick,
Or run.
These strong pillars keep you moving each day.
Take a moment here to express your gratitude for your perfectly imperfect legs.
And finally now to your feet and toes,
The anchor you have to this world,
Grounding into the rhythm of mother nature,
The heartbeat of the earth through your feet,
And the joy of simply wiggling your toes.
Now choosing to give your attention to one toe at a time,
Thanking each one for its service.
Take a final moment here to express your gratitude for your perfectly imperfect feet.
And now coming back to where we began,
Place your hands on your heart,
Recognizing this ultimate guide,
Creator,
Keeper,
And wise sage within.
Take a deep breath in,
And withholding it at the top,
Feeling this immense gratitude being pulled in from the top of your head all the way to the bottom of your feet,
Holding that breath until you can't hold it any longer,
Feeling those immense feelings of gratitude,
Finally with a deep exhale,
Releasing out anything that is no longer serving you,
Letting it all go,
Knowing that only gratitude lives here now,
Bringing a smile to your face,
Realizing that you can take any moment in your life,
Like a shower,
And turn it into a celebration of gratitude each day.
What a gift.
As we close this practice,
I'm simply reminding you that you can shower in gratitude anytime you want,
And in that,
You give yourself and others permission to be human.
