Welcome to your practice.
We'll begin by finding a comfortable position that will allow you to stay relaxed but alert.
Allow your hands to gently rest in your lap.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Whichever feels most comfortable for you.
And allow yourself to fully relax here and now.
Bring your awareness to the sensations in your body and the points of contact with the surface beneath you.
Feel your feet grounding down into the earth,
Seat bones rooting down.
Feel the weight of your body.
And notice the rise and fall of your belly with each breath.
Take a moment to release any tension in your shoulders,
Hands and jaw,
Softening the muscles of your face.
Now take a few deep breaths,
Inhaling through the nose and exhaling slowly through the nose,
Allowing any tightness or tension to dissolve with each exhale.
Inhaling,
Exhaling,
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
As you breathe in,
You draw in energy,
Vitality.
As you breathe out,
You empty your body and your mind more and more.
With each breath,
Invite a sense of calmness into your mind and your heart,
Encouraging this awareness to float naturally,
Embracing the stillness within.
And within that stillness,
I invite you to turn your attention inward and to give yourself permission to come to a complete stop.
Extract your attention from the outer world.
Let go of where you have come from.
Let go of where you are going when this particular experience is over.
And be right here,
Where your body is.
Right here,
Where my voice is.
Right here,
Where your heartbeat is.
Come to a complete stop and be very still.
Let relaxation flow through your body,
Mind and heart,
Sinking deeper into the present moment.
Now bring your attention to your chest,
Focusing on your heart.
Place one or both hands on your chest if it feels comfortable,
Feeling the rhythmic beat of your heart.
Keep your attention at the space behind your hands and breathe deeply,
Inhaling,
Exhaling,
Inhaling,
Exhaling,
Inhaling,
Exhaling,
Connecting with the gratitude for the incredible work your heart does,
Sustaining your life moment by moment.
Now notice any thoughts or sensations that arise as you connect with your heart.
Allow yourself to fully experience gratitude for the life-giving force within you.
And now take a moment to look back on your life journey from the first breath you took until this very moment.
With a grateful heart,
Acknowledge all the victories and challenges that have shaped your path.
See all the people that have touched your life,
Deeply looking at all of it.
Look at your whole life without fear or resentment,
But with deep appreciation for every experience.
Heart full of appreciation for everything that has been,
Is and will be.
Release the need to judge or criticize your decisions,
Your choices.
And instead,
Approach them with an innocent and appreciative heart.
In this space of gratitude,
Say thank you,
Deep liberating thank you for it all.
Thank you for all the countless gifts in your life.
Thank you for all the people in your life.
Thank you for all that you have experienced in your life.
And thank you for the simple miracle of being alive to experience another day.
And thank you for the simple opportunity to pause and experience this very practice of gratitude.
Allow yourself to fully embody this state of gratitude.
Feeling a deeper connection and inner peace within your body,
Mind and heart.
Feeling fully alive here and now.
Take a moment to breathe and absorb that gratitude you've cultivated.
Know that you can return to this practice whenever you need to reconnect with your inner peace.
As we finish this meditation,
Bring your awareness back to your body,
Back to your breath,
And back to the present moment.
Take a deep inhale and full exhale.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes or continue to rest in the state of gratitude.
May you carry this sense of peace and gratitude with you throughout your day.
And thank you so much for taking this time to nurture your inner well-being.
