Let us take some time to relax into the many blessings of our life as we offer gratitude.
It's easy,
Especially during troubling times,
To focus on negativity or lack.
We're going to take some time right now to focus on all that we have to be thankful for,
To connect to the pure joy and bliss that is part of our inherent nature.
Take a moment to get settled into a comfortable position that will allow you to feel relaxed yet alert.
You can sit on the floor or on a chair.
Just be sure to sit in a way that your spine can be long and upright.
Try to eliminate any disruptions or distractions.
When you're settled,
Take a deep and cleansing breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.
As you exhale,
Soften your eyes or even close them if you feel comfortable.
Let's begin by simply bringing our awareness to the breath as it is without trying to change it.
Can you notice if your inhale is longer than your exhale or vice versa?
Try counting the length of each in-breath and out-breath,
Noticing the rhythm with a sense of curiosity but not judgment.
Let's begin to even out our inhalations and exhalations so that they are at the same length.
As we inhale,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And five,
We exhale,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And five.
And a few rounds of breathing in this manner,
In and out,
At the same length.
Let us be present with the sensations we are feeling as we scan our body,
Breathing in and out slowly and at a comfortable rate.
Breathing from the soles of our feet,
Gently breathing in and out,
Bringing our attention to our toes,
Heels,
Shins,
And calves,
Allowing our breath to ease any pains or strains.
As we bring our breath to our knees,
Thighs,
And hamstrings,
We bring attention without judgment to any sensations we may feel.
Bringing the breath up through our stomach and chest,
Allowing the rhythm from our heart to collaborate with our breath,
Easing any tension and stress as the breath circulates through our arms,
To our hands,
And releasing through our fingertips.
We focus our breath as we place our attention on our neck and face,
Letting our jaws and teeth relax,
Letting go of any resistance and tension,
Softening the face into a gentle smile as we now feel our calm breath circulating throughout our entire body,
From the soles of our feet to the crown of our head.
Now let us focus our attention towards our senses,
Bringing our focus to all that we can hear around us.
Without labeling the sounds,
Simply notice our ears' ability to hear.
Give thanks to our ears for working as well as they can and for allowing you to hear everything that makes up this moment.
We give thanks to our ears for allowing us to hear the voice of a loved one,
To hear our favorite song,
Or the birds singing outside.
Notice our sense of smell.
Throughout our nose,
We couldn't smell our favorite meal,
Breathe in the ocean air,
Or smell the unmistakable scent of a roaring campfire.
We give thanks for our ability to smell.
Now our taste buds.
We offer gratitude to our tongue and mouth for letting us taste our favorite coffee and the natural fruit and vegetables that nourish our body.
Let us offer our sincere gratitude for our sense of taste.
Now notice what we feel with our skin,
The temperature of the air,
The texture of the clothing that is keeping us warm,
The electrical impulses that charge through our fingertips when holding hands with a loved one.
We give thanks to our skin that lets us feel the sensations of sand at the beach,
Sense a cool breeze upon the back of our neck.
We give thanks to the skin for helping us feel the experiences in our lives.
And now to our eyes,
We send waves of gratitude to these magical eyes for letting us see the world around us,
For making it possible to make eye contact with our best friend,
To see the smiling face of a child and the community we have chosen to surround ourselves with.
To our eyes,
Which let us see art,
Nature,
And beauty in all of its forms.
To whatever degree our eyes let us see,
We thank them for all they do,
For giving us the grace to observe our world around us through these magical portals of the soul.
Take a deep breath and notice how we feel in our heart.
Connect to a feeling of expansion in our chest as we let go and truly savor the full spectrum of our senses.
Let's check back in with the balance of our inhales and exhales at a natural and easy rate,
Bringing our awareness and gratitude to the people in our life.
Let's bring to mind someone in your life who is easy to love.
Picture this person sitting in front of you.
See them smiling at you.
Thank them for being in your life.
Believe that wherever they are at this very moment,
They could receive your gratitude.
Shower them with love simply for being a part of your life.
Now think of another person.
Repeat this with as many people as you would like,
Remembering that offering your gratitude to one person doesn't take it away from anyone else.
Just choose the first few people who come to mind and thank them for being in your life.
Bring to mind someone who has helped make your life easier.
Thank them for whatever role they played in having done so.
Recall a mentor in your life,
Someone who has shown you the way.
Thank them with your heart for teaching you how to navigate through this journey of life.
Send your love and gratitude to someone who has been difficult in your life,
Someone who has challenged you or brought feelings of frustration and anger.
Take this moment to give thanks to this person for they have taught you valuable lessons of strength,
Resilience,
Growth,
And change.
Take a deep breath and gather up all the people in your life,
In your heart.
Hold them there for a moment and then let the images of them go,
Returning to the balance of your breath.
Now let us give attention and gratitude to our material possessions.
Give your thanks to these items,
Offering appreciation for the memories they hold.
Offer your thanks to the home you live in and all the amenities that help keep you safe,
Nourished,
And healthy.
Focus on what you have and not what you are lacking.
Give thanks to your bed,
A place to relax and rest your head after a long day.
Have gratitude to the walls that keep you warm in the cold weather and the windows that keep you cool when it's hot.
To the roof that protects you,
We say thank you.
Gratitude to the money you give and receive.
Let go of any guilt or shame around thanking your material possessions and instead truly appreciate them.
Let us focus our gratitude now to the present moment.
Take another deep breath and connect to right now,
Right here,
In this moment.
Open your eyes and look around and offer your gratitude for everything in your presence that is holding this space for you to be meditating right now.
To the silence,
The calm,
The life,
The love,
The tears,
The joy,
And everything in between,
Be grateful.
Take a final deep breath and smile,
Bringing your hands to your heart in a prayer position as we seal our meditation with this gesture of respect and devotion.
Let us set the intention to bring this gratitude forward into our day.
Namaste.
Gracias,
Father,
Gracias,
Mother,
Gracias,
Father,
Gracias,
Father.
Cheerful Sar PB,
Visible.
