Gratitude meditation diarised on my Google calendar to do every morning.
This hopefully will open me up to being grateful spontaneously for moments throughout the day. I hope this will become the foundation of the new house I am building for myself.
Signed up to Pathway To Happiness http://www.pathwaytohappiness.com/Free/Session_01/1Gratitude.htm
Began the first free session- Gratitude and did the meditation, I was at work and it was quiet so I was able to listen mostly uninterrupted for the 37 minutes.
The anxiety I had carried with me since 5am ebbed away. I am calm, peaceful and grateful for so many things.
The visualisation process of breathing in gratitude and breathing out to express my gratitude began with my biological body and it's functions. I then, guided by Gary expanded that out and what I 'saw' was an energetic field, like a computer generated mesh in 3D form around my body, it then became branches/arms/octopus like wrapping around into an interlocking globe to my friends and family, each forming a strong bond yet there was space between the connections.
I was reminded of the golden globe that Amanda had bought for me 2 Christmases ago, the one that sits on my window sill at home.
As I was led to expand further out to the meal I had eaten, the people who grew the food and so on.... I saw the globe grow another layer, joined in the same way but beneath and parallel to the first.
When I opened my eyes it looked at the light shades here in the lounge at work and they are globe shaped with flowers emanating from a joined central point, each flower open and the petals gently touching in some places.
Day 2
The Gratitude Meditation (not the same one as I did yesterday) I had come across some months ago and I now have it copied to my notes on my phone so that I can do it every morning, no matter where I am.
Thank you Life
Thank you for this breath Thank you for this inhale Thank you for this exhale Thank you for this Life
Thank you Heart Thank you for this pounding Thank you for this pulsing Thank you for this Love
Thank you feet Thank you for this walk Thank you for this run Thank you for the Dancing
Thank you Eyes Thank you for the Sunrise Thank you for the Sunset Thank you for all the Colors
Thank you Ears Thank you for The Music Thank you for the Rhythm And Thank you for the Stillness
Thank you Hands Thank you for the Caressing Thank you for the Clapping And Thank you for the Holding
Thank you Mouth Thank you for the nourishment Thank you for the Wine Thank you for the Kisses
Thank you Nose Thank you for the Flowers Thank you for the Pines Thank you for the Sniffles
Thank you Arms and Shoulders Thank you for the Carrying Thank you for the Burdening And Thank you for the Hugging
Thank you Voice Thank you for the Expression Thank you for the Word Thank you for the Gift of Creation
Thank you for this Day Thank you for the Light Thank you for the Stars Thank you for the Night
Thank you Self Thank you for the Laughter Thank you for the Play Thank you for You
Thank you for the Emotions Thank you for the Joys Thank you for the Tears and Sorrows Thank you for the Richness
Thank you for the Abundance that is. Thank you for the Abundance that is given. Thank you for the so many experiences and so many things Thank you for this Dance.
Thank you Life
Gary van Warmerdam
This was sourced from the following website
http://www.toltecspirit.com/four-agreements/gratitude-meditation/
I was led to this page after seeing Steve a local Shamanic Healer, who told me after quite an intense healing, that I was a spiritual warrior, I really didn't know what that meant at the time so off I popped onto good old Google and I found this site, it explained what a spiritual warrior was and the paths to follow in order to become fully realised. It really appealed to me, there were many things I wanted to change and develop within myself and my lifestyle and so, here I am some months later, beginning a journey to become what I am supposed to be. I feel I have found the right fit for a spiritual shaped place I have been looking at and pondering for many years.
On day 2 I was in an unexpected situation at work. The service I have worked for for 22 years is being tendered out and I have applied to leave under efficiency savings so I can pursue my other passions and interests. Whilst I welcome this, I had a fear of not having a regular income to meet my bills, I was looking for a bridging position/safety net should my other plans to cover my bills not work out.
This day at work we met with the new providers and I made mention that I would be interested in a flexible post within their organisation. This would mean that they had a knowledgeable person with experience of supporting the service users they were about to take over the provision of support for. It also meant that I had access to an income whilst I was preparing myself for my future plans.
The area manager asked if I was free for an informal interview right there and then...... I was still in my "pyjamas" as I tend to wear shorts and a tee shirt whilst showering our service users in the wet room so as to not get wet through in my day clothes.
I smiled and said I was available but that I needed to change into my day wear, we laughed at the absurdity of thought that I could be attending an interview in my pyjamas.
I changed, we had the interview, it went very well. I liked them, they liked me and I was offered a job on their bank staff service right there and then.
I was filled with gratitude, I was very happy. I gave conscious thanks to The Universe and smiled at everyone all the way home.
Day 3
I woke feeling very tired so I went back to sleep, it is winter and the days are short and it never really seems to get light when the sky is overcast with clouds. I am in hibernation mode so did not feel any guilt at all about sleeping.
When I woke again I went to get some breakfast, all the while reminding myself to do the gratitude meditation. Whilst I was downstairs, I felt a little pang of annoyance at my housemates, they had filled the recycling bin and general refuse bin and not taken it out to the external collection bins. Dirty pots were once again left in the sink and their personal items were spreading out throughout the shared spaces again.
I noted that I would need to speak to them both when the other returned from work.
I brought my breakfast back up to my bedroom, ate it and thought about how I would broach this talk with them. I felt uneasy, I don't like confrontation. I also feel that I should not have to ask as my home should be respected as a matter of course, as should I.
I flipped open the laptop intending to do 3 things; distract myself for an hour watching something on Netflix, note down in Word what my annoyances were and of course to to the gratitude meditation. I opened three windows, one for each task and the one that opened first was the web page for Toltec Spirit, the place where Gary's gratitude meditation is. The first thing I read was The Four Agreements as they simply show up on that page, as I was doing so I knew exactly what I needed to do. I needed to speak my truth to my housemates without blaming or being all sorry for myself. It had to be neutral. I knew right there that I should do the meditation to put my thoughts in a helpful situation.
I did the meditation, it wasn't easy, my breathing was a bit erratic and I had to concentrate on it quite a lot. I sent the energy feeling through my body to some degree but it was not as powerful as the guided meditation I had done first but I felt I had achieved some sense of calm and balance.
I then opened this blog and now here I am sat typing.
I feel better about talking to my housemates, I think I have found an approach that will work well for us all. I am going to sign off now and attend to my day.
Thank you for the gratitude meditation and for the other wisdom I find in your pages.
Thank you Gary.
