Embodying Gratitude
Gratitude has been a hot topic for some time now. Many spiritual teachers talk of the immense power of gratitude from Yogi Bhajan, the poet Rumi, Eckhart Tolle to Oprah Winfrey. Although we can often ride the wave of what’s ‘trending’, do we really understand the importance of embodying a simple concept as gratitude?
It’s simple - yet life changing!
When we genuinely feel gratitude, it naturally brings about a sense of happiness.
When we feel grateful for everything around us, we feel an expansive sense of wonder and contentment.
When we feel blessed by all that we have, we are more likely to share this love with others.
Sounds idyllic right? So, why don’t we do this all the time then?
Well, you may have noticed that with humans we can seem to get stuck in patterns of perceptions… We can think that we know the world, how it is or how it should be, and then it’s very easy to become complacent, going through the motions of our habitual life according to these beliefs, accustomed to having certain things each day or people around us. We can take things for granted, including our own wellbeing and the ones we love, and it’s only when they are no longer available to us - we realize how much we appreciate them.
But that doesn’t have to be the way! The good news is that this can be easily remedied with a switch in our attention!
Eckart Tolle says: “When you go deeply into the present, gratitude arises spontaneously, even if it’s just gratitude for breathing, gratitude for the aliveness that you feel in your body. Gratitude is there when you acknowledge the aliveness of the present moment.” - Eckhart Tolle
Basically, by being fully present and not off somewhere in our heads, we can truly appreciate what’s in front of us, alive, fresh, dancing with the immediacy of life - for we have no idea what will be of tomorrow.
That being said, this is all easier said than done (due to strong patterns and perceptions), so I am sharing with you 3 simple Gratitude embodiment tips to assist in shifting your attention and growing your gratitude.
#1 Meditate
Rest your mind. See how it tries to pull you into the future or past with its images and don’t entertain them! The less you are ‘thinking’, the more you are present with life as it is, and gratitude naturally arises
#2 Take time
Take the time to sample and experience the beauty of life and all that nature and your environment have to offer. Sitting under a tree, walking through the forest, admiring the flowers that bloom, placing your feet in the sea and watching the patterns of the water ripple, munching on berries. Pause before eating a meal, and really feel the joy for what you are consuming. Nature is a great way to invoke true gratitude.
#3 Journal / Reflect
Take 5 minutes every day to journal or simply reflect upon all of the things that you are grateful for or appreciate in your life. A roof over your head, your favorite jumper, a craft you are learning, the view from your window, your cat or dog, the birdsong, nutritious food, your yoga practice, the support from those around you, connections, family, kindness in the world, or the smile someone just gave you from across the room, the fact that you are alive and hopefully well on this day. Really feel your appreciation!
With love + gratitude
Jemma xo
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