Fall is traditionally a time when people celebrate summer harvests and give thanks for the season's abundance. Also, as we watch the leaves change color and fall from trees, we can contemplate the passage of time in our lives as we move from one year to the next. The chilly nip in the air heralds the coming of winter, a time for quietude and introspection. This is a beautiful time to shift our focus inward as we prepare for and plan for the new year ahead.
This traditional time of giving thanks is an ideal time to dedicate yourself to gratitude as a spiritual practice. Many spiritual seekers practice this regularly to keep their minds positive and focused on blessings rather than obsessing over problems. Here, I have created a “gratitude inventory” to help you realize how truly blessed you are. After reading each prompt, please close your eyes and relax as you give thanks for your many gifts.
1) Give thanks for all the people in your life—family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. Think of how these people cooperate with you and serve you to help you live an abundant life. You might think of the people who helped you in particular, but also the people who were quietly there in supporting roles, perhaps allowing you to get things done at work or smiling and saying a happy hello when you walk in the door. Whether people help you overtly or quietly, they are all a blessing, part of what helps you walk constructively through your life. Give thanks to them all.
2) Give thanks also for the many people you don’t know who visibly and invisibly support your life—the people who grow and prepare your food, the firefighters and police officers who keep your life safe, and all the many others who work in jobs or who volunteer to help the society around you stay organized and as constructive as possible. Your life and your prosperity rely on the cooperation in connection of thousands of people, and they deserve your gratitude.
3) Give thanks for your material blessings. Even if you are not particularly wealthy, you enjoy many material blessings. You probably have many possessions that improve your life, such as clothing, entertainment, transportation, and the like. Even if there is much more that you’d like to have, be grateful for what you have now. Remember also to be thankful for the technology that is connecting you and me right now! Also, be thankful for the material blessings beyond your personal possessions, such as beautiful parks in your city or libraries that you can enjoy. Most of us today are very lucky to be living in a time where access to these kinds of material comforts is readily available. Please give thanks for their presence in your life.
4) Give thanks for your brain. Without your brain, you could have no consciousness or perception of your life and your place in the universe. It is by far the most amazing gift you were born with. Through your brain, you will make the decisions that will help you grow your soul and create the life you want to live. Most importantly, your brain has the gift of imagination, the greatest gift of all.
5) Give thanks for your body and your health. Your body is like the vessel in which you travel through life. Through your body, you experience your senses, have adventures, and accomplish all you will accomplish. Even if you are struggling with physical problems, don’t forget that your body is the container of your precious soul. Scan down your body and be thankful for every part—your head, face, ears, eyes, arms, fingers, etc.
6) Be thankful for your spiritual blessings and your soul. You must be continually grateful for your soul, which is the eternal and most perfect part of yourself. Through energy and meditation, you can feel your continuous connection to heaven and engage with the divine part of yourself. Be thankful also for your spiritual practice and your teachers and your ability to feel the sacred presence of the universal source (God, Spirit, Ki or whatever term you prefer).
7) Be thankful for your struggles. Sometimes, we want to curse our problems and obstacles, but it is better to be grateful for them. In this human life, we experience specific trials to grow our souls. Just like you can’t build your muscles without lifting heavy weights, you must overcome obstacles to rise to the next level of consciousness. If life were easy all the time, nothing would be compelling us forward, so please be grateful for your difficulties, large and small.
8) Be thankful for nature, the earth, and your life. Finally, be grateful for the earth and the bounty that she bestows. Your life depends entirely on nature, from the air you breathe to the cells that make up your body, and you are part of nature’s wondrous circle of life. Be thankful also for the beauty that nature brings into your life, reliving in your mind all the times you have been awed by her beauty.
Try to do gratitude exercises like this as part of your regular spiritual exercises. Gratitude will help you keep your brain positive and healthy, and it will open you to the energy that brings more blessings into your life.
The fall season is a wonderful time of the year when the leaves change color and fall to the ground, and the world grows calmer and quieter as the days grow shorter. This is a perfect time to turn inside and rededicate yourself to your soul and your growth, so I hope you will do so. I am so grateful for you, and for the time that we share on this planet.