A Reflection On Gratitude

Hi everyone. I wanted to share a message on gratitude as the head of the Minded Institute.

 

One of the things that has come up for me recently is the practice of gratitude. It’s so easy, with all the pressures of life, to focus on the constant issues that arise daily and have this weigh us down. Gratitude is often a balm for this very common human propensity and allows us to see what is good in our world and what is nurturing us. The result of feeling gracious towards aspects of our life is that we are often better able to cope with challenges and find optimism naturally emerging..

 

Gratitude can be experienced organically but often we need to actively work towards its cultivation. Given the research that highlights how beneficial it is, gratitude is certainly something to practice.

 

“A review of over 70 studies found that practicing gratitude reduced depression and, over time, led to a shift in perspective towards greater optimism.”

 

There are so many ways you can practice gratitude; keep a journal, tell people how grateful you are of them, send a prayer to the planet for sustaining you – the options are endless. In addition, there are two common gratitude meditations that are often used.

 

1. Gratitude for positive things in your life. Here consider five things that you are truly grateful for and make sure you actually experience a felt sense of gratitude. It is not enough to just have a cognitive experience; research does find you need to feel grateful. You can find more information about this below.
2. Gratitude for Transformation. This involves considering five challenges in your life, which in retrospect you are grateful for. This kind of gratitude can be harder to access and usually requires that we already have a positive mental state present, otherwise we might find ourselves upset or angry (again!) about these challenges. Through this form of gratitude we can reappraise our relationship with former experience and liberate ourselves from feeling like a victim of difficult circumstances and instead note the growth and strength we have developed as a result.

 

It’s crucial to have the self-awareness to discern which type of gratitude to embrace on any given day; when presented with a tough day and emotional capacity will likely be reduced, be grateful for the wonderful things that bring you joy in your life as an ‘easy’ tool to uplift your mood.

 

“Conversely, when life is on an upswing and things seem to be going your way; perhaps now is the time to utilise this inner strength to reflect deeply on a past challenge and use your gratitude to recontextualise this experience as a demonstration of your strength in the face of adversity.”

All of these benefits can arise from devoting as little as five minutes per day of gratitude practice into your life.

 

Practice this Gratitude Meditation with me
(whether general gratitude or for transformation):

1. Place yourself in a comfortable position and eliminate distractions. Close your eyes or lower your gaze, whatever feels right for you.
2. Allow yourself to free your mind from other concerns.
3. Slowly begin by thinking about something you are truly grateful for in your life. It could be a loved one, a personal achievement, your health, a recent professional achievement or a fond memory. Nothing is too insignificant; if it brings you joy and gratitude, focus on it with great intensity.
4. Dive deeper into why you are grateful for this aspect of your life. Feel the gratitude with your entire being, allowing it to wash over you. Think of all of the reasons why you are grateful; why this person, object or experience brings you joy. Allow yourself to feel this gratitude wholly and completely with your entire being, for as long as you desire.
5. Once you’ve fully expressed your gratitude for the first time, move on to a second reason to be grateful and repeat the process. Take your time; there’s no need to rush.
6. Continue this process for at least five separate things you are grateful for, taking the time and care to ensure that you genuinely feel the gratitude with each one.
7. When you’ve finished, slowly bring yourself back to the present. Carry this feeling of gratitude with you into your day, and open your eyes when you’re ready.

 

Before I end this little message I want to close with five things I am grateful for:

 

1. I am grateful to have a spiritual practice that I can return to and find solace in, even in the darkest moments of my life.
2. I am grateful for my amazing dog Minnie who is the greatest expression of unconditional love I have ever experienced. Her wise and ridiculous nature also manages to keep a smile on my face no matter what life brings.
3. I am grateful for amazing friendships that are deep and meaningful, and both support and challenge me.
4. I am grateful for the meaningful family connections in my life, which have not always been easy, but have grown stronger with age like a fine wine.
5. I am grateful to have a created an organisation that allows me to share and explore the things that I am most passionate about.
6. And I am cheating by adding a sixth..! I am incredibly grateful to all of you who support the work of yoga therapy and spread it throughout the world in small and grand ways!

 

Wishing you a season filled with gratitude, mindfulness, and abundant blessings.

Namaste

Heather Mason, Founder and CEO of The Minded Institute 

If you would a deep understanding of how the therapeutic application of yoga can change life and want a new or enhanced career Yoga Therapy, then we welcome you to apply for our diploma in yoga therapy.

The next cohort opens in May 2024 and we are more than have full, so please don’t hesitate to apply here.