Welcome to today's inner climate practice.
This is a practice to help you shift into a state of gratitude.
Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed,
Uneasy or restless and need a reset today.
Or maybe you simply want to cultivate a little more appreciation,
Love and gratitude.
Gratitude is where we experience abundance and in a world that so often encourages us to focus on what we lack.
Choosing to appreciate what is already here can be incredibly powerful.
When we practice gratitude we become more present,
And more receptive to the goodness already in our lives,
And perhaps more open to receiving even more of it.
So for the next few minutes,
We're going to gently shift our attention away from what might be missing and towards what is already here.
The beauty,
The people,
The small moments,
Experiences,
The things we so easily move past without noticing.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable position either sitting or laying down.
And when you're ready gently close your eyes.
Take a slow breath in through the nose.
And sigh it out through the mouth.
One more time,
Deepen the breath through the nose.
And release it out through the mouth.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
And notice the breath in its natural rhythm.
Perhaps this can be the first thing that we appreciate.
The simple act of breathing that happens in every moment without our conscious awareness.
Your body breathing.
Your heart beating.
And take a moment to bring awareness to what is happening silently beneath the surface of your skin to keep you right here.
And see if you can offer your whole body from every cell to every organ just a small moment of appreciation for allowing you to experience this moment.
Now begin to widen your attention beyond the body.
Bring to mind something ordinary in your life that you appreciate.
Maybe it's the feeling of sunlight on your face or a favourite meal.
Maybe it's warm water running over your skin.
Choose just one thing and stay there for a moment.
Imagine experiencing this for the very first time.
Notice that perhaps the only reason this thing feels ordinary is because you've been so lucky to experience it before.
It has become part of the background of your life.
So for a moment,
Bring it back into the foreground.
Now bring to mind one person you're grateful to have in your life.
Someone you love or who has supported you,
Inspired you or simply just makes life a little better by being in it.
Picture them for a moment.
Maybe allow a memory to come to mind or a specific quality that you admire in this person.
Take a moment to feel into this memory.
Or into the experience of being in this person's presence.
Stay in this feeling for a little while.
I'll guide you out when it's time.
Start to bring your awareness back to the simple act of breathing.
Take a slow breath in through the nose.
And gently release it out through the mouth.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Perhaps something has shifted even just a little.
The circumstances of your life haven't changed in these last few minutes,
But perhaps the way you're experiencing them has.
Life isn't always simple or easy,
But when we slow down enough to pay attention,
We begin to notice just how much there is to appreciate.
Perhaps that's where true abundance begins.
Not in always having more,
But in recognizing more of what we already have.
As you move into the rest of your day,
I invite you to keep noticing.
The small things,
The beautiful things,
The things you've experienced so many times that you've forgotten just how extraordinary they are.
Remember that you have the power to influence your inner climate simply by choosing where you place your attention.
And whenever you're ready.
Gently open your eyes.
I'm grateful to you for practicing with me today.
