There are times in life when everywhere, everything is bad. And then we think about what is it all for. And when everything is great, we take it for granted. Have you ever thought about what gratitude is? That you need to be grateful for what you have now, and then everything will be fine in the future.
What is a meditation of gratitude?
First of all, you need to develop the skill of gratitude. We can do this by learning to concentrate on the good things that have happened in our lives. And to thank life, the Lord God, or the Universe for it. What can we be grateful for each day? For example, when we see our relatives, can communicate with them, and do something nice for them. For seeing the beauty of the sky, sunrises, and sunsets. Every morning we cheer up with a cup of coffee or drink our favorite tea, and we can be thankful that we are healthy.
The skill of gratitude won’t appear on its own, it needs to be practiced, such as through meditation or prayer. Gratitude meditation is more natural for non-believers, but it does not contradict prayer.
The power of gratitude meditation
Researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted research and found that people practicing gratitude meditation reduced their anxiety levels. This was even confirmed by medical tests showing a decrease in cortisol.
By learning to give thanks constantly for what you have, you can easily deal with stress. After all, their intensity and the damage they do to health depend on how we perceive and react to negative circumstances.
Benefits of gratitude meditation
Gratitude meditation allows you to:
- activate self-regulation and self-healing mechanisms;
- cope with stress and anxiety;
- get rid of depression;
- restore good mood;
- normalize sleep;
Gratitude meditation has a positive effect on a person’s mental state, increases the level of happiness, and allows you to control emotions and be more motivated.
How do you learn gratitude?
You can start by keeping a gratitude journal. Every day write down what good things happened, you can also draw if you like to do that. Also, think about and write down how it has impacted your life. You can keep a special “gratitude jar”: put small notes with words of gratitude in a transparent glass vessel.
In this way you can learn to notice gratitude, and it is especially important to thank people around you, close or strangers, who have done something good for you. Another way is to practice gratitude meditation.
How to practice gratitude meditation?
You should start meditating at the same time, for example, in the evening, when you are not in a hurry. Sit comfortably with your legs crossed. Breathe deeply. When your breathing calms down, think of all the things you are grateful for, then you can visualize.
Who to be thankful for?
Every day, find something to be thankful for. Who to thank, you will understand yourself. You can thank God, the Universe, Higher Powers, your relatives, and acquaintances. It depends on what you believe in. For example, if you want to thank a person who has done good for you, you should also thank God (Higher Powers) who sent him to you. Here are some examples of who to thank and how to thank.
Gratitude to your family
Your relatives are the closest people you can always rely on. First of all, you should thank them, as well as your ancestors, thanks to whom you came into the world. With the help of gratitude to them, you can restore or improve relationships, and strengthen the energetic connection with them. How to give thanks:
- assume a comfortable pose, tune in to gratitude;
- visualize the image of your mother, father, or the person you want to thank;
- thank them in your own words for giving you this life, for taking care of you.
The meditation of gratitude helps also in the case of relations with relatives are spoiled, completely neutralizing negative energy.
Gratitude to the body
Such meditation as gratitude to the body will help to keep you healthy. Even if you feel sick, you should practice it. The meditation should be practiced like this:
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position:
- Follow your breathing, and count your inhalations and exhalations.
- Concentrate on each part of your body, starting with the lower extremities and gradually moving to the chest and head. Feel every cell of your body.
- Thank your body, every organ that keeps your body working
- Thank the higher forces and the Universe for the health you have been given
- Feel the energy coming into your body, your strength returning, and you are healed.
There are many cases when meditation of gratitude helped to heal.
Gratitude to the Universe
The Universe helps to fulfill any wish, its generosity and possibilities are limitless. It is necessary to learn to be in harmony with it, the more you send gratitude, the more you can receive help from the Higher Forces in return. You can perform the meditation of gratitude in the following way:
- take a comfortable pose;
- watch your breathing, count your inhalations and exhalations;
- give thanks for everything: for the day lived, for the people you have encountered today;
- to be filled with gratitude, to feel harmony with the Higher Mind, and to send energy to the Universe.
The Universe can fulfill any wish, and its possibilities are limitless.
Why do it every day?
To feel the effect of meditation, it should be practiced every day. Systematicity is more important here than the length of time you practice. When you learn to give thanks for the smallest moments of your life, then you will realize the power of gratitude meditation. And you need to keep practicing no matter what.
You can meditate every day in the evening for 5 minutes, gradually increasing this time if you find it necessary.
You can divide the practice into 2 parts:
- morning gratitude meditation;
- gratitude meditation before bed.
This way you can start the day with positive thoughts and end it by summarizing and focusing only on the good things.
