A daily meditation practice can increase your happiness, hone your focus and improve your health. Despite the growing body of scientific research on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, most Americans do not incorporate meditation into their daily lives. However, most Americans do drink coffee, tea or water in the mornings. Turning tea or coffee time into a meditation is a great way to begin incorporating mindfulness into your life. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this month’s tea meditation is focused on cultivating gratitude.
- Make a cup of Jahmu or any other type of tea, coffee or warm water. Let it cool to a drinkable temperature.
- Sit in a comfortable seat and hold your cup of tea in both hands.
- Take a few deep breaths, relax your hips and allow your tailbone to root into the earth. Lift your heart slightly, relax your shoulders and feel your spine lengthen as you breathe into your belly.
- Bring your awareness to your cup of tea and feel its warmth radiating through your hands and into your heart. Feel the love and energy from your heart flowing through your arms and hands into the cup. Imagine you are about to drink a magical cup of liquid sunshine that can transform you from the inside out, healing, cleansing, awakening every cell in your body.
- Cultivate a feeling of gratitude for this specific cup of tea. Why are you grateful for this cup of tea and for this moment of relaxation? As you take your first sip, feel the gratitude flowing down your throat, into your belly and spreading throughout your whole body.
- With each sip of tea think of something or someone you are grateful for. Really feel the gratitude in your body. If you want to heal a part of your body, practice being grateful for the parts of your body that are healthy. If you want to manifest abundance, feel grateful for all the wealth that you already have. If you want to feel more love and connection, feel grateful for all the people in your life and send them love. Maybe even think of a challenging situation in your life or a person with whom you are struggling with and try to find some aspect of that situation that you are truly grateful for. Why are you grateful for ….? Feel it in you body!
- Practicing gratitude is a great way to increase your happiness and to feel more connected and whole. When you are finished, thank your cup for holding the magical liquid. Thank yourself for taking the time to practice this meditation, and allow yourself to continue this practice throughout the day while you walk, drive, eat, work and play!
Stay tuned for more guided meditations!