If the only prayer you would say in your whole life is “Thank you,” that would suffice.
Meister Eckhart, 13th-century Christian mystic
Feeling grateful becomes a spiritual practice when we can truly express gratitude even when our lives are not going well.
“A thankful person is thankful under all circumstances. A complaining soul complains even if he lives in paradise.”
Baha’u’llah, founder of Baha’i faith
Many of us fall into the trap of seeing the world from a negative perspective and often are not aware of just how much our outlook colors our experience.
- When this happens we have to step away from our usual point of view to gain another vantage point.
Be grateful for your physical existence, your rhythmic breathing, your ability to exercise, your sense of taste, and your eyesight.
- There are many aspects to your physical existence that give you pleasure and for which you can be thankful.
We can all count on the natural beauty of the wilderness to awaken deep feelings of gratitude.
- You can probably recall wonderful moments in nature from your own life, when you were overwhelmed by beauty.
- These moments can be almost like postcards in our mind.
- When we take them out for review, they have almost the same effect on us as when we were actually there.
Resource: Retreat
a quiet or secluded place in which one can rest and relax
Say “Thank You”
- Saying “thank you” is something we do every day (usually automatically)
- Say “thank you” consciously and from the heart, whenever the opportunity arises.
- You’ll be surprised how total strangers will respond differently to these words when they are spoken consciously with real meaning.
See Beauty
- Gently let your eyelids open, allowing your focus to be soft.
- For the next eight minutes, look around you and intentionally see what is beautiful.
- Gradually your eyes will see more and more detail.
- A cobweb in the corner of a small room can be beautiful.
- Gradually your eyes will see more and more detail.
- Open your eyes again and, for three minutes, look around you to see what is beautiful, as if you are seeing it for the first time.
- Continue to see beauty in your surroundings as you go about your day.
- Allow yourself to feel gratitude for both the presence of beauty in your world and your ability to see beauty.
Morning outlook
- The attitude we choose upon awakening can set the tone for the whole day.
- As you awaken, before you leave your bed, take a moment and be grateful.
- Notice how this simple change of focus enhances your day.
craving and resource from “20 Minute Retreats” by Rachel Harris
