To begin this Meditation, please bring kind awareness to:
➤ why you chose this topic
➤ how your belly, chest, and head each feel when you reflect on this topic
➤ the emotions that you can associate with these visceral feelings
➤ the positive or negative impact of any stories you believe in regarding this topic
➤ the fact that many others are feeling similarly about this topic as you
➤ how you might feel with increased awareness around this topic
➤ when you can apply increased mindfulness to this topic in your day-to-day life
Intentions of Gratitude
Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths. All the way out and all the way in.
Notice how your breathing so often just takes care of itself. Just breath. Moving itself through you keeping you alive. Just keeping you alive. Commit to not taking this miracle for granted. See if you can take an inventory of the things for which you’re grateful. Let them percolate through your mind and calm your body. Thinking of five things that you’re grateful for which matter to you.
See if you can engage in an act of kindness today. Notice if you’re pulled, toward kindness for a stranger more than someone close to you. Or vice versa. Either way, offer your kindness with no strings attached. No need for recognition. Truly, just notice the completeness and fullness of letting go of needing anything back.
And bring to mind someone for whom you’re grateful for. Someone who has influenced you positively. Perhaps they’re a protector or benefactor, loved one, mentor, someone for whom you’re grateful.
And savour this image of this person or the memory and try to allow the image of this person to be held by all of the cells in your body. Not just your mind but throughout your body. Savouring this feeling of gratitude for this person. Notice what happens in your emotions and in your body when you do this.
And at any point during your day, see if you can reflect upon one important thing that you’ve learned today or yesterday. One important thing that you’ve learned. Feeling gratitude for having learned this new thing. Today, can you let someone know that you’re thinking of them? Sending a card. Calling someone. Writing a note. Sending a text or an email letting them know that you’re thinking of them. Expecting nothing in return. Just sharing your appreciation and acknowledgment of this person.
And at some point, see if you can sit quietly and allow a sense of peace to enter your heart. Allowing the sense of peace to flow into your heart. Perhaps lighting a candle. Creating a grateful intention. Settling into this sense of peace. Allowing the sense of peace to enter your heart. Residing in this space of gratefulness for a few precious moments. And forming the intention to show up absolutely wholeheartedly to everything you do today. Noticing at the end of the day if anything changed because of this intention to show up absolutely wholeheartedly.
And seeing 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 a struggle? Seeing your most challenging moments today as opportunities.
And see if you can turn all of the waiting moments of the day into moments of heightened awareness. If you’re waiting in line, waiting for a meeting, waiting to get somewhere, see if you can turn these moments into moments of heightened awareness. Try to be fully present in these times to what might be blessings in disguise. The blessings and protections around you. Notice at the time in between things is a huge gift that you can enjoy.
And 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.
So, these are some sample intentions to cultivate and savour these feelings of gratitude each and every day.
Gratitude Meditation
