gratitude meditation

in addition to conducting therapy, part of my job is also to lead the patients in meditation right before bedtime.  this is quite possibly my favorite part of the job - i've gotten so into it!  sometimes i use a prepared meditation, but often i just make it up as we go along.  one thing i always try to include, no matter what, is a component of shifting the focus toward an attitude of gratitude {it even rhymes!!}.  there's tons of research out there, both from scientists and religious organizations, which link cultivating a grateful heart to overcoming life's struggles and maintaining a greater sense of happiness.  and if anyone has ever made gratitude lists in the midst of a hard time, you know how powerful it can be {as opposed to just trying to be happy, which can make you even more upset}.

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here's a sample guided meditation i wrote about gratitude:


sit in a quiet, comfort place and take several slow, deep breaths.
as you breath in, feel your belly expand like a balloon, and as you breath out, feel it deflate all the way.
focus on your breath, and if your mind wanders, gently bring it back to this feeling of breathing in and out. 


after a few minutes focusing on your breath, shift your attention to your mind's eye.
imagine yourself in a beautiful place - maybe you are on a beach, maybe you're at the top of a mountain, by a cool stream, or lying in a field of flowers.  wherever you are, spend a few minutes soaking in this beautiful place with all of your senses.  what do you see?  what do you hear?  what do you smell and taste? and what do you feel?  what are you doing in this place?  are there any animals or loved ones, living or dead, there with you?  spend some time simply enjoying your beautiful spot. 

this beautiful place is here, just for you.  it's yours and is waiting to welcome you with open arms no matter what, no matter where you are in life or what you're thinking or feeling.  when life feels overwhelming you can stop and return to this place, allowing it to wrap you up in warmth, comfort, beauty, peace, and love. 

allow your heart to open up with gratitude for this place.  if you are not already doing so, open your hands, palms upward.  straighten your shoulders, physically opening your heart to the world as you also do so with your emotional heart.  look around your beautiful place once more with this sense of gratitude for all that you see there.  {pause}  now, with the same grateful heart, begin to see all the things and people which you are grateful for in the real world.  be patient and allow this gratitude list to come to you.  if something which you are not grateful for pops up, acknowledge it and gently shift your focus back to that for which you are thankful.

as we end, silently thank all of these things for what they have done in your life.  give these things a kiss, a hug, a high-five, or whatever is most meaningful.  thank your heart for taking the time to acknowledge these things and ask it to bring your sense of gratitude with you as you return to the real world.  when you are ready, open your eyes and come back to the present.

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of course, if you're not into meditation, it's just as good to write a list or create art around the things you're grateful for.  and if you're thankful for certain people, it's especially wonderful to express that gratitude to them directly.  today i'm thankful for:
- brandi! for her friendship, encouragement, and most recently, all her help with my new blog.
- my patient, hilarious, multi-talented hubby.
- my increasingly cuddly kitty.
- haystacks {sort of like mexican salads}.
- cleaning out the house and reorganizing.
- our fan, ice cubes, any/all air conditioned places we've found this week {it's been 100's of degrees here!}.

what are you thankful for?


{all photos from luna~nueva}