Gratitude: An everyday practice with magical results

As we move into the colder season it is natural for our energies to be a bit more internalized, especially here in the Northwest . This turning in can be a time of reflection and acknowledgement of the things that are most important to us and for which we feel much gratitude. I always welcome the change of the seasons and the uplifting camaraderie that the holidays naturally bring. Being that our Fall retreat and our Thanksgiving Day class are just around the corner the sense of gratitude, appreciation and bountifulness are in the air and on my mind.
There are many awe inspiring mysteries that flow in and out of our lives; the twinkle of the stars, the functional processes our bodies naturally do, the change of day to night, eating an amazing meal, lying down to sleep for the night, affection from a loved one, artistic endeavors, lyrics for a song, the change of the seasons, the laughter of another, the spontaneous act of love, scientific discovers and so, so many others. What might seem like mundane, uninspiring, unimportant activities can come alive through the practice of gratitude. It is quite easy and habitual to drift into negative, pessimism and cynicism about many of the things that occur in the world, but we ourselves hold a magic key to shift into a state of gratitude even in the midst of our most challenging obstacles.
Here are a few quotes and thoughts about why you might practice Gratitude:

Gratitude Promotes Health: What this means is that the more we experience a sense of gratitude, the more endorphins and the less adrenaline we pump into our system, thus contributing to longer, healthier lives. As we count our blessings, we literally bathe ourselves inwardly in good hormones. And while we can’t guarantee that a sense of appreciation will cure all our ailments, we can be sure that it will make us feel better.

Gratitude expands our heart: Beginning to tune into even the minutest feelings of…….gratitude softens us………If we begin to acknowledge these moments and cherish them……then no matter how fleeting and tiny this good heart may seem, it will gradually, at its own speed, expand. Pema Chodran

Gratitude Cures Perfectionism: Gratitude not only helps us accept that the world is imperfect, but that we are too --- and that’s OK. For when we pour the oil of appreciation for life in all its imperfections over our experience, we ourselves can’t help but be anointed. Suddenly seized by joy for the crazy, mixed-up world, we recognize ourselves as part of that world, and take our rightful place as a child of the universe, perfectly acceptable in all our imperfections.

Gratitude joins us to all of life: I feel this communion, this strange attunement, most readily with large white pines, a little less with sugar maples, beeches or oaks. Clearly white pines and I are on the same wave-length. What I give back to the trees I cannot imagine. I hope they receive something, because trees are among my closest friends. Anne Labastille

Gratitude makes us feel happy: Mental sunshine will cause the flowers of peace, happiness, and prosperity to grow upon the face of the earth. Be a creator of mental sunshine. Anonymous

Gratitude as a gift: Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity……..Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie

Gratitude grounds us in the present moment: As we allow ourselves to open to the fullness of gratitude, the past and future fade away and we become more alive in the present moment. That’s because gratitude is, for the most part, about the here and now. While we can be thankful for past blessings and hope for future ones, when we experience a sense of gratefulness, we are usually contemplating some present circumstance. We are brought up-to-date with ourselves. Our focus moves away from all that we or others did or failed to do in the past, or what we hope for or worry about in the future, and we find ourselves placed squarely in this precious moment, this experience that will never happen again.

Gratitude illumines our soul: Consciously cultivating Thankfulness is a journey of the soul, one that begins when we look around us and see the positive effects that gratitude creates. We do this by noticing those around us to whom gratefulness comes easily and realize how much we enjoy being around these people. We also tap into these gifts as we think about times in the past when we felt particularly grateful. Remember the peaceful and the delight that accompanied those times? As we come to understand the gifts of gratitude, we realize that being grateful is not something remote of foreign, but part of the natural joyful expression of our full humanness.

Gratitude is an inner light that we can use to illumine ours souls. The more we are thankful, the more light we experience and the more we shine forth into the world. Melody Beattie

One of the most powerful places to practice gratitude is on our mats. I would encourage you to take one practice and make the entire focus on having gratitude, for; body, breath, strength, injuries, health, hearing, community, freedom, joy, your mat, your clothing, your job………………..whatever is in the forefront of your attention as you practice. As you practice and you hold the space of awareness for all that you are grateful for, allow yourself to internally say, I am grateful for……….

This practice is quite heartwarming.

Namaste,
Scott