Gratitude Meditation
This is an auspicious time of year to cultivate a grateful state of mind and practice ways to continually get back to a thank-state.
Spending time with Max Strom always brings me back to the impact of even moments of immense gratitude.
Max Strom, a teacher of gratitude
Below I have shared a simple meditation that he teaches. It is not word for word, his words, but from memory I have tried to capture the essence of what he shares. Please visit his facebook page to read more about his gratitude teachings or buy his book A Life Worth Breathing. This book is accessible and friendly and will leave you in a thank-state.
Try this for yourself and also offer it as a gift to someone else:
Gratitude Meditation:
Take a comfortable seat. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in. Deep breath out. Breathe naturally with depth.
Imagine sitting directly in front of you is a person that you feel immense gratitude for. Allow it to be the first person who comes to mind. Visualize him/her sitting in front of you and looking at you with affection and respect. There he/she is. Very present with you. See their face and notice their eyes. As you look into their eyes feel fully the immense gratitude you have for this person. Without words, radiate your gratitude to this person who changed your life. Who believed in you. This person who boosted your self confidence. Look into their eyes and from your heart radiate your deep love and appreciation for this person, as if it were your last opportunity. Look into the eyes of this person and radiate your love. This person reaches out and touches you on your heart center as if to say we are connected. We are connected eternally. I am always with you. You are always with me. They ask you to do something, "Before you leave this world, make an impact on someone else in the same way that I have impacted you.” So that when they are asked this question, they will think of you.
Max suggests doing this meditation several times a day—especially if you have anger issues of your own.