Living gratefully allows me to slow down and appreciate things that I wouldn’t normally if I was going too fast. Living spiritually also does that, I guess.
I feel I am more sensitive to expectations of normal day needs and if it is not available for some. I was listening to a podcast about Purto Rico’s serious lack of water situation on CNN this morning. Just very disheartening to listen to a USA owned Island having such a crisis or any other place for that matter. My spirtual life is more in tune with others needs.
There is no separation for me
between having gratitude
and living from my spirit.
Inhabiting a quiet,
almost reclusive life,
I have space in both my inner heart
and outward activities
where I am not constantly assailed
by exterior forces . . .
I take my cues
from the things around me,
and the thankfulness that arises from this practice
nourishes and feeds me.
I not only have enough,
I have more than enough.
The people I admire the most
perhaps,
are those
who have to dig deeper
to find gratitude
that enriches the soul-life . . .
refugees living in tents,
prisoners in barren cells,
money changers
who are captives of their greed.
I have a roof over my head,
the love of a man,
cats,
and gardens
full of vegetables and herbs,
hundreds of flowers
nodding their heads in the breeze,
rocks that I’ve laid
and trees that I’ve planted . . .
the quiet of frogs and crickets at night,
and the comfort of a soft bed to sleep in.
It’s easy for me,
and not so easy for others.
What goes around
comes around . . .
gratefulness feeds my spirit
and that well-fed spirit
induces more gratefulness,
creating a never ending spiral
spreading out around me
like ripples in a pond.
Everyday annoyances
and life changing tragedies
can de-rail me,
but the base beneath the waves
is growing stronger
and calmer over the years,
and I do my best
not to stay off the track
for long.
The Practice of gratitude
has saved my Life,
and I am beginning to trust
in its Truth and steadfastness. ♥
As Br. David says, “Gratefulness is the core of Spirituality.” A decision to live gratefully makes one’s whole life a spiritual life. Words like love (agape), compassion, willingness become a way of life. When life is filled with light, when life is a deep darkness, we stay open and willing to live our questions. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it is hard but we are no longer afraid of mystery and we learn to embrace stillness. It’s a win/win.
Thank you for this,
dear Carol Ann . . .
to live gratefully
has been a decision
that I too,
have made.
Light–
dark–
are in a strange way
the same thing
when we are willing to go there. ♥
Gratefulness has been helping me see the glass half full. There are many problems in the world which we cannot fix or even help alleviate at times, but Gratefulness helps to bring me hope for human kind and that things will be ok.
Gratefulness is a respite from thought and turmoil. By practicing Stop. Look. Go., I create a comfy respite of presence. So gratefulness tethers me to the present, and acts as a mini-reset throughout the day.
Nourish is a great word for this question. As a spiritual practice, practicing gratefulness feeds my soul. When I am not in that habit or practice, I feel spiritually deprived, hungry, lost and wandering. Gratitude is part of my healthy spiritual diet.
The more grateful I am, the deeper I feel everything. The Spirit of life, the Spirit of my life, flows between, around, and through all my connections, animate and inanimate, more naturally when I operate from gratitude. 🌸
Starting a gratitude practice years ago nourished my spiritual life by making me more aware. Over time, I’ve become more in tune with myself, and that spiritual part of me nourishes everything. I feel connected to the world around me and to others. It’s fulfilling and wonderful.
I taught my last class in Charlotte yesterday morning and was on the road with our dogs by midday. My husband left early since he was hauling a trailer, but we are all safe in our new home in Florida. I am incredibly grateful to be here and cannot wait to see the ocean again!
Thanks, everyone, for the kind words. We love our quiet new neighborhood. Ruger didn’t bark one time last night – no firetruck or loud mufflers driving by! We have so much to do and purchase, but we hope to be settled in soon. We did take time to go for a beach walk yesterday morning and it was glorious ☀️
I don’t see the difference between my spiritual life and living gratefully. Living gratefully is a practice, among many, in my spiritual life. Although I would like to get to a place where there’s no separation between my spiritual life and my secular life—where I am present, grateful, and loving all of the time.
Living gratefully supports, enhances, helps to make sense of it all. All life springs forth from this earth, this speck of intelligence, the inner intelligence that life all possess and shares. A tiny seed to the great whales and all life in between, are imbedded with an inner intelligence carried forth, bestowed upon by the universe. Life. Gratefulness allows me to witness “it” so much clearer.
Peace, Love & Light.
It’s so much easier for me to see this now due to the universe method of discarding my human mind world which is a picture overlapping Truth within. Now I can see with natures flow the interchange of gratefulness and BECOMING the universe mind/body. There is nothing but Truth and everything is the whole. I’m incredibly grateful and humbled by this opportunity of being here now and seeing the magic of the universe coming into life and flowing all around me and inspiring me to grow and change. Thank you so much and I love you .
Give yourself the gift of free bi-monthly inspiration including uplifting articles, diverse stories, supportive practices, videos, and more, delivered with heart to your inbox.
Living gratefully allows me to slow down and appreciate things that I wouldn’t normally if I was going too fast. Living spiritually also does that, I guess.
I feel I am more sensitive to expectations of normal day needs and if it is not available for some. I was listening to a podcast about Purto Rico’s serious lack of water situation on CNN this morning. Just very disheartening to listen to a USA owned Island having such a crisis or any other place for that matter. My spirtual life is more in tune with others needs.
There is no separation for me
between having gratitude
and living from my spirit.
Inhabiting a quiet,
almost reclusive life,
I have space in both my inner heart
and outward activities
where I am not constantly assailed
by exterior forces . . .
I take my cues
from the things around me,
and the thankfulness that arises from this practice
nourishes and feeds me.
I not only have enough,
I have more than enough.
