Gratitude.
I quote,
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you,
It will be enough.
Meister Eckhart spoke these words.
So let's explore thank you,
Which is the verbal expression of gratitude in expanding your sense of well-being,
Happiness and fulfilment.
Embracing gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to get in touch with yourself.
And when you are in touch with yourself,
You feel connected with everything and everyone around you.
It enables you to embrace uncertainty and find that when you centre yourself,
Anything is possible.
Thankfulness and gratitude are the most effective ways of getting there.
Bringing yourself into the present moment,
You find the stillness and with an expanded sense of gratitude,
Become aware and accept that life is exactly as it is right now.
Become grateful to simply breathe and greet each new day.
Bringing gratitude for the simple pleasures of life and you will find an appreciation for the life you live right now.
So close your eyes and move your attention to the area of your heart.
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Become aware of your breath.
Breathing slowly and deeply.
Breathing in and out.
Nothing else to do in this moment but connect with your breath.
And if you notice that your attention is pulled to other things,
Thoughts,
Sensations or feelings,
This is the core of mindful practice.
You bring your attention back again and again to the focused attention of the breath.
Connecting with the breath.
And as you connect with the breath for the next few moments,
I'd like you to think of all the things in your life you could be grateful for.
Nurturing relationships,
Material things you have in your life,
The love and connection you have with a very special person,
Gratefulness for your body that allows you to experience the world,
Your mind that allows you to understand yourself and everything around you.
Spend a few moments just looking at your life and those people or things or places that you find gratefulness in.
That is all.
I come back to your focused attention on gratitude and a heartfelt feeling inspired by the list you have created for yourself.
Take your attention to your heart.
Just imagine that you're breathing in and out through your heart.
Your connection is in your heart center,
Your heart space.
And activate a warm heartfelt feeling for someone or something on your list.
Bring your attention to one thing on your list.
And just experience the warmth that brings into your heart space.
Experience the compassion,
The love,
The understanding that gratitude brings into your heart.
And leaving the list to one side for the moment.
Remember an experience of joy.
A place or a time or a person you are with.
Feel that sensation of joy within you,
The wellspring of happiness.
Whenever you feel constricted,
All you need to do is sit quietly and observe the inflow and outflow of your breath.
And choose an attitude that lifts your mood and nourishes you.
You could go back to your list,
Feel gratitude for what you have.
Or maybe go out for a walk and enjoy the pleasures of nature.
This practice of gratitude will help you find more meaning and joy in your life and can lead to an inner transformation.
Reconnecting with your breath.
For the next few moments,
Let it all go and just sit back or lie and just enjoy the feeling of gratitude and the openness of the heart space.
