Welcome.
In this guided meditation,
We will be focusing on gratitude,
Bringing to mind the things that we often take for granted and using curiosity,
Exploring what these things and what these people bring to our lives.
So sitting or lying comfortably,
Just allow your gaze to fall on something in front of you and a little bit higher than eye level,
Bringing just a little bit of tension into those eyes.
And just focus your attention on the muscles in the eyes while taking in all the details of where your gaze is resting.
Breathing in deeply,
Filling the lungs fully.
Then exhale,
Completely emptying the lungs,
Feeling the tension in those eyes,
Focusing on the details of where your gaze is resting.
And once again,
Take a full deep and then exhale slowly and completely.
And I wonder if you can notice any sounds,
Any sounds either in or outside of the room that you're in.
And as you take another nice full deep breath in,
Filling the lungs with rich oxygen,
Allow those eyes to float closed as you empty the lungs and feel your body begin to sink into the supportive surface beneath you.
Just shutting out the outside world just for a short time as you allow your gaze to turn inward,
Sensing the beating of your heart,
The rise and fall of the chest and the abdomen.
And now just bring your mind to a simple experience that you have enjoyed recently.
Perhaps the feel of sunlight on your face,
Or the sight of a tree swaying gently in the breeze,
Or perhaps the simple wonder of taking a few moments out from your busy day to engage in this practice of gratitude.
Just choose one thing to notice and allow it fully into your experience.
Allow appreciation and gratitude to arise and to fill your body and mind.
And now think of someone you don't know well but who has supported your experience today in some way.
It could be a bus driver,
Could be the person who was stacking the fruit in the grocery store,
Or perhaps it's the author of the book that you're reading right now.
Allow yourself to feel how you have benefited from the gift of their work.
Allow yourself to feel appreciation and gratitude.
And now think about the tools that you use that support your work and your life.
Your computer,
Your books,
Buildings,
Equipment.
Choose one thing and consider all that was needed for his creation.
Appreciate and feel gratitude that you have access to these tools.
Feel gratitude for people you work and live with.
Just think now of a particular person whose work or effort directly supports your work in life.
Appreciate their contribution,
Their good intentions,
Saying in your mind to them thank you.
And now bring to mind someone that you care about.
Picture them.
Think about what this person means to you.
What do you appreciate about them?
Who they are?
You've experienced together the experience that they've had in your life.
As you imagine them,
Notice what feelings you are experiencing.
What sensations you detect in your body.
Especially those sensations and feelings in the area of the heart.
Now let yourself express gratitudes towards them.
Thanking them for being who they are and for their presence in your life.
Imagine them receiving your gratitude.
Now bring to mind something in particular that you are grateful for today.
Feel the appreciation and gratitude for its presence in your life.
As you bring these things to mind for what you're grateful,
Allow yourself to rest in the experience.
When you cultivate the practice of gratitude,
You may even find yourself able to be grateful for difficult or unpleasant experiences.
And if you'd like to bring to mind an experience in your life that was challenging,
One for which you'd like to be able to express gratitude,
Offer your gratitude and appreciation.
Thank this challenge for what it may offer you.
Gratitude for our body.
Gratitude for our mind.
Gratitude for the simple fact of being alive in this moment.
And finally,
Appreciate the opportunity to pause and experience this very practice of gratitude in itself.
For all that you have brought to mind during this meditation,
For all of the countless gifts in your life,
Say thank you to all the people,
To all that is around you and part of you,
You have experienced in your life.
For all of this,
Thank you.
Allow the sense of gratitude to fill you completely as you breathe in and breathe out.
Settling on the breath right here,
Right now,
Fully alive and present in this very moment.
I'm just finishing up now with a full deep breath in and a long,
Slow,
Deep breath out.
And whenever you're ready,
Gently and slowly open your eyes and return your awareness to the place where you are.
