Appreciation

To be able to see good qualities in myself and others

(Pause between paragraphs and at the dots.)

Step 1 : “Firstly, sit in a comfortable position on your chairs, or cross legged on the floor. Make sure your back is straight and head is upright. Take a deep breath and relax as you breathe out. Take another deep breath… and another…”

Step 2 : “Now relax any tensions in the body. Stretch your toes, then relax them. Tighten and tense the calf muscles, then relax them. Tense the muscles in your upper legs and thighs, and relax them. Pull in your stomach muscles, then relax them. Pull the shoulders back, then relax them. Shrug the shoulders up and down. Look left, look forward, look right, look forward. Now screw up the face muscles and relax them. Feel your whole body relaxed – all tensions have gone. You feel good.”

Step 3 : “Let a warm feeling of love grow in your heart, then let it spread all through you… You are lovable and beautiful and so are the others around you.
Let your love spread out to everyone in the class… then out to your family…
…to the people in your street…
…then all over the town…
…throughout the country.
…then throughout the world
…to all the creatures, fish , trees and plants….
“Everyone and everything needs to be appreciated and loved. Your appreciation and love is important for everything around you.

Step 4 : “Now bring your attention back to the classroom, open your eyes and stretch, as the exercise has finished. Smile at the person next to you.”

Adapted from ‘Sathya Sai Education in Human Values’, Published by BISSE Limited