Within the mosaic of mindfulness practices, Gratitude Mindfulness shines as heartfelt and transformational. It’s an approach that weaves the art of mindfulness with the powerful emotion of gratitude to form a synergy that enriches us on multiple levels. While mindfulness roots us in the present moment, encouraging a deep awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, gratitude opens up our hearts to the abundance and goodness that already surround us, often unnoticed.
Gratitude Mindfulness is more than a practice — it’s a way of living; a lens through which we choose to view our life, a way to acknowledge and savor the good within and around us. It’s about cultivating an attitude of thankfulness, not just for the big, life-changing moments, but also for the simply everyday frequencies that make up the fabric of our daily experience.
What it is
Gratitude Mindfulness: is a conscious and intentional practice that combines the presence and awareness of mindfulness with a discriminating appreciation for the positive aspects of life. It includes:
Mindfulness Based on Gratitude: is rooted in the understanding that we can find a way to be grateful, regardless of the difficulties we may be facing. At its core, it comprises four key elements:
Presence: Opening to the moment at hand without the entanglements of past regrets or future fearing, seeing this now with an open and clear heart.
Acknowledging Good: Recognising and paying attention to the goodness which is all around us and within our life; the gifts in our environment, natural caring, simple things, and of course, our own sense of accomplishments, talents, and service.
Thankfulness: As the tradition tells us, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Temple, with the Commandments inside, the cherubs spread their wings over 20 cubits, a cubit being 18 inches, which is about 30 feet. They spread over 20 cubits in gratitude. Find out what in your life makes 20 cubits and fold them over, into gratitude! Gratuitous as it were.
A Grateful Attitude: The mood or energy of our life seeks the bad and feeds off it. Until we train ourselves to focus on the good, which brings a sense of abundance. So the importance of gratefulness is that it is a mindset. And it must be cultivated.
Mindfulness Based on Gratitude doesn’t mean we ignore pain and suffering or look at life with rose-coloured glasses. It does mean being grateful for the good you find while embracing compassion for life fills with the fact of impermanence, unpredictable change, and conditional happiness. This radical acceptance is what makes us strong enough to meet life’s pain with loving-kindness and true peace. In such mindfulness practice we deepen our mindfulness substantially, and transform our whole relationship with our life, such that more joy, more love, and a truly full and fulfilling existence are the inevitable outcomes.
Make sure to embrace Gratitude Mindfulness not as a destination but as a journey. A practice you can weave into the fabric of your daily life to enrich your experiences and interactions in profound and lasting ways.