Welcome to a guided meditation for gratitude.
To begin,
Please find a safe,
Quiet place where you know you won't be disturbed.
Sit upright in a comfortable,
Stable position where you feel fully supported.
Your back,
Neck and head straight.
Face and jaw relaxed.
Shoulders relaxed.
Allowing yourself to soften while still staying alert and upright.
Loosen any restrictive clothing that will prevent you from breathing comfortably.
And whenever you feel ready,
Allow your eyes to gently close.
Take a slow,
Deep breath to bring yourself to the present moment.
Begin the process of feeling more peaceful,
Centered and energized for your day.
Breathe into the belly so it expands as you breathe in and gets smaller as you breathe out.
Allow this wave of relaxation to wash over your entire body.
You can even imagine this wave as a feeling of warmth.
Feeling this warmth like a sunny day when you're outside.
Noticing the way it feels to have the warm sun caressing your skin.
Beginning from the top of your head.
Moving down into your neck and shoulders.
Going down your arms.
Imagine this warmth spreading down your back,
Your chest and abdomen.
Flowing down your hips,
Legs.
And flowing all the way down to your toes.
Allow this wave of relaxation to help you go deeper into a meditative state.
If you catch your thoughts wandering or your mind wandering,
Remember this is completely normal.
Distractions are a part of the natural process of relaxation.
You can thank your thoughts,
Accept them and softly return to the rhythm of your breathing.
Now take a few moments to mentally scan your body for any areas where there's a tightness,
Tension or soreness and breathe your warm oxygen filled breath into that area.
As you breathe out let the tensions release.
You can notice any worries,
Fear,
Anger,
Irritation or judgment.
And just breathe into these emotions,
Noting them and allowing them to flow out as you breathe out.
Take another breath into any uncomfortable emotions and breathing out release them.
Letting go completely.
Any thoughts of memories,
Plans,
Associations,
Anything other than being here breathing.
Just breathe into those thoughts and as you breathe out,
Allow the thoughts to flow out with the outward breath.
Now that our bodies,
Emotions and thoughts are a little clearer,
A bit more spacious and open,
You'll be guided to reflect on various aspects of your life while holding the attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude comes when we are mindful,
Observing the simple beauty in our lives.
It shifts your perspective from lack to abundance and allows you to focus on the good in your life,
Which in turn pulls more goodness into your reality.
Now bring to mind something you're grateful for today.
It can be anything,
Absolutely anything.
From making a cup of tea,
Sunshine,
The comfort of your home,
Reading your favorite book,
A conversation with a close friend.
It can even be as simple as breathing.
As you imagine the things you're grateful for,
Notice what feelings you're experiencing,
What sensations you detect in your body,
Especially those in the area of your heart.
Let yourself express gratitude and appreciation for everything in your life and allow yourself to rest in this beautiful soothing experience.
Surrender.
Appreciating helps us turn toward joy and gladness.
This creates chemicals of well-being and peace in our whole body.
Feeling grateful on a regular basis can help cultivate feelings of happiness and appreciation.
Taking time to notice what you're grateful for can help foster a positive outlook.
It's impossible to feel stressed or fearful when you feel grateful.
Recall that if you're listening to this meditation,
You already have several marvelous gifts that you can be grateful for.
The gift of life itself,
The most precious gift.
Someone gave you life,
Clothed you,
Bathed you,
Fed you,
Taught you to speak and how to understand the world.
The gift of hearing so you can hear and learn,
Whether it's the song of a bird,
The notes of a band or orchestra,
The songs of singing and voices,
The sound of your own breath flowing in and out.
Just like in this very moment,
The gift of your heart beat,
Steady,
Regular,
Moment after moment,
Pumping fresh,
Life-giving blood to all of your organs.
It's time to end this meditation as you continue to hold this feeling of gratitude.
In your own time,
There's no rush.
Start to become aware of the sound within the room.
Feel the surface beneath you.
Take in a nice,
Slow,
Deep breath.
And when you're ready,
There's no rush.
You can gently open your eyes.
May your day be filled with gratitude and an endless sense of peace.
Namaste.
