Gratitude As A Daily Practice

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving holiday takes place in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It's a time of gathering with families and friends.

We give thanks and eat lots of food. The "lots of food" part is always important. It's a celebration of the abundance in our lives.

Thanksgiving is a non-religious holiday celebrated around the country. Most people have the day off and enjoy a paid holiday.

Gratitude Beyond Seasonal Holidays

Besides eating, giving thanks is a big part of Thanksgiving. Studies show that having a sense of thanksgiving and gratitude can make a difference in our lives all year round. When we're conscious of gratitude as a part of our daily lives, it has many benefits.

According to research from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, an increased sense of appreciation can benefit our health and wellness with better sleep, lower blood pressure, happier relationships, and increased resiliency.  Some researchers have found that practicing gratitude can strengthen our immune system.

 
“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ”
— Thorton Wilder
 

Four Ideas To Share Gratitude With Others

Given these positive effects, perhaps we should get busy practicing gratitude. This is a perfect time of year to tune up our efforts.

Gratitude isn't only about looking around and seeing what we're grateful for – our service and activities are also a part of gratitude when we share with others.

For the holidays, we can:

1) Volunteer at a winter homeless shelter.

2) Spend time with the elderly in a Senior Center or a nursing home.

3) Donate time at a local reading program for children.

4) Provide services for rescue and animal shelters. They are always in need of volunteers to help.

Make Gratitude A Part Of Your Daily Life

Students of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) have an excellent way to expand upon gratitude within the simplicity of the use of the TRT® hands-on. 

In The New Expanded Reference Manual of The Radiance Technique®, Authentic Reiki®, Third Edition by Dr. Barbara Ray, Ph.D. — the entry on Gratitude is found on page 106:

GRATITUDE - In higher consciousness refers to an inner energy which expresses from within, with no external cause, spontaneous feelings of wholeness, of fullness, of radiance.  The Radiance Technique® accesses this inner energy which has within itself the quality of gratitude, different from lower energies of cause and effect.  Gratitude is an energy of the soul, of the Inner Heart. For accessing and expanding upon this quality in you, use for extended times in Front Position #1. 

 

Four Ideas To Expand Your Gratitude

Since gratitude makes a significant contribution to our well-being – here are some ideas to help as gratitude reminders.

1) Tape a note to your bathroom mirror to remind you as you are getting ready for work or going to bed. Something for which you are thankful.

2) Create a gratitude journal. Jot down something you are grateful for and write a a few lines about it.

Maybe you have artistic talents? Perhaps you would rather draw or photograph a little reminder of gratitude?

3) Buy a notebook for art journaling of gratitude. The image in this post of Gratitude is a practice is an example of art journaling. 

4) Take a photo each day that captures your sense of gratitude. It doesn't have to be grandiose like traveling to a foreign, exotic land. Your photo can be from your own backyard.

How about the curve of your kitty's tail?
The floppy ear of your dog?
Maybe a leaf found on your path?
Perhaps a photo of a coffee drink?

 If you have gratitude for it, go for it.

 

Happy Fourth Of July

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Independence Day – Fourth Of July

We love you, Great Britain, but we've got to go.

It's not you, it's me.

No, actually, it is you. And we don't want to pay your taxes. Especially without representation.

We're celebrating our independence from the rule of Great Britain and the birth of a sovereign nation – the United States of America.

A Federal Holiday

Although Independence Day has been celebrated since the 18th century, it was in 1870 that the U.S. Congress made 04 July a federal holiday. It then became a paid federal holiday in 1941. 

We like the paid part. To this day, I can remember my joy at having my first paid holiday. There I was, at home, eating bonbons (well, not really, but it sounds good) and getting paid for it.

Do you remember some of your first paid holidays?

The Declaration Of Independence

Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were among the key players in the creation of the Declaration of Independence. They are considered the founding fathers of the United States of America.

It is noteworthy that Jefferson wrote, "We hold these truths to be sacred and un-deniable..." and it was Franklin who changed it to the phrase we all know:

 
“We hold these truths to be self-evident...”

On 02 July 1776, the Continental Congress of the American colonies voted in favor of independence from Great Britain. Two days later on 04 July, the delegates ratified and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The 4th of July is the day celebrated as the birth of American Independence. As a significant patriotic holiday, its most common symbol is the American flag. The word “patriotism” comes from the Latin “patria” meaning “fatherland.”

Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson working on the Declaration of independence.
Painter, Jean leon gerome ferris, 1900

 

The 2nd Or 4th Of July

Humans wouldn't be humans without disagreement. Some founding fathers, John Adams in particular, believed we should celebrate the 2nd of July, when Congress first voted in favor of the resolution.

In fact, as a protest, even when personally invited, Adams refused to join any 4th of July celebrations. 

Oh my.

But here's a little Twilight Zone moment.

John Adams died on 04 July 1826 at the age of 90. 

Coincidence? Or did his spirit, in some fashion, relent and claim the 4th of July by dying on that day?

However, the plot thickens. Thomas Jefferson also died on the exact same day at the age of 83, just hours before John Adams. 

04 July 1826.

Relax Into The Red, White And Blue

For the Fourth of July, students of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) can relax and enjoy some TRT® hands-on. You might even bring the principles of the Declaration of Independence to your meditations. What do they mean to you?

 
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
— Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
 

This preamble is considered an enduring statement of human rights and a moral compass for the United States. All men are created equal has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language."

Students who have studied The Second Degree of The Radiance Technique® can direct energy to the founding of this country. You could also direct energy to a person from the past who helped create the Declaration of Independence.

Do you have a favorite founding father?  

Thomas Jefferson? Benjamin Franklin? Or fiercely stubborn John Adams? 

Enjoy your 4th of July holiday.

And oh, by the way, we still love you, Great Britain.

I remember singing this song with the high school choir, our music director waving his arms with gusto. Over these many years, I would often sing the opening line to myself.

Be sure to take a listen.

 

Heart Shine This Holiday Weekend

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Holiday Weekend

Woohoo. It's the holiday weekend and for many people that means time off from work.

Three days off. Time to let your heart and body relax.

Do you have plans?

Hopefully some of your weekend plans include a little "R & R" – rest and recreation.

A picnic or barbecue. Maybe something simple like taking a blanket and a good book to the park. 

Or maybe some time to sit on your back porch with a cup of coffee. Perhaps some time is allowed to set down the smartphone.

Whatever you have planned, you can bring some healing to your activity, whether you're munching at a picnic or resting in a lounge chair.

Relax And Let Your Heart Shine

Use of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) brings healing and relaxation and is great to use during the holiday weekend.

For students of The Radiance Technique® – you can apply your TRT® hands-on:

  • while you're riding in the car to get to a picnic or an outdoor party – you can apply TRT® hands-on your solar plexus or your heart  
     

  • preparing your food – take a few moments to use your hands-on over your food during preparation
     

  • sitting around with people – it's easy to place one hand on your abdomen while listening and talking to people

When we have a holiday weekend, it's nice to carve out some extra time for extended TRT® hands-on. For example, you can apply 10 minutes in the heart center or 20 minutes in the solar plexus. Focus on whatever hands-on position seems right for you in the moment.

Use of TRT® hands-on opens the gateway to healing and the more healing we experience, the more our heart shines through whatever we are doing.

There Is Virtue In Rest

Relax into the universal energy accessed through The Radiance Technique® and replenish your energy that gets sapped during the busy work week.

Enjoy your holiday weekend.

 

She Laughs Without Fear Of The Future

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It's Mother's Day!

 

Strength And Dignity

What a wonderful moment to acknowledge and remember all the women who have touched our lives.

I like this quote in Proverbs where it says:

...she laughs without fear of the future.

That line captures an essence of her courage. It's hard, sometimes, not to fear the future, isn't it?

What do we fear about the future?  It can be fear of the unknown, of hardships that might befall us, aging and illness, world situations, or losses that may be coming.

And, to be honest, all of these challenges will happen at one point or another in our lives, won't they?

Yet, this woman will meet life's challenges with courage and love.

Happy Mother's Day

Do you know women like this?

Perhaps you're one of them.

 

The Season Of Fall

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Welcome To Fall

“The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.”
The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.”
 

The Autumnal Equinox

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to welcome the fall equinox. We bid adieu to our summer harvest with its abundance of fruits and vegetables. Hot, lazy days become a thing of the past.

It's time to wave goodbye to our early morning light and long evenings of daylight. We prepare ourselves to wake up in the dark for work. Somehow it seems terribly uncivilized to have to get up before even the sun has agreed to do so.

Sweaters And Falling Leaves

While we miss the longer days and abundance of the farmers market, the cooler weather is welcomed as we snuggle into chunky sweaters. It's time to tuck into a big chair with a steaming cup of cinnamon-flavored tea. Time to enjoy the nip in the air as we warm our fingers on hot cups of coffee.

