Gratitude
Find
a quiet place where you can sit for 10 or more minutes. Use a timer
for your practice. There are many apps available. You can find me on Insight Timer.
You
may sit on a chair with the feet flat on the floor or if you can sit
cross-legged on the floor comfortably then try that. It is important to
make sure you're not struggling to sit comfortably. Zafu meditation cushions
are great to have, sitting on firm pillow or thick sturdy blankets like
you find in yoga studios are all good options. When sitting
cross-legged, you want to be able to sit up tall, upright but not
uptight. The knees slope down from the hips and the hands rest on the
thighs with palms up or down. Imagine their is a string in your spine
that is being drawn up towards the ceiling lifting the whole spine up.
Check to see that you didn't take your shoulders up with you. Allow them
to slide down your back on an exhale.
Now
that you have taken your seat, check in with your mind. Ask yourself
how you are doing in the present moment. Try not to dig too deeply here.
You are seeing what the flavor of your mind feels like and leave it at
that eg: I am tired, excited, anxious, OK, etc. Spend a few breaths
with the flavor of the mind. Next spend some time going through your body noticing the placement of the legs, the feet, socks on or off, the sits bones rooting into the cushion, the spine lifting up from the pelvis. Breath. Relax the shoulders. Notice the expression on your face. Relax the forehead. Breathe. Slow down and breath. Begin the contemplative
practice of gratitude. Spend a couple of minutes with each suggested
contemplation.
Reflections to contemplate:
1)
What place am I grateful for? This could be your home, your bed, a
mountain, an ocean. When choosing a place see it's colors and sounds.
2)Who has been kind to me? Think of one person who has been kind to you and you are grateful for.
3)
What personal attribute about me am I grateful for? This could be
something physical like your hands or a quality about yourself that you
like eg: patience or courage
4) The phrase "I am grateful for my beautiful life" or "I am grateful for my precious life"
Notice how you feel after these contemplations before ending your practice.
Generating
gratitude towards others and self opens our hearts and minds. You may
not feel anything and you may feel strong emotions. If strong emotions
arise, bring awareness to where you feel the emotion in your body and
breath with it. When it passes, and it will, allow the mind to rest with
your breath, following inhale and exhale, feeling the breath in your
body. Maybe in your abdomen or the tip of the nose. When the timer rings
you may want to acknowledge your practice by placing the hands
together at the heart and bowing to self and your teachers. This is an
option and an offering for your practice. Meditation is recommended as
a daily practice. You have the time.
