The Source of Gratitude
November has arrived! Autumn is unfolding all around us, and of course our thoughts turn towards the uniquely American holiday, Thanksgiving, and gratitude. Have you ever considered what the source of gratitude is within us?
Holding Space for the Divine
If we want to spiritually awaken, we need to create space in our lives for the Divine. Here’s how.
The Season of Gratitude
In North America, we think of thankfulness in November. But the harvest season begins in August and goes all through the fall. Right now is the season of gratitude.
The end of summer and early autumn begins the flurry of reaping the earth’s bounty before the cold weather arrives. From August on, the grain harvests begin. These were highly celebrated for millennia, particularly by the Europeans whose very survival through the bitter winter depended on a successful stock of the late summer-autumn grains.
How to Feel More Alive and Happy
There’s a way to shift ourselves out of a dour mood. From a pre-pandemic blog I originally wrote for Psych Central (when I actually had a physical counseling office!), here’s how I returned to feeling more alive and happy.
We’ve all had those days where we feel off, or maybe worse. Sometimes, we’re down, overwhelmed, or in a funk. Yesterday was one of those days for me.
A Connecting Thanksgiving Practice
If you’re like me, you may be staying home for Thanksgiving , and not with extended family. You may be totally alone, or just with one or two loved ones. When I was in my 20’s and I didn’t want to fly “home” for the holiday, I would...How to Survive – and Thrive – at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving: a unique American holiday that is universal, unlimited by religion, race, or any category. It’s a special time to come together with family and friends to feel gratitude on this day of the celebration of abundance (oh yeah, and feasting!).
But for some of us, this isn’t an entirely pleasant holiday. We may be faced with “going home” to tension, crazy family dynamics, feeling ignored or attacked, possibly being the black sheep of the family. Perhaps you are hosting a large gathering, and stressed about pleasing everyone’s palates – or having everyone in your house! There may be a recent loss in the family that makes holidays, especially the most family-oriented one of the year, somewhat painful. Or we may be apart from our family, or feel that we don’t have one, and are faced with spending this holiday alone.
Awakening of Gratitude
I was lying on a treatment table at my acupuncturist’s office, with a painful ear infection. I had felt mentally, emotionally, and energetically better since the first treatment two days ago, but the ears continued to feel blocked, and I still was spitting up yellow phlegm.
Nalinee, my acupuncturist, talked about how much my energy field had improved. In her Thai accent, she reminded me of the power of the mind, and how harnessing that would facilitate healing.
I knew that, of course, but had been humbled. I had been struggling with my emotions for several days, feeling fearful and sometimes depressed, and had not been able to make the full shift in my consciousness to a true healing mentality. I wasn’t practicing what I knew.
Small Disasters Make Me Grateful
Sometimes, it seems like one thing after another. Other times, just one thing seems like too much. This could have been too much, if I had let it.
Last week, I opened our hall closet door, underneath the stairwell, to get a jacket for my daughter. A strong odor assaulted me. Oh no. I knew this was bad. It smelled like mold.
Removing the coats and jackets so I could see better, I turned on the light, but still couldn’t make out what the problem was. I bent down to touch the carpet – soaked. Yikes! As I moved things aside, I looked up, and there was the culprit: a dripping fire sprinkler. What in the world was a fire sprinkler doing inside of a hall closet, I have no idea, but there it was dribbling over everything. Who knows how long it had been going on.
