It is Thanksgiving season in the United States, and at this time, even our mass media have the very unusual custom of speaking of gratitude.
One might see news announcers talking about what they’re grateful for – or exploring the tradition of giving thanks in the U.S.(perhaps more problematic for the Native Americans who shared that famous first meal.)
Many wise words have been written on the topic of gratitude – and many Hallmark cards as well. But in November it seems we get gratitude-breaks in the media as short intervals between the “real,” “serious” business of inciting fear or distracting with trivia.
This is striking and poignant, as gratitude and fear are direct opposities.
Actually, it is always a good time to think about the deeper meaning and value of gratitude. Many spiritual teachers praise it as a practice – keeping a gratitude journal, telling people that we care.
We are told that gratitude raises our vibrational frequency – but only if we really mean it and feel it. (Just “thinking” our gratitude list and checking items off is not enough.)
Actually, gratitude is a “pivot” state. Kind of like breathing.
Breathing is something that happens automatically, but which we can also do on purpose, to our benefit. It’s like a lever we can control to change our state.
Gratitude is in the upper echelons of “higher states” we aspire to, but is one that is fairly easy to “do on purpose” as well. For instance, it is usually easier to think of something we appreciate – even grudgingly if we’re down in the dumps – than it is to feel full-blown love.
So gratitude is extremely useful as a state-changer. And it’s kind of become the new work-horse of spiritual technologies for that reason.
I’ve been reading and hearing a lot this week about the profound benefits of gratitude not only as a state-changer, but as a life-changer.
So I decided to consult the guides of the Akashic Records to see what they would have to say on the topic. The implications of what they said are pretty radical.
It’s one thing to be grateful for specific events in our life – having enough to eat, for instance. But what if we’re called to be grateful for EVERYTHING in our life? What if gratitude is the correct response to every event, if only we were looking at life through the right lens?
Wherever you are (in the US or not), I hope you take some time to appreciate the amazing beauty and power of your life, and of this time we’re living in, and the unprecedented opportunities you have right now to grow, to flower, and to contribute to this world.
I am very grateful to you for your willingness to step up and give your gifts.
There is always so much more to be grateful for than we can ever possibly realize!
