The Heart of a Gratitude Practice

There is a natural and powerful shift happening right now. Great thought leaders are bridging the spirit-science divide. By drawing on ancient spiritual traditions and neurobiology, cellular biology and other disciplines, we are opening up a paradigm to see a rich inner life, with meaning and connection, makes our immune system and even our genes healthier.

 I’ll be sharing the latest scientific discoveries here, with new ways to apply this transformative information to day-to-day life. Not only will you find a distillation of the current ideas, trends and research, you’ll uncover a path to your highest state of well-being.

 We all have a daily mental struggle, facing the illusion that things aren’t as they should be. I can get in my own way, during this struggle, just as much as anyone. Day after day, self-judgment, unreasonable expectations and unfair comparisons can bring me to my knees, emotionally.

Then a miracle happens. The cloud lifts; my awareness moves towards a brighter, positive perspective. But how? Am I guided? Is it genetic wisdom, something ethereal, or simply exasperation with the negatives?

Either way, I know one thing to be true – gratitude changes me in miraculous ways. I’m lighter, more patient, loving, with a deep sense of well-being. It’s as though a new opening or inscape has been created – to myself and others. Beautiful, right?

But I’m a science girl at heart. Research on the benefits of a “gratitude practice” is undeniable. So, whether you feel guided, or you simply like what the data tells you, give a “gratitude practice” a try. You’ll transform small steps into big results.

 Scientific discovery #1 – Three Blessings: We’ve all heard about the power of gratitude, but a recent study (2015) published in the Journal of Positive Psychology has revealed just how easy it is to enjoy its effects – and fast. Participants were asked to list three blessings, or positive things that occurred within the previous 48 hours, and the ways it left them feeling grateful. This simple exercise left the majority feeling a profound sense of well-being.

Daily practice: Incorporate the gratitude three-blessing practice into your family’s daily life and just watch the transformation unfold. The research demonstrates that you can train the cognitive habits in your brain (and in your children’s brains) in such a way that helps you notice and appreciate the richness of your life. Spend a moment every day to look back on the previous day; pick out three moments you are grateful for. It can be anything, big or small. This action will start to train your brain to see the shining moments of beauty in your life, often left unnoticed, or quickly forgotten. Journal about these moments, or simply sit in a quiet place and meditate on your awareness of gratitude.

Meditation: I’m awakening to this moment, this breath, and this observance of gratitude. I have deep appreciation for my connection with all beings. I have endless gratitude for my moment-to-moment awareness. My absolute well-being radiates through my mental, emotional and physical states. Each inhale brings gratitude, every exhale releases judgment.

Intention Mantra: I am grateful for each moment

Source: For more on the research, check out Watkins and Pichinevskiy’s study, ‘Grateful recounting enhances subjective well-being: The importance of grateful processing’ in Journal of Positive Psychology (2015).