My Thanksgiving is Perpetual

Whenever I was on the verge of falling into a negative thought pattern I focused on my heart center, gradually shifting my attention to the countless blessings in my life.

“I am grateful for what I am and what I have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” Before modern neuroscience confirmed the numerous benefits of gratefulness, this sentiment shows that 19th century poet Henry David Thoreau already knew the importance of experiencing gratefulness in his life…

Those of us living today in societies of material affluence often take for granted what we receive on a regular basis. And because of how our brains are wired, we humans tend to focus primarily on what we lack (or perceive as lack!) rather than the many privileges we already enjoy. Yet what we focus on can expand. I believe gratefulness is a function of attention; it can be cultivated through sincere self-reflection. I have personally experienced the benefits of engaging in gratefulness practices during the last seven years.

I was immersed in the process of working on a book series on the world’s wisdom traditions that includes a book on Jesus’ love and wisdom teachings. I am very grateful because I was able to publish this book as well as others in the series against all odds. The creative process was both exhilarating and arduous, stretching me sometimes to my limits. Whenever I was on the verge of falling into a negative thought pattern I focused on my heart center, gradually shifting my attention to the countless blessings in my life. A personal “gratefulness list” is a simple yet powerful tool we can all apply regularly. I was (and still am) moved and humbled as I realized that I never seemed to be running out of things to be grateful for. This practice also allowed me to gently re-direct my awareness back into the core of who I truly am. The beauty of gratefulness is that it is not dependent on our life circumstances, as challenging as they may be. In Brother David Steindl-Rast’s words: “Our approach to gratefulness has to be big enough to embrace all the difficulties of the world.” Indeed, we need a perspective bold enough to hold all paradoxes of the human condition. This is especially true at this critical evolutionary juncture where we find ourselves today, individually and collectively.

Gratefulness and forgiveness are interrelated. I believe our deepest sense of gratefulness always comes through grace with the humbling awareness that, ultimately, we have not earned all that we have been given…

Mystics across time and spiritual traditions have reminded us of the importance of gratefulness. Jesus’ timeless teachings on agape, for example, take us right into the core of gratefulness. His command “to love one another” applies to all circumstances and people, even our “enemies.” In fact, it is precisely the “difficult” people in our lives who often mirror our own shortcomings also known in psychology as the “shadow self.” If we are willing to take a honest look at ourselves, we may benefit from the experience. People who are hostile toward us are sometimes our greatest teachers. They facilitate our spiritual growth, provided we dare to delve deeply. In this sense we need to be grateful to them. And gratitude is often the first step toward forgiveness and “loving our enemies.” Gratefulness and forgiveness are interrelated. I believe our deepest sense of gratefulness always comes through grace with the humbling awareness that, ultimately, we have not earned all that we have been given…