On Giving Thanks & Gratitude
Gratitude is not a thought ; it’s not the words “ I’m grateful for….”.It is a spiritual act ;an act of the Soul.
It is an elevated state of being , that is soooo good for us on every level : mind body spirit , & liveability.( I just made that one up ! Liveability means you are much more pleasant to be around & easier to live with when you come with an attitude of Gratitude.)
The word gratitude comes from the Latin root gratus, meaning “pleasing; welcome; agreeable.” Gratus is also the root of the word ‘ GRACE’. When we are grateful , we are in a state of Grace , and we emanate that all around us , like a perfume .But just reciting the mantra – ‘I’m grateful’ , or declaring ‘ thanks! ‘ is not enough .Gratitude is an experience : a movement of our full attention and appreciation ; a mindless moment of time travel , when we stop thinking , lose our minds , and then as we STOP………………..we breathe and enjoy the Magic of true seeing , sensing , touching , inhaling , listening , tasting …not just with our physical senses , but with our Soul’s senses : the eyes and ears of the heart .
To drop regularly into the state of gratitude , to walk appreciation into my life requires that I understand WHY it’s worth doing .Its a game changer and a week of regular daily practice will demonstrate that unequivocally.
We grow new neural pathways , we think differently , the world opens up more to us , we live at a higher altitude and the air & views are clearer from there .Enough for ya ?!Then I simply need to alter my warp speed and take the time as I go about my day , to feel and touch , to stroke with my eyes , to touch in my listening , to hear with my heart , to taste with focussed perception , with the senses of a person newly born , & doing these for the first time.
Thinking and speaking is overrated in gratitude practice.Showing up fully is all that’s required.
In these tricky times , gratitude can be a really helpful soulmate .Victor Frankl , Edith Eger and Anne Frank wrote much of the value of inner joy and gratitude during the horrendous years of the Holocaust .We could learn much about how to handle our tricky times from those who endured far more than we can ever imagine ; and feel the Grace of gratitude for their sharing of wisdom .
