6-23-2023 11:02am

Perspectives - a regular weekend feature

Dear Liliane

Why is it important to be grateful, and how can you practice gratitude every day as a habit?

Negativity begets negativity. A positive outlook encourages a positive life.

If we feel bitter and unrewarded in life, then we literally attract things that will contribute to that mental state. We perceive everything that occurs around us through a lens of anger and lack. Our viewing lens is dark.

When we practice gratitude, that lens changes colour and we begin to see the world as a friendly place that is essentially helping us.

When you awaken in the morning take a moment to be thankful that you can open your eyes and see. Take a deep breath and feel the oxygen send a warm message of alertness to your body. Get out of bed and be thankful for your ability to walk to the bathroom. Do you have food in your fridge? It is luxury many don't have. Take a moment to think to yourself, “I am blessed”. This change in attitude will help you see the good in your life, and encourage more good.

Perhaps some of you are not mobile, or you have breathing problems, or some other hardship - that is hard work. But what in your life IS working? Are you able to see any blessings you have?

There is a Buddhist story that illustrates this - imagine the entire surface of the world is covered in water and in that vast ocean is one lone sea turtle. Floating on the surface is a single life preserver. Now imagine the turtle is swimming around this endless body of water and comes up for air right in the middle of the life preserver! What are the chances of that?!!! This is equivalent to the likelihood that you will be born into the material world where you can think, experience, feel …. This is the great blessing of being alive.

Now what are you grateful for?

***

Got a question that needs a new pair of eyes?
Email: lily@domesnatureretreat.com

Liliane is co-owner of the Domes Nature Retreat

https://www.facebook.com/domesnatureretreat/

www.domesnatureretreat.com

She is a regular contributor to Alamogordo Town News

https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/

She can be heard each weekend on Krazy KALHRadio.org 95.1 FM https://station.voscast.com/5b01bba90dce3