When I think of the word 'gratitude', my mind conjures up images of the colour yellow - sunflowers, sunrises, and all sorts of little cheerful joys that bring a smile to my face. Gratitude, to me, means being in a state of thankfulness, even when things aren't going my way.
Taking a moment to appreciate the little things is like magic. A warm cup of coffee on a chilly morning, the sound of laughter shared with friends, the vibrant colours of a sunset. These seemingly insignificant moments hold immense power to shift our perspective and fill our hearts with gratitude. When we focus on what we're thankful for, even the smallest things can spark immense joy and contentment. It's like a ripple effect, spreading positivity and appreciation throughout our lives.
The energy of gratitude is like your favourite tune playing in the background, soundtracking your life.
I created a meditation to help cultivate gratitude, which became a part of our New Year program last year. The idea was to welcome the new year by being thankful.
The meditation involves settling in and thinking of something you are grateful for. After identifying it, you will take your attention to your heart space and observe the energy there - observe how it makes you feel, both physically and emotionally.
Next, while focused on that space, while feeling the energy and all the emotions, you will think of that thing you’re grateful for and notice if the energy changes around your heart centre- both physically and emotionally.
We will keep observing this energy for some time and absorb the feelings of grace, calm and peace along with it.
If you’re a beginner, start with the 12-minute session and then build your way up to
18 minutes after a couple of weeks or when you feel comfortable.
The more time you spend focused on gratitude for things big and small, the more it will snowball in the other areas of your life. Even on difficult days, we always have something to be grateful for.
This May, the month of summer, let's focus on the little things and dedicate ourselves to cultivating gratitude. At the end of the month, let's reflect on how our perspective has changed. You might be surprised at the abundance of joy that surrounds you!