Welcome to this meditation session.
I invite you to find a comfortable position in a quiet,
Safe space where you won't be interrupted for the next several minutes.
Whether you choose to sit or to lie down,
You want to be comfortable and supported and be able to be alert and relaxed,
But not so alert to be rigid and not so relaxed as to invite sleep.
Wiggle around a little bit and find your comfortable position and then close your eyes.
If you'd rather keep your eyes open,
That's okay.
Just soften your gaze and breathe through your nose if that's possible.
If not,
Slightly part your lips and breathe through your mouth.
Begin to slow your inhale and lengthen your exhale.
Breathe deeply,
But gently and slowly,
Keeping the breath and the body relaxed.
As you breathe gently,
Slowly,
And deeply,
Allow your breath to be the anchor for your awareness of this moment.
Let your breath bring you into this present moment now,
Right here,
Breathing and noticing how you can release any tension as you exhale.
Gently scan your body,
Noticing if there's an area that is holding tension.
If so,
Bring your attention and your breath to that area,
Warming it with your breath.
And then when you exhale,
Let the area and the tension loosen,
Releasing,
Let it all go.
If you find another spot of tension,
Bring your attention and breath to that area and let it know it too can release and relax.
Breathe in a soothing warmth,
Breathe out any tension.
You can do the same with any thoughts that might pop into your mind.
Breathe into the thought and let the thought go as you breathe out.
Gently and deeply in,
Gently and slowly out.
Let it all go.
You are here,
Breathing and relaxing.
You are right where you are,
And there's no other place to be than here.
Breathing relaxation into your mind and into your body.
You are safe,
Secure,
And supported.
Relax,
Surrender into this moment of calm.
Notice,
If you will,
A feeling of spaciousness and openness.
Our journey today takes us into this spaciousness.
To hold gently,
The feeling of gratitude,
The experience of appreciating moments and things,
People and places that are in our lives,
Even our pets.
Gratitude comes when we are mindful and observing the simple beauty in our lives.
Gratitude shifts our perspective from lack to abundance.
It allows us to focus on the good,
The beauty,
The meaning,
The joy,
All of which reside in our lives if we take a moment or two to notice them.
Our noticing pulls more goodness and abundance into our reality.
Now I invite you to focus on the good in your life.
Bring to mind something you are grateful for today,
And it can be absolutely anything.
Making a cup of tea,
Enjoying a cup of coffee,
Feeling the sunshine on your skin,
Enjoying the comfort of your home,
A hobby you love,
A conversation with a good friend,
A walk in the park,
A flower in your garden.
It can be something as simple and as close as your breath or feeling your heart beat.
Continue to imagine all the things you are grateful for and land on one that you would like to spend a few moments with today.
You don't need to analyze it,
Just pick one that comes to mind.
As you visit with what you are grateful for,
Let the sensation of gratitude gently surround you and flow through you.
Continue to breathe gently and allow yourself to rest in this soothing and beautiful experience of gratitude.
Keeping the image of what you are grateful for,
Notice the sensations you feel in your body,
Especially those in the area of your heart.
You may feel a warmth,
A lightness,
Maybe even some tingling,
Or moments of relaxation.
Whatever you feel,
Just notice it.
Take care not to hold too tightly on to any one sensation,
Just let them be here as they are and remain open to whatever is flowing through you as you imagine what you are grateful for in your life.
Continue to breathe and to relax and to rest in this state of gratitude.
If your mind wanders away,
That's okay.
Notice without any judgment and bring your mind back to what you are grateful for in your life today,
Back to here,
Back to now,
In this very moment visiting with what you are grateful for.
Silently or even out loud with a whisper,
Let yourself say thank you to those things for which you are grateful for in your life.
Thank them for being present with you today and let that feeling of thankfulness flow through you.
Continue to feel gratitude and know that feeling gratitude on a regular basis helps us turn towards joy and gladness,
Even in difficult times.
Gratitude helps us be resilient in life.
A gratitude practice even creates chemicals of well-being and of peace in our whole body.
Gratitude is a physical phenomena.
Keeping the image of the thing that you are grateful for and visiting with today continue to feel the sensations of gratitude.
And as we come to the end of this meditation,
Savor what gratitude brings to your body,
To your mind,
And to your whole being.
If you would like,
Smile warmly as you savor.
Or even place your hand over your heart as you savor what being grateful brought to you today.
If your hand is resting on your heart,
Bring it back to its resting position.
Bring your awareness back to your surroundings.
Bring some gentle movement to your body.
And take one more slow,
Deep,
Gentle breath,
Or even more.
And on an exhale,
Open your eyes.
And may this feeling of gratitude move with you during the remainder of your day.
