Take a nice inhale and exhale out of your mouth and let it go.
I can offer for this meditation practice an intention for living a full day of gratitude.
So from here maybe close your eyes and take a few deep breaths all the way in all the way out.
Now start to notice without controlling your breath how your breathing just takes care of itself.
Just breathe,
Move yourself through that breath and notice how that breath is moving itself through you and keeping you alive.
Commit to not taking this miracle for granted.
See if you can take an inventory of the things for which you are grateful.
Let them percolate through your mind and calm your body.
Think of five things that you're grateful for which matter to you.
Imagine yourself engaging in an act of kindness.
Notice if you're pulled toward kindness for a stranger more than someone else close to you or the other way around.
Either way offer your kindness with no strings attached,
No need for recognition.
Truly just notice the completeness and fullness of letting go and of not needing anything back.
Bring to mind someone for whom you're grateful for.
Someone who has influenced you positively.
Maybe they're a protector or a benefactor,
A loved one,
A mentor,
Someone for whom you are grateful.
Savor this image of this person or the memory and try to allow the image of this person to be held by all the cells in your body.
Not just your mind but throughout your body.
Savoring this feeling of gratitude for this person.
Notice what happens in your emotions and in your body when you do this.
See if you can reflect upon one important thing that you've learned today or yesterday.
One important thing that you've learned and feel gratitude for having learned this new thing.
And imagine yourself knowing some knowing that there's someone that knows that you are thinking of them.
How can you let them know?
Could you send a card,
Call them,
Write a note,
Send a text or an email?
Let them know you're thinking of them and expect nothing in return.
Just sharing your appreciation and acknowledgement of this person.
Sit quietly and allow a sense of peace to enter your heart.
Allowing that sense of peace to flow into your heart.
Maybe imagine lighting a candle and creating a grateful intention.
Settling into the sense of peace.
Allowing the sense of peace to enter your heart.
Residing in this space of gratefulness for a few precious moments.
Form the intention to show up absolutely wholeheartedly to everything you do today.
And then you'll notice at the end of the day if anything changed because of this an intention to show up absolutely wholeheartedly.
See if you can make the decision to see your most challenging moments today as opportunities.
What might be making itself known or available to you in hard times?
How can you cultivate even small sentiments of gratefulness for the gifts that come with the struggle?
Seeing your most challenging moments today as opportunities.
And see if you can turn all the waiting moments of the day into moments of heightened awareness.
If you're waiting in line or waiting for a meeting,
Waiting to get somewhere,
See if you can turn these moments into moments of heightened gentle awareness.
Try to be fully present in those times to what might be blessings in disguise.
These blessings and protections around you.
Notice at the time in between things is a huge gift that you can enjoy.
If you share a meal with other people today,
Ask each person to share something for which they're grateful.
Maybe even two or three things for which they're grateful.
If you're eating alone,
Bring to mind something for which you are grateful for and dedicate your meal to that gratefulness.
As you go throughout today and every day,
Bring your awareness back to these intentions that you can cultivate and savor.
You can have these feelings of gratitude each and every day.
Take a moment to let that sink into your body,
Maybe even touching your heart space.
Taking a nice deep breath in,
Exhale letting it go.
I thank you so much for joining me for this meditation today.
I hope you have a peaceful and powerful week.
Thank you.
