Power of Gratitude…How To.

There are so many tools for which one can bolster and build their spiritual path, one of the most powerful is Gratitude. It’s a simple act yet has so many chemical reactions in the brain and affects on life. Gratitude at it’s definition is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. Yet it goes further than that, it’s not just something that one has received but a practice in seeing the gifts that might not be so obvious. Doing some practice in seeing what you might have that needs gratitude can be all that one needs to get started. Often we overlook things we need Gratitude in; our family, waking up in the morning, our meditation practice, the sun, the rain, a co-worker, our health. It need not be saved for that which was just given to us, the act of expressing Gratitude builds a positive flow of energy to us.

Now, it’s time to try the practice out, maybe starting with the following post on Gratitude Magic; The Gratitude Project. Try the exercise out and see what happens. Another great way to do this is to simply integrate it into your meditation practice. As of late, as I sit to do my mindfulness meditation, I do two things first; one is to express Gratitude for something, just one thing and then second I practice Loving-Kindness. If you aren’t sure what Loving-Kindness or Metta is, check out my last post on what it is or this article published. I simply state my Gratitude and then state the Metta practice and then I sit. What have I noticed? Well, quite a bit, first I’ve noticed that I am softer towards those who might have normally rubbed me the wrong way. It would appear that the Metta statements are falling over into the wake life and I find myself wishing happiness and a lack of suffering to those who are seemingly engaging me in negative things. The Gratitude builds a feeling of happiness over what I have and what I didn’t know I had.Gratitude is at it’s base a practice of many paths, from the simple act of bowing in Gassho or Namaste to a friend or teacher to appreciating what you have.Try it, unless you really don’t want to see positive changes.

Gassho,

~La Boheme

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