There’s a lot of similarities between the various heart-centred practices, but each touches on different qualities. In the case of gratitude practice, we spend time cultivating a feeling of gratitude so that it becomes more accessible to us throughout the day. Continually touching into this feeling allows it to show up more easily throughout the day, helping us appreciate people or experiences in the moment.
This could be gratitude for our health, our friends, our family, the kindness of a stranger, an experience you’ve had, something you did yesterday, or even your next breath. There is nothing too big or too small. As you continue to practice, you’ll naturally expand the scope of what you’re grateful for, and realize that there is just so much in our day to day lives that is worthy of gratitude.
There are two main ways to train this quality: Through a seated practice similar to loving-kindness meditation, or through journaling. As with all this work, the more often you can do it the more effective it will be. When you’re starting out, try and do this every day, even 5 minutes per day can help develop these positive qualities.
Seated Gratitude Practice
1. Sit on your meditation cushion or a chair. Take a few deep breaths, keep your spine upright and relax your body. Spend a few minutes allowing your body to breathe naturally, and your mind to settle.
2. Bring to mind one thing you’re grateful for. Start with something easy like your pet, your partner, or someone who’s had a positive impact on your life. Spend a minute thinking about it, and silently repeat the phrase “I’m grateful for…”. Visualize the person or situation if that’s helpful for you. Really try to draw on that feeling of gratitude and see how it feels in your body.
3. Repeat this with 1-4 more things that you’re grateful for. Spend a minute or two with each, and really focus on the feeling of gratitude in your body.
4. Once you’re done, return your attention to the breath and allow your body to relax for a minute before getting up.
Journaling Gratitude Practice
Every morning or evening, sit down and write 3-5 things you’re grateful for. Be specific.
Before you move on with your day, pause and take a minute to reflect on each of the things you’ve written down. Just like with the seated practice, you want to feel the sense of gratitude in your body.
If you’re stuck trying to come up with things you’re grateful for, here are four prompts or categories suggested by Tim Ferriss.
1. A relationship that really helped you, or that you value highly.
2. An opportunity you have today. Perhaps that’s just an opportunity to call one of your parents, or an opportunity to go to work. It doesn’t have to be something large.
3. Something great that happened yesterday, whether you experienced or witnessed it.
4. Something simple near you or within sight.
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