Gratitude is an intentional practice.
We may think of times that we've felt waves of gratitude,
When we've connected to the moment,
When we see the face of a loved one,
When we're out in nature.
So definitely there is spontaneous gratitude available for us.
But we need to be open to receiving it.
In those moments,
Likely,
We were actually present.
We were actually connecting with the nature around us,
The people that we were with.
And so there was at least that intention to connect,
To be open and to receive.
By default,
We don't go around looking for things to be grateful for.
That's not how we survived to be where we are now.
We've learned how to look for what may go wrong,
To think about how to fix it.
We've learned how to survive.
And so gratitude is an intentional practice.
It means that we need to connect to presence.
It needs to be that we're open,
Open to receiving,
Open to seeing even the smallest things,
And open to actually feeling their significance.
Let's take a few moments together with the intention to be present,
With the intention to connect,
And with the intention to be grateful.
And let's start that by closing the eyes or finding a soft gaze and turning inwards,
Bringing the awareness to where we're seated,
Where we're situated,
Where we're connected to the surface beneath us,
Feeling the feet on the floor,
The bottom on the seat.
Just taking a moment to feel grateful for being held.
You're having a place on this earth.
Feeling into the energy of that connection.
Feeling the energy of being held.
Perhaps that's the difference in temperature that we feel between us and the surface beneath us.
Perhaps that's the feeling of being weighted.
Perhaps that's by imagining,
Knowing that no matter where we're seated,
No matter what that surface is,
It's connecting at some point to the ground,
To the earth,
The root system,
Minerals,
That keep us alive and that bind us all together.
We have a place.
And yet we're all connected.
Expanding the awareness to the belly.
Feeling it with air.
Feeling the expansion of the belly as the breath draws in.
Feeling it.
Softening as the breath releases.
Just taking a moment here to breathe in gratitude for the space of us that connects us to our ancestor.
Space of our intuition,
Of our inner wisdom.
The space from which we trust.
We breathe gratitude in.
And can we exhale thanksfulness to the world.
Giving thanks.
Bringing the awareness to the heart space,
The chest.
Really feeling the rise and fall of the rib cage.
Inviting an opening up,
Kind of smiling forward here.
Dropping down of the shoulders.
Really feeling the heartbeat.
This rhythm of life that beats through us.
Tells us when we're in love.
Lets us know when there's something to be afraid of.
We sit in thanks.
With the ability to love.
Love is to be grateful.
Breathing in gratitude.
The love.
And breathing out love to the world.
Bringing the awareness further up to this road area.
The space with which we communicate to others.
Part of us that's things.
Part of us that shares words.
No matter what those words are.
Can we be grateful for this ability to connect?
We sit in gratitude for the times that words of love brought us closer to others.
Can we sit in gratitude for the learnings that we've taken?
When those words haven't been loving.
Can we give thanks for singing,
For humming,
For sharing ourselves,
Our voice.
Bringing the awareness to behind the eyes.
Breathing in some space here.
Noticing our eyes.
The light and the color that dance even though our eyelids are shut.
Noticing all the sounds in our environment.
Maybe that's my voice or the sounds in the background.
Maybe that's your breath or your heartbeat.
Maybe that's your kitchen appliances humming.
Singing in gratitude for music of life.
Noticing it play.
Feeling the nuances.
As we breathe in through the nose,
Thinking about the ability to smell.
The deepest memories that we hold,
The smell of those we love.
And taste.
The simple things that bring us so much joy.
Crisp apple.
Sweet strawberry.
The offerings of the world that are so simple and yet so special.
Be grateful.
Setting up the awareness to the entirety of ourselves.
Here we're sitting in practice.
Breathing out presence,
Seeking out connection,
Seeking out gratitude.
How beautiful.
How intentional.
How beautiful.
Can we be grateful for us?
Can we be grateful for each other?
Can we be grateful for it all?
Taking some moments here.
In collective silence.
Can we be grateful for each other?
Bringing the hands together.
Taking a moment here.
Just bring your fingertips up and down the other palm.
And finally bringing the hands over the heart space.
Giving love and gratitude.
To the heart,
With the hands.
I'm so grateful for staying here in self reflection,
Gratitude and meditation.
Opening the eyes and just taking in the sights of the world.
Thank you for meditating with me.
I'm so grateful.
