Hello and welcome to this meditation.
This meditation is called heart centered gratitude meditation.
Today we will be focusing on the heart,
Inspiring deep appreciation to flow within and without.
Let's begin with heart centered gratitude.
Begin to settle in and disconnect from the outside world.
Feel relaxation beginning to flow through you as you take notice of your breath.
Allow your eyes to close when they are ready to and make an effort to relax the body even further.
Sinking deeper into your cushions or simply allowing your body to become more limp.
This is a great opportunity to check in and make sure that you are not holding onto anything that is bringing the body tension or stress.
Scanning your body and taking the time to soften any knots or tension.
Taking a deep breath in and out.
Releasing any tightness.
Another deep inhale and a slow exhale.
Releasing tension.
Once more.
Slow breath in.
Hold for a few moments as you reach the top of the breath.
And then let it out in a contented sigh.
Now shift your attention to your thoughts.
You may find that your mind has become more calm as your body has become more relaxed.
Encourage this awareness going with the flow.
Slow breaths in and long breaths out as your thoughts continue to still.
Deep breath in and release.
Releasing any scattered thoughts.
Another slow inhale and a long exhale,
Releasing once again and letting go.
One more deep breath in,
Hold for a few moments and let it go.
Bringing deeper stillness to the mind.
Now I would like you to shift your attention to your chest,
Breathing easily,
Focusing on the heart.
We often take the heart for granted,
Going about each day without noticing all the work it does for us.
You can place one or both hands on the chest if you like,
Feeling each heartbeat,
Hearing each heartbeat.
Simply connecting with this miraculous living,
Moving heart that brings life to every part of your body.
What thoughts come up as you connect to your heart?
What sensations arise?
Positive or negative,
Allow everything to surface.
Imagine a bright green light beginning to glow beneath the surface,
Glowing from inside of the heart.
See this light in your mind's eye.
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
This is the energy of compassion.
Imagine the green glow flowing through all of the channels,
Vessels and cells of the heart,
Cleansing and healing,
Offering compassion to everything it touches.
Shining the light on old hurts,
Resolving past grudges,
Clearing away anything that brings heaviness to the heart.
As the light does its healing work,
Bring to mind the beautiful sensations that this green hue inspires in you.
The deep renewal,
Freshness like new buds shooting up through the spring soil.
Breathe in the aroma.
Green also brings harmony into our lives.
Balancing gives and receives and inspires our hearts to thrive and find fulfillness.
With the next few deep breaths,
Hold this color deeper into the lungs and heart.
Grateful for its presence.
Breathing in green,
Breathing in harmony,
Healing,
Balance and rejuvenation.
Now envision a golden light circling your heart,
Swirling through the green color.
Take a few moments to connect with the gold.
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
Feel the color emanating from your heart,
Glowing from your chest and spreading throughout your body.
The gold inspires gratitude in the heart,
Carrying that gratitude to every part of you,
Saturating the body,
Mind and spirit with strength as well.
Feel the gold working with the green to heal all the shadows of the heart,
Relieving it of any heaviness,
Infusing it with courage and strength.
Imagine the gold becoming more rich and vibrant with each inhale and going deeper into the heart with each exhale.
Inhaling,
Breathing deeply into the chest and exhaling,
Feeling the gold flow through the heart and the lungs.
Another inhale,
Deepening the color and exhale,
Feeling it heal and strengthen the heart.
When your heart is healed and open,
It becomes easier to let gratitude in.
Using breath walk and visualization,
You have now reached a state of open-hearted awareness.
Connect with this awareness,
Taking note of how you feel right now in this moment.
Hold your hands to your chest,
Once again noticing your heartbeat.
How does your heart feel now?
Sit in stillness for the next few moments,
Continuing to allow gratitude to pour into the heart.
Now,
Release the colors,
Letting the green and gold fade into white and then disappear completely with your next long exhale.
Bring your awareness back to your surroundings,
Opening your eyes when you're ready and giving your body a nice long stretch.
Grateful for this opportunity to heal the heart.
