Be still,
Even if you're standing.
Whatever you're doing,
Just be still for a moment.
And let's take a breath.
Eyes open or closed.
Take another deep conscious breath in.
Hold the breath for just a moment.
And then long,
Slow exhalation.
Inhale slowly.
Feel like you're filling the body with life force.
Pause and hold.
Relax the face,
The jaw,
The shoulders.
And then when you exhale,
Allow the breath to leave the body slowly.
Until all of the air has been expelled.
Now if it's possible,
I invite you to take a seated position.
We'll sit tall,
So rather than leaning back,
I invite you to sit tall if possible,
If possible.
And now we'll close the eyes if that's comfortable for you.
You don't need to.
Adjust the body to find a perfect meditative posture.
Just allow yourself to be in stillness.
Sense the breath flowing in and out of the body.
So often we become so identified with the discomfort or the agitation we're experiencing.
We become so hyper-focused on it.
That that is what fills our experience.
It's as if you are looking at a beautiful vista.
Maybe there's ocean.
And the sun setting.
But rather than being able to see the vista,
You're holding a piece of cardboard in front of your face so close that all you can see is the cardboard.
You're completely missing out on the glory.
Of the water and the light reflecting on it from the sun.
And there's no judgment toward ourselves here.
It's awareness.
What we focus on is what we experience.
If this cardboard is in front of my face,
I'm very focused on it,
Yes.
And that's my experience,
Even though there is so much more happening.
And this is what many of us do as human beings.
We become so hyper-focused on something that we feel bothered by.
Maybe a physical pain.
And emotional agitation or pain.
A thought about how something shouldn't be the way that it is,
How it should be different.
We've become so focused.
On these experiences.
That we miss the ocean.
And we miss the sunset.
And we miss everything else that's happening around us and even inside of us.
So for these next few breaths.
Rather than hyper-focusing on something you're feeling upset about,
Bothered by.
I invite you to just let that be.
And bring your attention.
To one.
Sweet or simple thought of gratitude.
One sweet or simple thought of gratitude.
For a person,
An experience.
Thing in your life.
Why do you feel grateful?
For this person,
Experience or.
Maybe it's something you have in your life.
Why do you feel grateful for it?
With them.
And I invite you to.
Maybe place a hand on your heart if that feels comfortable or is available to you.
Sense the beating of your heart.
Continue to breathe these full deep breaths.
This magnificent heart is always giving to us.
Every moment of our lives,
It beats.
For you.
Can you feel gratitude?
Can you offer gratitude?
To your precious heart.
This gift of life.
Now think of something that is going well in your life,
Something that is working.
And maybe you.
.
.
We're able to pay your bills,
And that feels like a relief.
Maybe you have a relationship in your life.
That is going well right now.
It could be familial,
Romantic,
It could be someone you work with.
Maybe you're feeling good in your body today.
What is working?
What is going well?
In your world right now.
It could seem very small.
Bring even those things to mind.
My tea was the perfect temperature.
I enjoyed the songs of the birds.
What is working right now?
Maybe being able to walk today.
Is something that you recognize is working well.
Or having food in your refrigerator is something that's working well.
And the picture of your life.
Maybe things are going well at work.
Maybe you were able to get sleep.
And now let's expand what is working.
More into gratitude.
Who do you feel grateful for?
What is happening in your world right now that you feel grateful for?
What do you have in your home,
In your space,
In your life?
That you feel grateful for.
And as you think of these things,
I invite you to take a few moments with each one.
Take a breath to think about,
To feel.
Why you feel this gratitude.
If it's a person,
Maybe you feel in your heart.
How cared for you feel with them.
Or you feel joy bubbling up when you think about how they make you laugh.
If it's something you have,
Your favorite sweatshirt or a new pair of shoes or.
.
.
An old pair of shoes.
What is it that you love about this thing that allows gratitude to arise?
Think of why you feel this gratitude.
Feel it inside.
Okay.
And if you're having difficulty finding access to gratitude at all,
Maybe think about.
.
.
Your life through the eyes of another.
Every single one of us has something in our lives that others dream about.
Maybe it's your home or your relationship or even the money you have in your bank account if it feels minimal.
That is more than someone else has.
They dream about having what you have.
So if you're having difficulty finding gratitude,
See yourself,
See your life through another's eyes.
The mobility of your body,
The privileges you have.
And see that although you may not be able to feel it in this moment.
That there are so many things to be grateful for.
And it's okay to not feel it.
We don't need to judge ourselves.
We can practice awareness,
Though.
Wow,
There is so much to be grateful for.
And if you haven't already,
Include yourself.
In these thoughts of gratitude.
Be so grateful to you.
No matter how challenging life feels,
You keep showing up.
No matter how much you feel like disappearing,
Sometimes you care for others.
You are kind.
Be so grateful to your heart.
To the ways that you're giving,
To your strengths.
To your beautiful soul.
Be so grateful to you.
Take a deep breath in and out.
Feel as if you're breathing into the heart.
Creating space in the heart with the exhalation.
Another deep breath in and out.
Exhale with a sigh this time.
Very slowly start to sway the body,
So small,
Such small movements,
So slowly.
And maybe bring some bigger movements as you start to stretch a little.
Maybe you start to move toward Turning the body a little,
Moving into the spine.
If you can,
I invite you to open the arms wide,
Open the chest.
Breathe deeply.
Open chest,
Open heart,
Welcoming life.
Let's take a deep,
Full breath in.
Bring some power into the breath.
And then as you exhale,
Cross your arms in front of your body.
And give yourself a big hug.
Hold yourself with love,
With kindness.
Maybe take one of your hands and gently hold your cheek.
The same way you would tenderly.
Hold the cheek of a baby.
And whenever you feel ready to.
Open the eyes.
Mmm.
