Every religious and spiritual group's teachings talk about the importance of being grateful for what we have. Many spiritual teachers have spoken of the life changing power of gratitude. Expressing gratitude in your life changes the underlying energy in your focus. Your consciousness can expand in more positive and productive ways when you can look at what you DO have and be grateful for it, rather than focusing on what you lack or bad things that have happened in your life. Gratitude is free of blame, anger, shame, hate, frustration, lack, and all of those other negative aspects of our attitude that get in the way of becoming all that we are. Living a life of gratitude opens the door, spiritually, mentally and physically for healing, for abundance, for forgiveness, and for all the wonderful things you want to bring into your life. It acknowledges the gifts you have been and are being given by the Powerful Consciousness, God, the Divine, Source Energy, the Universe, whatever you wish to refer to that center from which we all emanate.
I plan to introduce a specific spiritual practice about gratitude each week taken from a wide variety of theologies, ideologies, and philosophies. I have been getting into the habit of writing a daily gratitude list--listing a number of the things that I am grateful for in my life right now. Only what I can truly feel at that moment, to not just speak (or write) the words, but to feel theTo harness the life changing power of being grateful and having an attitude of gratitude. I hope you will join me in this journey towards a life filled with gratitude.
There is a website called World Scripture which compares multiple world religions. From that site I have pulled the following examples of the call for gratitude:
§ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Christianity. Colossians 3.17
§ O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you,
and be grateful to God, if it is Him that you worship.
Islam. Qur'an 2.172
§ God created foods to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe
and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is
to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is
consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
Christianity. 1 Timothy 4.3-5
§ Abraham caused God's name to be mentioned by all the travellers whom he
entertained. For after they had eaten and drunk, and when they arose to
bless Abraham, he said to them, "Is it of mine that you have eaten?
Surely it is of what belongs to God that you have eaten. So praise and
bless Him by whose word the world was created."
Judaism. Talmud, Sota 10b
§ The unworthy man is ungrateful, forgetful of benefits [done to him]. This
ingratitude, this forgetfulness is congenial to mean people... But the
worthy person is grateful and mindful of benefits done to him. This
gratitude, this mindfulness, is congenial to the best people.
Buddhism. Anguttara Nikaya i.61
§ One upon whom We bestow kindness
But will not express gratitude,
Is worse than a robber
Who carries away our belongings.
African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)
§ Be not like those who honor their gods in prosperity and curse them in
adversity. In pleasure or pain, give thanks!
Judaism. Midrash, Mekilta to Exodus 20.20
I plan to introduce a specific spiritual practice about gratitude each week taken from a wide variety of theologies, ideologies, and philosophies. I have been getting into the habit of writing a daily gratitude list--listing a number of the things that I am grateful for in my life right now. Only what I can truly feel at that moment, to not just speak (or write) the words, but to feel theTo harness the life changing power of being grateful and having an attitude of gratitude. I hope you will join me in this journey towards a life filled with gratitude.
There is a website called World Scripture which compares multiple world religions. From that site I have pulled the following examples of the call for gratitude:
§ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Christianity. Colossians 3.17
§ O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you,
and be grateful to God, if it is Him that you worship.
Islam. Qur'an 2.172
§ God created foods to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe
and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is
to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is
consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
Christianity. 1 Timothy 4.3-5
§ Abraham caused God's name to be mentioned by all the travellers whom he
entertained. For after they had eaten and drunk, and when they arose to
bless Abraham, he said to them, "Is it of mine that you have eaten?
Surely it is of what belongs to God that you have eaten. So praise and
bless Him by whose word the world was created."
Judaism. Talmud, Sota 10b
§ The unworthy man is ungrateful, forgetful of benefits [done to him]. This
ingratitude, this forgetfulness is congenial to mean people... But the
worthy person is grateful and mindful of benefits done to him. This
gratitude, this mindfulness, is congenial to the best people.
Buddhism. Anguttara Nikaya i.61
§ One upon whom We bestow kindness
But will not express gratitude,
Is worse than a robber
Who carries away our belongings.
African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)
§ Be not like those who honor their gods in prosperity and curse them in
adversity. In pleasure or pain, give thanks!
Judaism. Midrash, Mekilta to Exodus 20.20