Mind Tools & Inspirations: Gratitude arising
In this 3-minute practice you invite things are you grateful for to arise. I love the mystery of what appears when I just wait and allow something to show up.
TRY THIS…
If you have time, let me guide you so you can focus on your experience.
HERE IS THE PRACTICE
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Have your hands in your lap, palms facing up.
As you inhale, open your hands.
As you exhale, gently close your hands.
Continue moving and breathing like this, at your open pace.
While you are inhaling, your hands are slowly opening.
While you are exhaling, your hands are gently closing.
Now cup both hands, as if you are catching water, or maybe waiting for a butterfly to land.
Invite something you feel grateful for to arise.
Don’t go looking, just wait, and allow something you are grateful for to show up.
When something shows up, gently close your hands.
Hold and appreciate that thing.
Now open your hands and let that thing go.
As you exhale, gently close your hands.
As you inhale, slowly open your hands.
Cupping both hands as if catching water, invite something else you are grateful for to arise.
There is no hurry. Wait and discover what shows up.
When something shows up, gently close your hands.
Hold and appreciate that thing.
When you’re ready open your hands and let that thing go.
As you exhale, gently close your hands.
As you inhale, slowly open your hands.
Notice what gratitude feels like.
Stay with the feeling for as long as you like.
WHY DO THIS?
To “allow” something you are grateful for to arise, quiet the part of your mind that talks to yourself.
You listen to yourself instead of talking to yourself.
It may be strangely quiet for a while and then something shows up from a deeper or at least different part of you.
Mind Tools & Inspirations are experiences for busy, smart, curious people to help you operate your human system.
The Mind Tools library (https://www.yogamindtools.com/mind-tools-inspirations ) is organized into three groups: Uplifting and Nourishing, Calming and Supportive, Discovery and Exploration.
I add a new experience every week.
Kindly,
Carrie
Carrie Heeter, PhD
Yoga Mind Tools


Sometimes when listening to these I don’t follow along exactly and sort of think about the ideas more abstractly and I guess it must have started raining inside because I felt a bit of mist leak out the side of my eye as I released a feeling I’ve been grateful for but am ready to let it go. What’s especially interesting to me is that I’m not even really sure what it was. I couldn’t explain it to you if you asked but I do know emotion was released and I feel light and breezy in this moment.
I was in the zone until you said "let it go"... I will never get used to that part. People came to mind first. Second, I thought of the calm that comes from having all of you "ducks in a row" temporarily. ...that 20 minutes to 2 days when the house is clean; the work is done; the dog is walked. I need to stay there and enjoy; rather than letting "what's next" crowd my space.