Practicing mindfulness while Christmas shopping? YES. A day spent among crowds, with little likelihood of a parking spot, and crazy, mid-December drivers with whom we share the roads reveal that the only thing we control in life is ourselves. Paying attention to how we're approaching these "obstacles" is a surefire way to have a happier day.
When you mix Thanksgiving’s abundance with the holiday’s emphasis on gratitude, a certain alchemy occurs - thankfulness morphs into generosity. Our trust in the plentifulness of life – knowing that we have everything we need – creates a shift in our outlook. Instead of looking around the world and craving more, we look around us and feel full, sated, cared for. Rather than needy, we feel ready and able to meet the needs of others. This Thanksgiving, and all the days that follow, I wish for you a sense of abundance that comes most beautifully from a grateful heart.
No matter how you choose to practice paying attention, with persistence and patience you will notice that almost everything you do all day is infused with a new richness and depth. Your whole life will take on a glow of gratitude as you recognize and absorb the wonder of your everyday life. Presence, like gratitude, will not be contained. They both splash abundantly into every corner of your existence – each enhancing the other as they do.
No, life isn’t perfect. Sometimes we have to take crazy long drives when what we really want to do is stay home. Sometimes we have to do really gross jobs. But, if we’re paying attention, if we’ve set the intention to practice gratitude, life will deliver moment after sparkling, cozy moment to feel grateful that we’re here living and breathing and loving in this glorious, messy world of ours. Please join our FREE weekly gathering as we share and support one another in our practices of gratitude this month.
We mostly think of gratitude as something we feel when something nice happens to us. What if, instead, we thought about gratitude as a choice we make? As something that we do? A practice, perhaps? Practicing gratitude is simple but not at all easy. Join our FREE weekly "support group" through November to practice together. I promise it is worth the investment of energy for a grateful heart will never stop finding gifts to be grateful for.
A rough start to a rough day in a rough week provides the setting for a glimpse of yoga philosophy's power to immediately change life for the better. Practicing yoga helps us develop the capability of choosing our attitude. This can feel like a bit of a superpower as we watch ourselves begin to be the change we wish to see in the world.
When we tack "yet" to any statement beginning with "I can't," we are embracing our potential. When we say “yet,” what we are saying is that we believe that we are always, from the moment of our birth to the moment we take our last breath, becoming the person we were created to be. It makes me smile that such a tiny word indicates our immeasurable power to change and grow. This is a state of mind or perspective that makes us almost unstoppable.
This shared point in our history is uncomfortable. We can choose hope and optimism by seeing life (and ourselves) as a work in progress. Ignatian spirituality and yoga philosophy offer guidance in choosing hope. It's easy to start practicing on our yoga mats.
While I never (ever) would have chosen any of what’s happened during this year that will certainly go down in infamy, I am able, with open heart and open hands, to say thank you 2020 for all of your ambiguous gifts. Happy holidays to you and cheers to a bright new year!