Activities take on a slow, bossa nova rhythm – a softer, more contemplative beat. Now we linger as we stroll on a path of falling leaves. Armed with a good book, we tuck ourselves into a corner of the couch. No need to feel guilty about it.

Fall Holidays And Pumpkins

Lots of holidays tumble into fall for our pleasurable participation. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hallowe'en, and Thanksgiving, just to name a few.

Pumpkins are everywhere. Jack o'lanterns, pumpkin pies and desserts, and gourds of all sizes populate our decorations. What's your favorite fall holiday?

Grey Skies, Brisk Winds

As we turn up our collars to rainy, foggy days of grey and the chill of longer nights, the fall equinox reminds us of the balance of light and dark in our own lives.

Keep your inner flame burning bright.

 

Nurturing, Caring and Mother's Day

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Mother's Day – Not Just A Greeting Card

Mother's Day is upon us in all its glory.

Fêted with flowers, cards, and chocolate, this day has become one of the biggest consumer spending days of the year, because naturally, everyone has a mother.

Mother's Day is set aside to acknowledge and honor all our mothers.

Origin Of Mother's Day

As far back as 1870, Julia Ward Howe spearheaded a movement in the United States to have a mother's day celebrating not only motherhood, but peace. She had seen too much of the carnage of the Civil War and she understood deeply that no mother wished for a son to die on a battlefield.

Howe called upon women to come together to make a stand for peace. Her writing showed an expansive, global viewpoint that embraced all of humanity. She was a planetary peacemaker before her time.

Here's an excerpt from her call to all mothers:

 
“In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions.
The great and general interests of peace.”
— Julia Ward Howe
 

Official Holiday In 1914

Mother's Day did not become an official holiday in the United States until 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance. He declared the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. President Wilson proclaimed:

“Let flags be flown on the second Sunday in May as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.”
— President Woodrow Wilson
 

Anna Jarvis

Anna M. Jarvis

This day focused more on the individual mother.

The founding of the holiday is often credited to Anna M. Jarvis when she held a memorial ceremony in 1908 to honor her mother, and all mothers, at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church.

The church is in Grafton, West Virginia and is recognized as the International Mother's Day Shrine. Designated as a national landmark since 1992, it marks the first official observance of Mother's Day.

“I hope and pray that someone, sometime will found a memorial mothers day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.”
— Anna Jarvis
 

Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church

Defining Mother's Day Today

Many of us have become much broader in our thinking about this holiday. We honor our mothers and yet, it doesn't have to be limited to only a physical mother.

On this day, we take a moment to honor the deeper meaning of mothering that consists of the energies of nurturing and caring.

When these energies take center stage, we recognize that nurturing can exist in many forms, such as caring for animals and plants, and even our planet that we affectionately call Mother Earth.

Caring and nurturing can also mean taking care of a creative project. Our mothering doesn't have to be limited to only our immediate family members. Our caring can reach out into our greater communities on local, national and even global levels.

In this rough and tumble world, it seems only the "tough" are rewarded. Mother's Day gives us a chance to honor a softer, loving energy and acknowledge the healing of nurturing and caring.

 

New Year Resolutions

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It's That Time Of Year For New Year Resolutions

The New Year is upon us and with it comes new resolutions.

Are you someone who makes resolutions for the New Year?

Do you make one, two or lots of them?

Three New Year Resolutions

This year I've decided to make three New Year Resolutions. 

I have a rule in my life, if any list surpasses three items, I write them down. After more than three, it's impossible to keep track of them.

Therefore, to avoid a written list, I'll limit myself to three resolutions.

Because, let's face it – If I write a list, it will only be a short matter of time that I won't be able to find it.

And then, honestly, after another bit of time, I won't want to find it.

With only three resolutions, it should be easy to remember them throughout the entire year.

Categories For Resolutions: Heart, Body, And Fun

  1. Heart – Always begin with the Heart, it's a great place to start. What activity warms your heart?
     

  2. Body – Get in touch with a positive health habit that you'd like to emphasize during the new year. It can be big or little. Add more fruit to your diet? A little more exercise?
     

  3. Fun – For the playful part of you, something that appeals to your whimsical side that will keep your spirits light throughout the year. How about taking time to read a book? See a movie series?

With or without resolutions, wishing you a Happy New Year!