Giving Thanks… Connecting with Gratitude
This is the final of three blog posts exploring ideas around Thanksgiving, Grief and Gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving! Wherever you are and however you are spending your day, I see this day as an opportunity to connect to ourselves, others, the land and spiritually.
In addition to honoring the Grief of the National Day of Mourning today, I also want to honor the fact that American Indian cultures have always been FAR more connection-oriented than white culture: living in connection with Divine Mystery, with the land, with each other, and with themselves. I have always appreciated and learned most from indigenous traditions.
In addition to following their lead of Giving Thanks to the Great Mystery and the land for the bounty of the harvest, let us learn from their example of honoring Interconnection with Presence and Gratitude.
Contrary to the urgent pace of modern culture, we must Slow Down, Be Present and Intentionally Connect. We can do this by engaging with Gratitude.
A Little Known Fact about the Frequency of Gratitude
Everything on the earth (humans, plants, animals, chairs, etc.)… everything is made up of vibrating atoms. And, the energy of everything is interacting with the energy of every other thing. So, everything is CONNECTED.*
Our own energy, or vibration, can change based on what we’re feeling and experiencing. The higher the frequency we experience, the better we feel.
Some examples of frequencies that have been studied:
Receptive to Disease: 58 MHz
Normal Body Levels: 62-75 MHz
Anger: 150 MHz
Gratitude: 540 MHz
Love: 540 MHz
Enlightenment: 700+ MHz*
Yes, Gratitude and Love are the same frequency!
So, if you genuinely engage in Gratitude, you can experience the same frequency of love, which is the most essential human need. And as your frequency continues to rise, you could even reach towards enlightenment. The higher the vibration, the more connected we are spiritually and on every level.
Beyond Gratitude Journaling: A Few Powerful Gratitude Practices
Practicing gratitude is a part of most spiritual traditions. I have tried many different gratitude practices over the years - some have resonated more than others.
Similar to many, I kept a Gratitude Journal for years. Eventually, it was falling a little flat. At one point, I felt more connected when I shifted to actually say “Thank you” instead of just “I am grateful for…" - it felt more connected. But I have found other Gratitude practices that make me feel even more connected...
A few practices for today and moving forward:
Go for a Gratitude Walk
Go for a walk - look around you and notice what you see. Say hello or “good morning” to a thing and then thank it for what it provides and acknowledge it in all ways you can think of. For example:
Tree: “Good morning beautiful Oak tree. Thank you for the shade you provide, for the acorns that you drop to continue your legacy of life. Thank you for the oxygen you provide by processing it through your leaves. I acknowledge that you strived so hard and survived so much to be here today and I am so grateful for you. I see you, I honor you and I’m grateful for you.”
Stop Sign: “Good morning Stop Sign. I acknowledge all the atoms and elements that it took for you to be here today. I recognize the people and machinery that went into producing you, the people that chose to put you here to keep people safe. Thank you for the minivans full of families, the work vehicles and all the cars and pedestrians that have been kept safe by you. I see you and I honor you. Thank you.”
Thanking your Food
Similar to the practice above, you can do the same with your food. I believe this helps us to connect to the land, to our bodies and to all that is. Whether it is at the big meal today or something you take up consistently, consider where your food came from and all the people and needs that came together to get that item to your plate. Recognize it silently or aloud (this is a great thing to do with kids).
Thanking One Another (Love Baths)
As a tradition, my family goes around the table at our Thanksgiving table to share what we are grateful for that year. This is a wonderful tradition, but it can sometimes feel rushed. So, allow yourself to spend some time today in this practice.
You can also say what you are grateful for about EACH OTHER. Go around the table and say what you love about each person. It can be a word, or, if you are able, share all the qualities and memories you love about a person. You can also do this with people you’re not physically with - by calling or texting them. I call this practice “Love Baths,” and I’m a big fan of doing this throughout the year. It connects us to one another, but also to ourselves, and spiritually.
I know the holidays can be very rushed, especially if there are kids or challenging family dynamics or travel, or any other complication. My wish for you is that you are able to be present, take a breath and feel an engaged sense of Gratitude, even for just a minute.
Regardless of where you are, what or how you are “celebrating,” know that I am grateful for you. Thank you for being so brilliantly you.
Rev. Dev
The Connected Way™
www.theconnectedway.com
* If you want to learn more about vibrations and the interconnectedness of all things, you can read more here, or I highly recommend The Celestine Prophecy. Reading this book was one of the things that kicked off my spiritual curiosity and journey.