Body Gratitude Meditation

A symphony continually plays inside your body. A harmony of rhythms works without interruption to keep you alive, and when one system loses its tempo, the melody — that is, your health — begins to suffer. Though we tend to notice the aches and pains of living and the wrinkles of aging more than the miraculous coordination of the body’s functioning systems, it is important to acknowledge the phenomenon that is the human body.

The following meditation will give you an opportunity to offer your body the recognition it deserves, while creating a sense of empowerment and an atmosphere of calm.
 
Body Gratitude Meditation:

Begin by turning your attention inward. Breathe.
Notice your lungs. Your lungs draw-in oxygen and release carbon dioxide over 15,000 times every day. Thank you, Lungs.
Your heart beats about 100,000 times every day of your life. Thank you, Heart, for keeping me alive.
Life-giving oxygen is carried from the lungs and heart through hundreds of miles of blood vessels, nourishing each and every cell. All this occurs without conscious thought or effort. Thank You.
Your bones not only provide your body with a structural framework, but the marrow inside produces your blood cells; talk about a multi-tasker! Thank you, Bones.
The ligaments, muscles, and connective tissues form your personal shape, and make movement possible. Each of these parts conforms depending on how the body is being used. I am thankful for my movement.
The skin is your largest organ and spans about 20 square feet! The skin serves as a layer of defense which protects against the outside world. Thank you, Skin. 
The immune system furthers our protective defenses, fighting disease and cancer on a daily basis. The colds we contract are few compared to the number that have been detected and eliminated already. I appreciate my immune system.
Lymph is the immune system’s highway. This silent transportation network reduces inflammation, and maintains health. For this, I am grateful.
Seven glands secrete the hormones that construct the finely-tuned symphony of chemical communication and function. Thank you, Endocrine system.
I am thankful for my liver, my stomach, my intestines, my pancreas, my kidneys and my bladder. My organs work in ways beyond my comprehension, and allow life.
The brain and the billions of nerves in the body combine function with the network responsible for managing the body’s other systems. For this, I am thankful.

Try using this meditation to help you express gratitude for your body. Every second of every day, the body works in a concert of precision and artistry while you’re busy navigating traffic, surfing the internet, chomping down fast food, or daydreaming. Add this quick, few-minute meditation to your schedule and recognize the many miracles needed to keep you alive.