I Am Grateful

Every morning, before diving into your daily activities, we invite you to try a version of this meditation — tailored to reflect what is true for your own body and reality — through speech or song.

I am grateful for my consciousness, I am grateful for my body, I am grateful for my soul, I am grateful for my life.

I am grateful for . . .

my eyes, which bring in the amazing beauty of the universe, enable me to read and to see the nuances in others’ faces, and help me navigate through the world.

my ears, which enable me to hear the sounds of nature, decipher the words spoken to me by others, keep my balance, and enjoy music and song.

my nose and tongue, which enable me to taste delicious food and smell the flowers.

my tongue and larynx, which enable me to talk and sing.

my lungs, which take in the air and transform it into usable oxygen for my body and then push out the carbon dioxide that nourishes the trees and other plants.

my heart, which pumps blood through my body day and night, without me having to pay attention, delivering nourishment and oxygen to every part of my body.

my digestive system—my jaw, mouth, teeth, and saliva, which prepare the food I ingest; my esophagus, stomach, and all the bacteria and enzymes that transform food into energy for my body; and my liver, gallbladder, intestines, kidneys, and bladder, which work together to eliminate from my body all that I do not need.

my bones, which give shape to my body; my skin, which helps regulate my temperature and contains my body; my legs, which carry me into the world; and my arms and hands, which enable me to lift, pull, gesture, write, reach out to others, and enjoy the many sensual pleasures of touch.

my reproductive system, which may enable (or has enabled) me to choose to bring new life into the world (speak the names of your children if you have any), and which allows me to experience sexual pleasure and fulfillment.

my nervous system and brain, which coordinate all the parts of my body and allow me to assess and respond to the world around me, and for my mind, which allows me to imagine how the world may be healed and to develop strategies to actualize my vision of the kind of world I want to see.

Add here your own list of other things for which you are grateful.