Welcome to this meditation on cultivating joy and gratitude.
Take some time to place yourself in a comfortable position.
Take a few deep breaths and let your chest rise and fall with each inhalation and exhalation.
When you are ready,
Allow your eyes to drift closed.
As you continue to breathe slowly and deeply,
Let your attention rest gently on your breath,
Feeling the movement as it enters and exits your body.
Each time you exhale,
Release any tension.
Relax your face,
Your shoulders,
Your belly,
Your legs as much as possible.
On your next exhale,
Settle your attention to the area around your heart.
Begin to focus on the feelings of gratitude,
Joy,
And love.
With your attention on your heart center,
Bring to mind someone you are grateful for,
One person you truly love who brings you joy.
Silently repeating this mantra,
I am grateful for having you in my life.
Think of one specific time that you were truly grateful for this person.
Visualize something that they did that made you feel happy and joyful.
Take a moment to rest in this awareness.
Now bring to mind one person who is an acquaintance or mentor who truly nourishes you in your life and how they bless you with their presence.
Choose one thing that this person does that makes you feel grateful and joyful.
It doesn't have to be a big thing.
It could be something small.
Now repeating the mantra,
I am grateful to have you in my life.
And observe the warm feelings of joy and gratitude in your heart.
Taking a moment to rest in this awareness.
Now think of one thing about yourself that makes you truly grateful to be the person that you are.
What lights up your soul with joy?
Repeating the mantra,
I am grateful for myself.
As you continue with your easy,
Relaxed breathing,
Perhaps you feel gratitude for being alive or healthy.
Feel joy and gratitude for your own life and the many gifts that you have been blessed with.
Take a moment to rest in this awareness.
Now bring to mind the various aspects of nature that make you feel grateful and joyful.
Perhaps it's blue skies or tall trees or the sounds of birds singing or the feeling of grass on your bare feet.
Bring these things to mind.
And each time you bring something to mind,
Repeating the mantra,
I am grateful to have this in my life.
Perhaps you are grateful for the abundance of nature that produces food to nourish your body and beautiful scenery to nourish your soul.
Now bring your attention to how this joy and gratitude feels in the area around your heart.
With each inhale,
Allow this feeling to grow outwards,
Expanding to fill your chest,
Your arms and hands,
Your legs and feet.
With each inhale,
This feeling grows,
Filling you up.
Begin to invite in a gentle smile on your face as you slowly blink your eyes open,
Knowing that you can carry this feeling of gratitude and joy with you throughout your day.
