This gratitude practice can be used to promote a positive mood,
Hope,
And resilience.
To begin,
Find a comfortable position where you can feel fully supported,
Allowing your back,
Neck,
And head to be upright and straight.
Allow your belly to soften and your eyes to gently close or maintain a soft focus at a spot a few feet in front of you.
Let's take a slow,
Deep breath to bring yourself here into the present moment and begin the process of feeling more peaceful and centered.
Breathing into the belly,
Allowing it to expand as you breathe in and release as you breathe out.
Take a few moments to continue to feel into the breath and also scan your body for any areas where there is tightness or tension or soreness and see if you can soften those areas just a little.
Allowing more ease with each exhale.
To begin this mindful meditation on gratitude,
Start with something simple you're experiencing in this moment.
It could be the comfort from the chair or cushion you're sitting on or the warmth of light on your skin or appreciation for having a moment to engage with this practice right now.
Choose one thing to notice and allow it fully into your experience.
Let appreciation and gratitude arise and fill your body and mind.
Now think of someone that you don't know well,
But who has supported your experience today in some way.
It could be a delivery driver or a bus driver.
It could be the person who harvested the food that you ate today.
Maybe the people who made the clothing you're wearing.
Allow yourself to feel how you've benefited from the gift of their work.
Think about the tools that you use to support your work in your daily life.
The computer,
Books that you read,
Buildings that you occupy,
Or other equipment that you use.
Choose one thing and consider all that was needed for its creation.
See if you can connect with appreciation and feel gratitude that you have access to these tools.
Connect with gratitude for the people you work with or live with.
Think of a particular person whose work or effort directly supports your work in life.
Appreciate their contribution,
Their good intention,
And say in your mind to them simply,
Thank you.
Now bring to mind another person you care about.
Picture them in your mind.
And really start to think about what this person means to you.
What you appreciate about them,
Who they are,
Positive experience you've had together,
Or the meaning 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 in the area of the heart.
Let yourself express gratitude towards them,
Thanking them for being who they are and their presence in your life.
Imagine them receiving your gratitude.
Now bring to mind something in particular you are grateful for today.
Feel the appreciation and gratitude for its presence in your life.
Really allowing yourself to fully feel the benefits and the goodness of gratitude.
When you cultivate the practice of gratitude,
You may even find yourself able to be grateful for difficult or unpleasant experiences.
If you'd like,
Bring to mind an experience in your life that is challenging,
One for which you'd like to be able to express gratitude.
And allow yourself to offer your gratitude and appreciation.
Thank this challenge for what it may offer you.
Maybe gratitude for our bodies,
Gratitude for our mind,
Or gratitude for the simple fact of being alive at this moment.
And finally,
Appreciate the opportunity to pause and experience this very practice of gratitude.
For all that you have brought to mind during this meditation,
For all the countless gifts in your life,
Say thank you.
To all the people,
For all that 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.
Finishing with a deep,
Full breath in and a long,
Slow breath out.
Gently and slowly opening your eyes and returning your awareness to the place that you are.
If you'd like to extend the practice of gratitude meditation,
Cultivate the habit of thinking something you feel grateful for every morning right when you wake up.
If it helps,
Feel free to write it down in a journal.
You might also try expressing appreciation today to a person for whom you feel grateful.
Simply saying,
Thank you.
