Welcome to the stay with yourself gratitude meditation.
You are welcome to use blankets and pillows under your knees or feet for optimal comfort.
Close your eyes and take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
With each inhale imagine your tummy is an empty balloon being filled with air and with each exhale imagine your tummy softening as you release tension.
Let your body become heavy and relaxed with each exhale and allow your heart space to soften and open.
Bring your awareness into your right foot,
Your right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Pinky toe.
Think of all the ways your toes allow you to move and balance.
Say thank you to your toes.
Bring your awareness into the ball of your foot,
Your heel,
Ankle,
Top of your foot.
Think of the grass and sand you felt beneath your feet and the places you are able to go because of your right foot and say thank you.
Bring your awareness into your right leg,
Your calf,
Your shin,
The back of your knee,
Knee cap,
Upper thigh,
Quadricep,
Hamstring.
Think of how this leg has supported you,
How you've been able to sit and stand and move,
How your joints are connected and say thank you.
Bring your awareness into your pelvis,
The front of your hips,
The back of your hips.
Notice where your pelvis connects to your legs,
To your spine,
How it cradles and protects your internal organs and take a moment to say thank you to your pelvis for all of its support.
Bring your awareness into your left foot,
Your left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Pinky toe.
Think of all the ways your toes allow you to move and balance and say thank you to your left toes.
Bring your awareness into the ball of your left foot,
Your heel,
Ankle,
Top of your foot.
Think of all the walking and standing and balancing you've done throughout your lifetime because of your left foot and say thank you.
Bring your awareness into your left leg,
Your calf,
Your shin,
The back of your knee,
Your kneecap,
Upper thigh,
Quadricep,
Hamstring.
Think of how this leg has supported you,
How it has worked in unison with your other leg to carry you across the playground in joy and exuberance as a young child and say thank you to your left leg.
Bring your awareness into your right hand,
Your thumb,
The web between finger and thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Pinky finger.
Think of all the things you're able to do because of these fingers and say thank you.
Bring your awareness into the palm of your hand,
The top of your hand,
Your wrist.
Think of everything you've held and created with this hand and take a moment to say thank you to your right hand.
Bring your awareness into your right arm,
Your forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Bicep,
Tricep,
Shoulder.
Think of all the things this arm allows you to do,
How it supports and moves on your behalf and say thank you to your right arm.
Bring your awareness into your left hand,
Left thumb,
The web between finger and thumb,
Your first finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Pinky finger.
Think of all the words written and communicated because of these fingers and say thank you.
Bring your awareness into the palm of your left hand,
The top of your hand,
Your wrist.
Think of the coffee cups and small children's hands you've held and take a moment to say thank you to your left hand.
Bring your awareness into your left arm,
Your forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Bicep,
Tricep,
Shoulder.
Think of how this arm works in unison with your other arm to hold you during your greatest moments of sorrow and allows you to hug and embrace the ones you love.
Say thank you to your left arm.
Bring your awareness into your heart space.
Think of how your heart beats for you and only you.
Your heart cannot beat for you yesterday or tomorrow.
It can only beat for you in this moment,
Always present.
Take a moment to say thank you to your glorious,
Tender and ever-present heart.
Now bring your awareness back into this room,
To your body supported on the floor.
Take several moments to wiggle your fingers and toes and to rock your head from side to side.
Roll on to your right side and breathe as you prepare to sit up.
And when you are ready,
Come to a sitting position with a tall spine and take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Notice how you feel and when you are ready,
You can slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for sharing your meditation practice with me.
May you stay with yourself today and always.
You are welcome to continue sitting in meditation for as long as you would like.
For now,
I will leave you here.
