Gratitude Practice

Meditation for cultivating gratitude. Far too often we focus on the negative, on our tiniest mistakes, while ignoring our greatest successes. Through a regular gratitude practice, we learn to shift our focus and change perspective, so that we recognize, embrace, and celebrate the good too.

Transcript

So this is a practice focusing around gratitude and the cultivation of gratitude and appreciation. The benefits of a gratitude practice are really just in helping to shift one's perspective. We often tend to focus in on our hardships, Our tiniest flaws, And fail to see that there's also good things happening in our life as well. So we're going to try and shift that. So making your way to a comfortable seated position, Or if you'd like you can do this lying down. Some posture where you can stay awake and alert, But you feel comfortable and relaxed as well. If you're comfortable, Gently closing your eyes, Otherwise just gazing softly into the distance. Going through the body, Inviting the body to soften. So softening the forehead, The eyes, The cheeks. Softening the shoulders, The arms, The hands. Softening the legs and the feet. Letting go of any activation in your body. Belly sole, Chest sole. The body breathing. So noticing your breath. Noticing where you feel your breath. Is it in the belly? Is it in the chest? Is it in your throat? The tip of the nose? Where is your breath most obvious to you right now? And noticing if the mind is a little bit distracted or agitated, Inviting the mind to be present with the body, With the breath. Without judgment. And then beginning to slow down the breath, To lengthen out your breath. Breathing in and out of your belly, So that your belly expands as you breathe in. Gently falling as you breathe out. Lengthening out your breath. Slowing down your breath. Just a few more rounds of these deep, Expansive breaths. Breathing in that fresh energy, Life. And as you breathe out, Letting go. Letting go of the day. Letting go of your thoughts. Control of your breath. And allowing it to return to its natural rhythm. Body breathing. And then bringing to mind someone you really appreciate having in your life. Like be someone you're close to. Or it might also be someone you're not particularly close to, But they just brighten up your days when you see them. So just choosing one person who maybe brings you happiness, Joy, Peace, Contentment. Whose company you appreciate and enjoy. So there's no wrong answer here. So just choosing one person and picturing them before. Picturing their face, Their hair, Smile, Posture, Something they wear. Really getting the visual image of this person before you. And connecting with how you feel when you're around them. Is it happy? Do you feel content, Excited, Joyful, Comfortable? How do you feel when you're around this person? And labeling those feelings, Giving those feelings a name. Acknowledging them. Happy, Content, Joyful. And then checking in with your physical body. How do you feel in your physical body as you connect with these emotions, These feelings? How do you feel in your physical body when you're around this person? And maybe the feelings are in a particular area, Chest, Belly. Or maybe it's a general felt body sensation. And what is the quality of those feelings? Is it a warmth, Coldness, Tightness, Softness, Tingling? Maybe there's a color or a texture. Just noticing how your body feels as you connect with these good feelings that you experience around this person. Tuning in with a sense of appreciation. Appreciation for having this person in your life. A person around whom you feel this way, Around whom you feel good. Sensing, Sensing that appreciation, That gratitude, That thankfulness for this person. Gratitude for the fact that they exist. They're part of your life. And noticing how this feeling of appreciation feels in your body. Where can you feel it? Head, Belly, Chest. And what is the quality of the sensation? Is it a squeezing, A tightness? Is it a softness, An openness, A lightness? Is it hot or cold? Color or texture? How does it feel to appreciate this person? And then giving that appreciation word. And in your mind repeating these words. Glad this person exists. I am grateful this person exists. I appreciate having them in my life. Glad this person exists. I am grateful this person exists. I appreciate having them in my life. And noticing the impact of these words in your physical body. How does it feel to utter these words of appreciation? And then letting go of that person, Letting them drift away. And connecting, Connecting with your body. Perhaps your feet in contact with the ground. Chair or the bed. Whatever it is supporting you. And the breath, The body breathing. As you now bring to mind a place. A place that you really enjoy being in. It might be somewhere you go often. Or maybe it's somewhere you've visited in the past. But some place where you've been happy, You've been at peace. You've enjoyed being in. Maybe you experience joy there, Happiness or contentment. Some place, Physical location that you enjoy. And there's no wrong answer. So just choosing a place and picturing it before you. Colors that are there. Objects or plants or animals. Maybe the people. The sounds, The smells. Picturing, Picturing this place in as much detail as you can. Tuning in with all the senses. Sight, Smell, Sound, Touch. And noticing how your body feels as you remember this place. Does it feel soft and open? Does it feel strong or gentle? Slur of warmth, Of freshness. How does your body feel as you remember this place? And then tuning in with a sense of appreciation for this place. Feeling of being happy that this place exists. Feeling that you get to spend time in it or you have in the past. Feeling of thankfulness, Of gratefulness. And connecting with that. Noticing how this feels in your body. How does it feel to be appreciative and grateful and thankful for this place existing? Maybe you feel it in a particular part of your body. Maybe it's a general felt body sense. And how does it feel? Is it a tightness? Is it a tingling? Is it a softness, An openness, A warmth? Is it hot or cold? Is there color or texture? How does it feel to appreciate and be thankful for this place? And then in your mind saying the word. I'm glad this place exists. I'm grateful this place exists. I appreciate having this place in my life. I'm glad this place exists. I'm grateful this place exists. I appreciate having this place in my life. And just really connecting with how those words feel in your body. How it feels to say these words. Letting go of the place. And connecting back in with your body in the present moment. The body in contact with the earth, The chair, Whatever it is that's supporting you. And the body breathing in the breath. How it feels to be alive right now. In this moment. And then you can either stay here and continue this practice. Reflecting on other things you're grateful for. And how it feels to be grateful for them. How it feels in your body. And otherwise whenever you're ready, Gently opening your eyes.