The people I admire the most
perhaps,
are those
who have to dig deeper
to find gratitude
that enriches the soul-life . . .
refugees living in tents,
prisoners in barren cells,
money changers
who are captives of their greed.
I have a roof over my head,
the love of a man,
cats,
and gardens
full of vegetables and herbs,
hundreds of flowers
nodding their heads in the breeze,
rocks that I’ve laid
and trees that I’ve planted . . .
the quiet of frogs and crickets at night,
and the comfort of a soft bed to sleep in.
It’s easy for me,
and not so easy for others.
What goes around
comes around . . .
gratefulness feeds my spirit
and that well-fed spirit
induces more gratefulness,
creating a never ending spiral
spreading out around me
like ripples in a pond.
Everyday annoyances
and life changing tragedies
can de-rail me,
but the base beneath the waves
is growing stronger
and calmer over the years,
and I do my best
not to stay off the track
for long.
The Practice of gratitude
has saved my Life,
and I am beginning to trust
in its Truth and steadfastness. ♥
I too do my best not to Stray off track.
As Br. David says, “Gratefulness is the core of Spirituality.” A decision to live gratefully makes one’s whole life a spiritual life. Words like love (agape), compassion, willingness become a way of life. When life is filled with light, when life is a deep darkness, we stay open and willing to live our questions. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it is hard but we are no longer afraid of mystery and we learn to embrace stillness. It’s a win/win.
Thank you for this,
dear Carol Ann . . .
to live gratefully
has been a decision
that I too,
have made.
Light–
dark–
are in a strange way
the same thing
when we are willing to go there. ♥
Gratefulness has been helping me see the glass half full. There are many problems in the world which we cannot fix or even help alleviate at times, but Gratefulness helps to bring me hope for human kind and that things will be ok.
All will be well. All manner of things will be well.
Gratefulness is a respite from thought and turmoil. By practicing Stop. Look. Go., I create a comfy respite of presence. So gratefulness tethers me to the present, and acts as a mini-reset throughout the day.
Nourish is a great word for this question. As a spiritual practice, practicing gratefulness feeds my soul. When I am not in that habit or practice, I feel spiritually deprived, hungry, lost and wandering. Gratitude is part of my healthy spiritual diet.
The more grateful I am, the deeper I feel everything. The Spirit of life, the Spirit of my life, flows between, around, and through all my connections, animate and inanimate, more naturally when I operate from gratitude. 🌸
Starting a gratitude practice years ago nourished my spiritual life by making me more aware. Over time, I’ve become more in tune with myself, and that spiritual part of me nourishes everything. I feel connected to the world around me and to others. It’s fulfilling and wonderful.
I taught my last class in Charlotte yesterday morning and was on the road with our dogs by midday. My husband left early since he was hauling a trailer, but we are all safe in our new home in Florida. I am incredibly grateful to be here and cannot wait to see the ocean again!
Welcome to the Sunshine State! 🌞🌴🐊🌊
Thanks, everyone, for the kind words. We love our quiet new neighborhood. Ruger didn’t bark one time last night – no firetruck or loud mufflers driving by! We have so much to do and purchase, but we hope to be settled in soon. We did take time to go for a beach walk yesterday morning and it was glorious ☀️
Welcome, Patti!
So glad that you, your husband, and your dogs have arrived safely, and are in your new home!
Surf’s up!
How exciting!
Happy New Home Sunnypatti to you & your husband. Wishing you lots of happiness in Florida. Hope the waves are good! ❤️🌊
Lucky you!!
Grateful,
dear SunnyPatti,
that you have arrived at your new home
safely
and happily . . . ♥
Blessings to you and your husband in your new world.
Congrats on arriving and making a successful journey, Sunnypatti.
Blessings to you and your new dig. It will be exciting to hear all the finds in your new place.
I don’t see the difference between my spiritual life and living gratefully. Living gratefully is a practice, among many, in my spiritual life. Although I would like to get to a place where there’s no separation between my spiritual life and my secular life—where I am present, grateful, and loving all of the time.
I think they are one and the same,
dear Avril,
and it’s just
that you haven’t realized it yet. ♥
YES
That is a tall order. I am with you.
Likewise!
I’m able to accomplish everything I set out to do by working smarter, not harder.
If spiritual relates to my inner soul, being grateful is part of my inner soul as well – they are interdependent of one another.
Happy Monday Everyone!
https://nationaltoday.com/national-sober-day/ – 💗
I love the word, Soul, but do not hear it very often. I think of my soul as the God within in me.
💗
I will share today’s holiday with my husband who just had his 27th year anniversary of sobriety.
Congratulations to your husband on his 27th yr anniv of sobriety 🙂
Good for him Avril.
That is no small feat, Avril. Congratulations to your husband and to you. May your blessings continue.🌸
Second this, congrats to your husband, Avril.
Living gratefully supports, enhances, helps to make sense of it all. All life springs forth from this earth, this speck of intelligence, the inner intelligence that life all possess and shares. A tiny seed to the great whales and all life in between, are imbedded with an inner intelligence carried forth, bestowed upon by the universe. Life. Gratefulness allows me to witness “it” so much clearer.
Peace, Love & Light.
It’s all an amazement
of the most monumental kind,
dear Joseph,
and we are a part of that amazement. ♥
Thank you, dear Joseph.
I felt your words in my heart this morning.
It’s so much easier for me to see this now due to the universe method of discarding my human mind world which is a picture overlapping Truth within. Now I can see with natures flow the interchange of gratefulness and BECOMING the universe mind/body. There is nothing but Truth and everything is the whole. I’m incredibly grateful and humbled by this opportunity of being here now and seeing the magic of the universe coming into life and flowing all around me and inspiring me to grow and change. Thank you so much and I love you .