Before we begin,
I wanted to share a few reflections as to why practicing gratitude is so valuable.
It is in our evolutionary nature to hold onto what is negative.
In Western psychology,
We call this the negativity bias,
Where responding strongly and holding onto what is negative has enabled us to stay safe and to survive as a species.
The dark side of this strength,
As noted by psychologist Rick Hansen,
Is that while the mind is like Velcro for negativity,
The mind is also like Teflon for positivity,
Rendering us less likely to reflect and abide in positive mental states.
Our innate bias towards negativity can also be exacerbated by experiences of adversity,
Such as traumatic life events or having felt judged as less-than,
Where one may continuously wrestle with a sense of unworthiness or never feeling good enough.
Given our tendency to lean into that which is negative,
We now know how important it is to train the mind not only to gain insight into our nature,
But because of our nature,
We must also proactively cultivate positive social-emotional states,
Such as compassion,
Kindness,
Generosity,
And gratitude.
The benefit of nurturing gratitude within ourselves is that it helps us focus.
It helps us focus on that which we can be grateful for and what we have,
Rather than being caught up in the comparing mind and seeing what we do not have.
Our sense of well-being is so vulnerable to change,
And in any given moment we may lose sight of all the conditions in our life that support us to be well and happy.
We lose sight of our freedoms and the ways in which we are fortunate.
Thankfully,
We can train the mind so that we can see more clearly and connect with the fact that pleasure need not be sought outside of ourselves,
And that a more trustworthy source of happiness can be found within.
Specifically,
We can find joy in our awareness and in our developing capacity to turn our attention inwards toward such positive emotional states as gratitude.
So let us do just that.
Let's bring our attention inward,
And we will begin by connecting with the mind,
Body,
And heart.
We ground ourselves in the present moment's experience,
And to do so we may simply ask,
Is the mind aware?
Is the body relaxed?
Is the breath coming down into the lungs?
Is the heart open and gentle?
Let's further invite calm and quiet into the mind,
Body,
And heart by taking three slow,
Deep breaths.
As we begin reflecting on what you may be grateful for,
Let's consider how for those of us whose basic needs are met that we can take this time to connect with gratitude for having access to such things as shelter,
Fresh food and water,
Health care and medicine,
And we can give thanks to all those who've come before us who have made this possible within our families,
Surrounding communities,
And that generations of hard work,
Kindness,
And compassion have made these conditions possible.
For this we can give thanks.
Take a moment to connect with your gratitude.
To give thanks.
If you happen to notice any resistance or judgment or the arising of sadness or sorrow,
See if you can be gentle with it,
And we can even be grateful when we are able to recognize these states of mind.
Know that you have the capacity to care for whatever arises in this practice,
And that all that is needed is for you to be gentle,
Loving,
And curious.
All experiences are welcome.
Let us consider all that you could potentially be grateful for.
You may feel gratitude for relationships with a particular family member,
Friends,
Or colleagues.
Bring these people to mind.
Perhaps you feel gratitude for having developed a particular skill or quality.
We can also give thanks to all those who've been patient with us,
Who have been exemplars of love,
Kindness,
Compassion,
Truthfulness,
And generosity.
We can also feel appreciation for our education,
For our career,
For having wise teachers or mentors,
Or having been the recipient of kindness from others.
Perhaps you may even feel grateful for your mistakes or past difficulties that have led to important life lessons or that have deepened your sense of humanity.
You can also reflect on simple pleasures,
Such as the sight or smell of a beautiful flower,
Listening to your favorite piece of music,
Or reflecting on the touching words of a loved one.
It is not that we cling to these experiences,
But in seeing their ephemeral nature and knowing that they come to pass,
That we can take pause and take joy in their presence and hold these experiences in our hearts as a means to counter and endure life stressors.
Take a few moments to consider.
What in your life are you grateful for?
See if you can rest in the feelings of gratitude.
If this reflection stirs strong emotion,
Allow yourself to gently care for whatever may arise.
Perhaps a few thoughtful breaths to ease that emotion,
And we can be grateful for being aware.
No matter what we are dealing with,
There is always something to be grateful for,
Something that we could take pause and celebrate as a gift of life.
Now let's take a moment to make a mental note of someone who has done something nice for us.
And perhaps within yourself you can express gratitude to this person,
And could even imagine yourself expressing your thanks directly to them at another time.
We hold these people and our appreciation of them in our hearts.
Know that any moment you can take pause to celebrate that which you are grateful for,
Even if just for a moment.
The more we rest in positive emotional states,
The greater and more reliable our sense of well-being and happiness,
And the more in turn that we have to give to others.
May the efforts of our practice be of benefit for all beings everywhere.
May all beings live with greater peace,
Safety,
And love.
And may our efforts to develop gratitude support us in making it so.
