Welcome to this gratitude meditation practice.
Let us begin by settling into a comfortable position that will allow you to feel relaxed and stable.
You can sit on the floor or on a chair.
Allow space for your spine to be tall and upright.
When you're ready,
Take a deep inhale through the nose.
As you exhale,
Soften your eyes,
Closing them if you feel comfortable or simply soften your gaze downward.
Bring your awareness to the breath as it is without trying to change or control it.
Can you notice the temperature of the air flowing in and out through your nostrils?
Perhaps you're aware of the gentle rise and fall of your chest with each inhale and exhale.
Allow your awareness to follow the process of breathing,
Bringing you fully to the present.
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 giving you the capacity to hear everything that makes up this moment.
Thank your ears for letting you hear the kind voices of your family and friends,
Your favorite songs,
Music,
And all the lovely sounds of nature.
Now notice your sense of smell.
Offer your appreciation to your nose for letting you smell the scent of the ocean,
Your favorite perfume or scent,
Coffee,
Or cookies fresh out of the oven.
Without your nose,
You couldn't taste your favorite meals or breathe in the smell of rain.
Give thanks for your ability to smell.
Now offer gratitude to your tongue and mouth for letting you taste your favorite food and drinks that nourishes your body every day.
To your lips for kissing your loved ones such as your partner,
Children,
Or your beloved pets.
Offer your heartfelt thanks to your sense of taste,
To your mouth and lips for letting you engage with all the flavors of the world.
Next,
Notice what you feel with your skin.
Perhaps there are differences in the temperature on parts of the body where it is covered by your clothes and parts that are exposed to the air around you.
Notice the sensation of contact with your chair or cushion,
The sense of feeling supported.
Give thanks to the sense of touch to the skin that lets you feel the texture of sand at the beach,
A breeze on your neck,
And enjoy a good massage.
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.
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 in,
And a slow exhale out.
Spend a moment here noticing how you feel in your heart.
Connect to a feeling of expansion in your chest as you let yourself truly appreciate the full spectrum of your senses.
Now let it all go.
Come back to the rhythm of your breath.
Next,
Bring to mind someone in your life who is easy to love.
Picture 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 pick another person.
Repeat this with as many people as you like.
Remember,
Offering your gratitude to one person doesn't take it away from anyone else.
Thank them for being in your life.
Bring to mind someone who has made your life easier.
Thank them for whatever they have done to help you out.
Perhaps 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.
Finally,
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 and gather up all the people in your life into your heart.
Hold them there for a moment and then gently let the image of them go.
Return to the balance of your inhale and exhale.
Take another deep breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Connect to this moment.
Whenever you're ready,
Gently blink open your eyes and look around you,
Offering gratitude to everything in your presence that is holding space for you to be practicing mindfulness right now.
Give thanks to all the resources and circumstances in your life which made it possible for you to sit in stillness and be grateful.
With that,
Take a final deep breath in.
As you exhale,
Give yourself a beautiful smile on your face.
Gently warm your palms by rubbing them and place your warm palms over your chest,
Sending gratitude and love to your heart space,
Bowing your head to yourself.
Allow this sense of love and gratitude to accompany you for the rest of the day.
