Hello,
This is Alex,
And I wanted to thank you for joining me on this guided meditation of gratitude.
Let's take some time to relax into the changing of the season.
As you put your attention on all that you have to be thankful for,
You will connect to the happiness that is part of your inherent nature.
Gratitude is the natural theme of the autumn season.
Before you start,
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.
You can be reclined if that's what you prefer.
Try to eliminate any disruptions or distractions for the duration of this meditation.
When you're settled,
Take a deep cleansing breath.
As you exhale,
Soften your eyes.
You may close your eyes if you feel comfortable or simply turn your gaze downward.
Take a moment to make any final adjustments of the body.
And let's begin by simply bringing your awareness to the breath as it is,
Without judgment or 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.
Now gently begin to even out your inhalations and exhalations so that they are equal.
Spend a few rounds of breathing,
Lengthening the shorter half of the breath to balance the longer half.
Allowing the rhythm of the breath to guide you through this meditation.
Next,
You will bring your attention to what you can hear without labeling the sounds.
Simply notice your ears' ability to hear.
Give thanks to your ears for working so well and for allowing you to hear everything that makes up this moment.
Thanks to your ears for letting you hear the voice of your family,
For letting you hear your favorite song,
And the sounds of nature.
Embody a sense of gratitude for your ears.
Now notice your sense of smell.
Offer your appreciation to your nose,
For letting you smell fresh baked cookies,
The unmistakable scent of a campfire,
And the air after a summer rain.
Without your nose,
You couldn't taste your favorite meal or breathe in the ocean air.
So give thanks for your ability to smell.
To your taste buds,
Now offer your gratitude to your tongue and mouth for letting you taste your favorite coffee drink and the array of food that nourishes your system.
Gratitude to your lips for kissing your partner or children or pets.
Offer your heartfelt thanks to your sense of taste for letting you engage with all the flavors of the world.
Now notice what you feel on your skin,
The temperature of the air,
The texture of your clothing,
To the skin that lets you feel the texture of sand at the beach,
The sense of a breeze on your neck,
And the feeling of a good massage.
Gratitude for the sensation of wrapping yourself in warm blankets when you're cold,
To the electricity in your heart when holding hands with your partner.
Give thanks to this skin for helping you feel your life.
And now to your eyes.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Can you send waves of gratitude to these magical eyes for letting you see the world around you,
For making it possible to make eye contact with your best friend,
To see the smiling face of your child,
To your eyes which let you see art,
Nature,
And beauty in all its forms.
To whatever degree your eyes let you see,
Thank them for all they do,
For letting you take in the world around you through the windows of your soul.
Take a deep breath and notice how you feel in your heart.
Connect to a feeling of expansion in your chest as you let yourself truly savor the full spectrum of your senses.
Now let it go.
Back back in with the balance of your inhales and exhales.
Now bring to mind someone in your life who is easy to love.
Consider this person sitting in front of you.
See them smiling at you and through your heart space,
Thank them for being in your life.
As if wherever they were at this very moment,
They could receive your gratitude.
Shower them with love simply for existing.
Now bring to mind someone who has made your life easier.
Thank them for whatever they have done to help you out.
Thank them for being in your life.
Recall a teacher in your life,
Someone who has shown you the way in either a formal or informal way.
Thank them with your heart for teaching you on this journey.
Send your love and gratitude to every single person you have encountered so far or will encounter in this day.
Thank them for making your day more interesting and richer.
Take a deep breath.
Gather all the people in your life into your heart.
Hold them here for a moment and then let the image of them go.
Return to the balance of your breath.
Now offer thanks to the home you live in and all the amenities that help keep you safe,
Nourished and healthy,
To your comfortable bed,
The running water in your bathroom,
To the walls that keep you warm and to the windows that open to cool you off when it's hot,
To the roof that protects you.
Say thank you.
Taking another deep breath,
Connect to this moment.
Perhaps you gently blink your eyes open and look around and offer your gratitude for everything in your presence,
For everything that is holding space for you to be meditating right now.
Give thanks to your circumstances and livelihood,
Which give you the chance to sit in stillness and be grateful,
To your health and physical capabilities that make it possible to sit quietly and improve your outlook and wellbeing.
Be grateful.
Taking in a final deep breath,
Bring your hands to your heart and seal your meditation with this gesture of respect and devotion.
Notice how you feel and set the intention to bring this gratitude forward into your day.
