article by Miann Scanlan via Free People Blog
"There is nothing that has changed my life more profoundly than gratitude. It was my savior amidst great suffering that I experienced a few years ago, when my spirit was engulfed by deep grief. It was during this time that I found yoga and was introduced to the practice of being grateful for literally everything on life’s journey, including the bad times and the struggles.
This simple notion of being grateful for my suffering was the catalyst that launched me on my spiritual journey, and now I want to share that feeling with almost everyone I meet!
I firmly believe that gratitude is the elixir of life – the facilitator for all abundance and the key to unlocking bountiful happiness.
Cultivating thankfulness not only makes your days shine brighter, but with time it also promotes feelings of compassion and generosity which create further joy in our lives. Gratitude can soften a hardened heart, and also builds the capacity for forgiveness – which creates the clarity of mind that is ideal for spiritual development.
A Gratitude Jar is kind of like a piggy bank, except coins are substituted with good vibes and blessings, and the reward is of far greater value than any sum of money could ever provide.
What you’ll need:
A mason jar
Your favourite pen & a note pad
Scissors
Embellishments of your choice: I like using elements of the earth like sand, dried flowers, curious rocks, and twigs
Directions:
Add some of your embellishments into the jar. I poured some sand into the bottom as I am grateful to live by the sea. You can adorn the jar with anything that makes you feel positive and at peace: Full moon charged crystals, incense sticks, glitter… you name it!
Each morning write down something you are grateful for, ceremoniously folding up the paper and lovingly adding it to the jar.
Once your jar is full of gratitude, take it to a place where you can sit quietly, as one by one you take out and read over your blessings. I like to take my jar down to the beach and build a ceremonial nature mandala around it as I sit for a while and meditate.
Et viola! You have just experienced a taste of true abundance."
