The following meditation is led by Tara Brock.

To access more of my meditations or join my email list, please visit TaraBrock.com.

It can be helpful as you're settling in to intentionally gladden the mind.

And the Buddha gave a number of different pathways for this.

One is to simply sense what you're grateful for.

So let come to mind what you feel is a blessing or gift in your life.

And then to feel that in a very embodied way in your heart.

You can also reflect on what you love.

And another pathway is to bring to mind the heart and mind of an awakened being.

Just to imagine that and sense that awakened heart mind is right here,

filling and suffusing your being.

You're sensing a pathway of gladdening the mind that resonates for you.

And feeling your sincerity as you are entering this sitting for presence to awaken and open this heart and mind.

And it's with that sincerity, that energy of caring, that we begin to establish a wakefulness in our senses.

You might listen to the sounds around you and in the room.

And to bring that same receptive quality of attentiveness inside the body,

listening to and feeling the aliveness that's here.

You might let your attention gently scan through the body,

feeling the area of the brow, the eyes, and softening the eyes so there's a receptivity there.

Just feeling the tingling and vibrating, the play of light,

feeling the slight smile to the mouth,

feeling the inside of the mouth, the tongue, gums, teeth, and the lips,

...