An Attitude of Gratitude

by LauraLynn Jansen

 

Every year around this time I automatically pause for reflection. It isn’t prompted by a holiday or even the change of season. This time of year holds a deeply personal marker in time for me. It is the anniversary of an event that changed the total trajectory of my life, and for this I am forever grateful.

It shifted my worldview 180 degrees toward a way of life I knew nothing of, the many depths of Yoga as a way of life, and wasn’t even remotely heading towards. Recognizing and remembering the path from then to the present always conjures up gratitude, and a bit of awe.

This pause for reflection was heightened this year when I heard a friend, who struggled for many years and at one point thought she had even beat the disease, has ultimately succumbed to the cancer. This news impacts me on a multitude of levels from a feeling of sadness to being pissed off. A little survivor’s guilt tries to creep in as well. [In case you are unfamiliar with survivor’s guilt, it is a feeling of guilt for still being alive or well. It can surface within a survivor of a disease or a tragedy. Often this happens upon hearing or recounting the story of someone who has gone through a similar situation and is still deeply struggling, or has died.]

All of these emotions can create an intensely slippery surface where I can easily slide from one edge of the emotional range to the other. Daily practices along the whole spectrum of Yoga (āsana to dharana to prāṇāyāma to nādā) always assist me in keeping grounded in the here and now. These ancient practices consistently guide me to the heart, where I can focus with the best of intentions. Still, pulling in a deep sense of gratitude for what is real and true right now in this moment without any outside influence is an edgy gratitude practice for me.

 

THE PRACTICE:

Think of someone you know who struggles with something (exercise, eating well, mental well-being, etc.). Really challenge yourself by picking something that comes fairly easy to you. Acknowledging this awareness of them and you is an opening to observe gratitude (for this aspect of your life). If you feel yourself pulled to some other aspect in this observation – a feeling of pity for them, a sense of being better than the other person, or some other ego based response – see if you can find your way back to the part of you humming with gratitude. Try to vibrate there whenever your awareness allows.

 

Developing an attitude of gratitude is about awareness… being aware of how we respond to a moment in time. Being able to recognize how fortunate we are now. How past experiences helped us be who we are now. How we are fortunate to have a direction forward into the future. How wonderful it is to have a heart that recognizes gratitude.

May the force of gratitude always be with you.

 

Namaste

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