In a few moments I'm going to ask you to bring to mind a particular circumstance,
Something that's possibly unfolded for you recently,
And that offers you the opportunity to extend gratitude toward a frustration,
A challenge,
Or an obstacle in your life.
Allow whatever surfaces naturally to be the story that you choose.
If at any point it becomes too distracting or too heavy,
Remember you can always put it down,
Come back to the breath,
And choose again.
Today's practice originates from an acronym that I teach my students,
And that acronym is GEEK.
Although it may sound silly,
GEEK is a stress reduction practice that can be as long or as short as you need it to be.
Think of it as your SOS to stress.
This can be a simple formula that you extend toward yourself in those times of inner turmoil,
So that you can stop it from pouring out into your life and possibly leaking into some of your most cherished and important relationships.
GEEK stands for gratitude,
Ego,
Expectations,
And finally kindness.
I'll be guiding you through questions for each of these letters.
Just allow these questions to watch over you.
Allow your answers to naturally surface.
There's no trying.
We're just being and allowing.
Gratitude is often easier for things that are pleasant,
That invite positive emotions,
But it doesn't have to stop there.
In fact,
It may be even more powerful to practice gratitude for those unpleasant moments,
For that which frustrates us,
Challenges us,
Pushes us to our limit.
So take a moment and recall a circumstance in your life that tests you,
That's pushed you to your perceived limits.
And as you bring this to your mind's eye,
Notice any tensions that may be building in your body,
Any physical sensations or reactions to the movie playing in your mind.
And with a deep inhale and a long exhale,
Release any tightness you may be holding onto.
And simply focus on the emotion that this story brings up for you.
Ask yourself,
How can I bring gratitude to this moment or this current circumstance?
Notice how this question is worded.
You are the one that brings the gratitude.
The gratitude is in your hands.
How can I bring gratitude to this moment or current circumstance?
What is there to be thankful for,
Even if it's a lesson or an insight?
What is there to be thankful for,
Even if it's a lesson or an insight?
Again,
Allow these answers to surface within you naturally.
There's no right or wrong answer.
And if you struggle to find one,
Maybe you don't have much clarity on exactly how to be grateful or what to choose,
That's okay.
Let it go.
However this experience was for you,
Thank yourself for being open enough to try and let go of the questions and the answers as we move on to the next letter.
Next we're talking about the ego.
The I that often gets in the way of solutions and can often cause some problems for ourselves.
It's the wall that we build between us and them.
Making unity difficult.
So keeping that frustration,
That challenge or difficult emotion in mind,
Ask yourself,
Where is my ego getting in the way and how can I practice letting go?
Where is my ego getting in the way and how can I practice letting go?
It's important to remember that letting go is indeed a practice,
Not something you choose once and it stays with you.
With each mindful moment that you choose to be aware of yourself,
Of what goes on within,
You can also be aware of what you may be holding onto and what may not be serving you anymore.
With a deep inhale and a long and slow exhale,
Let go of whatever heaviness you may be holding onto.
Releasing your questions,
Your answers and all of the stories that may be swirling in your head.
Release them with gratitude,
Compassion and allow yourself to move on to the next letter.
Next we have expectations,
Which can be quite similar to the ego in that we cling and we attach and we hold onto what we perceive to be right or true.
Ask yourself,
What expectations am I attaching to others that are causing me to suffer?
What expectations am I attaching to others that are causing me to suffer?
Extend this question to yourself without judgment.
Just allow whatever answers surface to flow.
In what ways can I begin to let go?
In what ways can I begin to let go?
Just by asking yourself these questions and being open to the answers or responses that come up within you,
You are one step closer to inner peace and being able to extend that to those that you care for most.
Taking a long inhale and a slow and deep exhale,
Let go of these questions and answers.
As we move on to our final letter,
K for kindness.
Kindness must first begin within.
For if we are extending it to others without extending it to ourselves,
We will soon be depleted.
But if we fill up our own cup first,
There's plenty more where that came from for others.
So let's end this practice with kindness by asking how can I first express that to myself so that I can continue to express kindness to those I care for?
How can I express kindness to myself first so that I may continue to express kindness to those that I care for?
I invite you to bring your hands on top of your heart center.
As a simple expression of kindness and gratitude to your heart,
To your body,
And to yourself sitting and prioritizing this practice.
The more that we express kindness toward ourselves just for showing up,
The more likely we are to have that kindness pour out for those who show up for us and for those that we are constantly showing up for.
Each moment,
Each practice is an opportunity to choose kindness and to choose peace over and over again.
In a moment,
I will ring the bell to signify the end of this practice.
And I encourage you to keep with you the kindness and the gratitude that you've expressed to yourself in your mind's eye because even though it may be on a situation that has passed or maybe one that you're anticipating and hasn't happened yet,
Just by cultivating the awareness within,
You've already created shifts in what's possible for you.
I thank you and I honor you for sharing this space with me today.
May you be well and may you keep this practice with you in your heart.
