So to begin,
Let's arrive together,
Invite you to settle into your seat,
Into your breath,
Into this moment.
If it's comfortable,
You can close your eyes and notice the places where your body meets the earth,
Allowing the weight of gravity to hold you fully.
Take a long breath in through the nose and exhale through the mouth with a soft sigh,
Letting that exhale be a letting go of rush,
Of tension,
Of anything pulling you away from here.
Now place a hand on your chest and feel your heartbeat beneath your palm without needing to force anything.
Begin to sense gratitude,
Not as a thought but as a warmth.
Maybe start with something simple,
The breath moving in and out,
The steady rhythm of your heart,
The quiet space you've given yourself to be here.
As you breathe,
Imagine gratitude as light,
Golden and gentle,
Beginning in your chest.
With each inhale,
It expands,
With each exhale,
It radiates outward through your body.
And let that sensation travel into your shoulders,
Your belly,
Your arms,
Your legs,
Your wrists.
Gratitude in motion,
A living pulse of appreciation moving through every cell.
If you like,
Whisper softly inside,
Thank you for this breath.
Thank you for this body.
Thank you for this life.
And stay here for a few moments,
Breathing in gratitude,
Breathing out appreciation.
If thoughts arise,
Simply fold them into the practice.
You can even say thank you,
Mind,
For caring so much.
Now expand the circle of your gratitude,
Picturing someone or something you love.
Let their image rest in your heart and breathe gratitude toward them as if your exhale could send them warmth and light.
Feel how gratitude,
Giving gratitude,
Also fills you.
It's not a depletion,
It's an expansion,
A reminder that love grows the more it's shared.
Let your body move slightly if it wants,
A soft sway and deepening breath,
Letting gratitude flow freely through your system.
And in these final breaths,
Rest in the felt sense of thankfulness,
Not as a concept but as a vibration,
Alive,
Warm and moving.
When you're ready,
Inhale deeply through the nose,
Exhale through the mouth and whisper to yourself,
I'm grateful for this moment.
Open your eyes softly and carry that living gratitude into whatever comes next.
