Hey there . Today's meditation is on gratitude . Gratitude practice can be used to promote a positive mood , hope and resilience . As we experience positive emotions , such as gratitude and loving , kindness and compassion , our awareness broadens and widens and our creativity and problem-solving capacities blossom and we become more effective in whatever it is we choose to do . So , to get started , I want you to find a safe , quiet place where you know you will not be disturbed and , when you're ready , I'd like you to sit upright in a comfortable , stable position where you feel fully supported and your back , neck , neck and head are straight . Or , if you prefer , you can lie down on your back in a comfortable place with some support under your knees , making sure that you'll be warm enough . You might want to get a sweater or a blanket if the room is cool , and loosen any restrictive clothing that would prevent you from breathing comfortably .
Lisa HopkinsIt's important to set yourself up with all the things that you can control , so that you can just let go and really work on your practice . So , when you can just let go and really work on your practice , so , when you're ready , allow your eyes to gently close or , if you prefer , maintain a soft focus , gazing six to twelve feet in front of you , whichever feels right to you , and we're going to take a slow , deep breath to bring yourself to the present moment and begin the process of feeling more peaceful and centered . Breathe into the belly so it expands as you breathe in and gets smaller as you breathe out . Now take a minute or two to mentally scan your body for any areas where there might be tightness or tension or soreness , and direct your breath , your warm , oxygen-filled breath , into those areas and , as you breathe out , let the tension release , letting it fall away with your exhale . Now I want you to notice any worries or fear , any anger or irritation , any jealousy or judgment . Just breathe into those emotions , noticing them and allowing them to flow out . As you breathe out , just let them go another breath into any uncomfortable emotions and just exhaling , breathing them out and releasing them . And in the same way , I want you to notice any thoughts , memories or plans , associations or dreams or fantasies , anything other than being here right now and then breathing in , just noticing these thoughts , breathe into them and , as you breathe out , as you exhale , allow the thoughts to flow out with your breath , now that our bodies , emotions and thoughts are a little clearer , a bit more spacious and open .
Lisa HopkinsWe can begin to focus on the events and experiences , draw our awareness around the people or the pets or the things for which we feel grateful . Allow yourself to fill with those things that you are grateful for , and I want you also to take a moment to consider the fact that , if you're listening to this recording , that you already have several marvelous gifts the gift of life itself , our most precious gift . Someone gave birth to you , fed you as an infant , took care of you , taught you to speak and to understand . The gift of hearing , so you can hear and learn , whether it's the song of a bird or the notes of a song of a band that you're listening to , the songs of singing and voices , the sound of laughter , the sound of your own breathing flowing in and flowing out . Your gift of hearing is a steady , regular , moment after moment , pumping fresh , life-giving blood to all your organs .
Lisa HopkinsNow take a moment to think about all the things we have today that make our lives easier and more comfortable than they were for our great-grandparents . We flip a switch and a light appears . We turn a tap and clean drinkable water flows . We adjust a thermostat and a room grows warmer . We have a roof to keep us dry when it rains , and walls to keep out the cold wind , windows to let in the light , and screens to keep out the pests . We enter a vehicle and it takes us where we want to go . We have access to machines that wash our clothes and our dishes . We have clothes to wear , places to store them . We have indoor plumbing , public libraries that have thousands of books and recordings free for anyone to borrow and read .
Lisa HopkinsNow take a moment to reflect on all the thousands of people who have worked so hard , some without knowing you at all , to make your life easier or more pleasant . Those who plant , grow and harvest the food that you eat , and harvest the food that you eat . Some who transport that food to the market . The teams of people who make the roads and railways that make it easier to transport the food , and another team who maintain those vehicles , and drivers and loaders and unloaders . Those who take the time to design the store , the shelves , the packaging that keeps the food safe and allows you to find what you need Postal service , someone who sorts the mail and others who deliver it . Those who maintain the servers so you can get and send email and access the internet . Those who design operations and systems for gathering , sorting and disposing of trash and recycling . Those who gather news stories and photos and those who create the many mechanisms by which the news can reach you . All those who play sports , create art or music , write plays or poems , make films to entertain and uplift you . All the beautiful artists in this world . And most of these people are people that you have never met or barely know . Now consider the people and pets you know , who enrich your life , those who smile at you and cheer you on , those family , friends , acquaintances , colleagues and peers . Those ancestors who worked so you could live well , those friends who support you when you need a shoulder or a hand .
Lisa HopkinsAnd now take a moment to reflect on your own reasons for feeling grateful today , in this moment , right now . Feel it in your body . There is so much gratitude to feel in this moment . Allow it to fill your heart and mind and uplift your spirit . Take a few more moments here , feeling your body and breath in this place , and rest quietly , just noticing how you feel throughout your body , your emotions and thoughts . How different that might be from when you began this meditation . No judging , just noticing .
When you're ready , gently bring yourself to opening your eyes sitting up . If you are lying down , maybe gently stretch your hands and arms , feet and legs . If you choose to stand , do so slowly . With practice , you can find yourself feeling grateful quite easily wherever you are , and you'll notice how it can energize you . Sometimes it's helpful to keep a journal , a gratitude journal , just noticing three to five things each day for which you feel particularly grateful . But it's a beautiful thing to be able to do in the moment , just by tapping into your heart and soul , so that you can draw on the strength of this gratitude whenever you wish . I am grateful to you , dear listener , for practicing this guided , heart-centered meditation with me today , and I'm proud of you for promoting a sense of gratitude within yourself , thereby expanding gratitude into the world . Namaste .