Welcome to today's guided meditation where we'll put into practice an attitude of gratitude.
Take some time to get comfortable.
Opening the chest,
Relaxing the shoulders,
Opening the heart.
Sitting tall,
Relaxed but alert.
Feel your feet connected to the ground.
The ground beneath you supporting and holding you.
Feel your legs and bum resting on the chair.
Begin to breathe deeply in a relaxed way.
Breathing down into your belly.
Filling the lungs and then emptying the lungs with your outward breath.
If you haven't already,
I'll encourage you to gently close the eyes.
Really bring your attention inward.
As you continue to breathe slowly and deeply,
Filling and emptying the lungs with each breath.
Allow your attention to rest gently on your breath.
Noticing the sensation and feeling the movement as the breath enters and exits your body.
With every exhale,
Allow yourself to let go of any tension that you're holding in the body or the mind.
Relax and soften your face,
Your shoulders,
Your belly,
Your legs.
As you continue to breathe deeply,
On your next exhale,
Settle your attention to the area around your heart.
From this place,
This heart centered place,
Focus on the feelings of love,
Compassion,
Empathy,
Forgiveness.
With your attention here on your heart center,
Bring to mind someone or something that you're grateful for.
Continuing with this easy,
Relaxed breathing.
What are you grateful for?
Perhaps there's a sense of gratitude for being alive,
For being healthy.
Maybe a sense of gratitude for nature that gives us all that we need.
Maybe a sense of gratitude for our parents and the generations that came before us.
Bring your attention to people who really nourish you in your life,
Who really bless you with their presence.
Feel a sense of gratitude for your own life,
For the great number of gifts that you've been blessed with.
Now bring your attention to how this gratitude feels in the area around your heart center.
With each inhale,
Let this feeling grow,
Expanding outward,
Expanding to fill your chest,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Your legs and feet.
With each inhale,
This feeling grows,
Filling you up.
And now bringing your attention and awareness back to your breath,
Let your body remember the sensations of your gratitude.
In life,
When we go to a place of stress,
Our mind tends to go to what's missing,
What's lacking or what's wrong.
When we come back to the heart and go beyond our expectations,
We find appreciation.
To close today's practice,
Let's take three deep breaths.
Breathing deep into the belly,
Filling the lungs,
Letting go.
Taking your breath in,
Letting go.
And one more breath in,
Letting go.
Wishing you a calm and peaceful day.
