Gratitude Practices

It’s the season of gratitude, so I thought I would offer you some gratitude practices inspired by the Yoga tradition to bring your body and mind in sync with the Thanksgiving season.

Body gratitude practice: Unroll your yoga mat and stand to the side. Take a full breath in and out as you place your hands on your heart. What is one thing you are grateful for in this moment? It could be as big as a promotion at work or as small as hot water for a shower this morning. Just choose one thing.

With awareness, step on the yoga mat and stand in Mountain pose. Inhale to lift arms overhead, palms touch overhead, exhale to bring hands to the heart center. Repeat a few times. Inhale to lift arms overhead and arch the back, hold for three breaths, breathing into the chest. (If this is stressful for your lower back, place the hands on the lower back for support)

Bend forward from the hips and place the hands on the floor or a block. Hold for three breaths. Place hands on hips and stand up again.

Step the feet apart a little more than shoulder width. Turn the legs out so you can easily bend the knees and squat halfway down without stressing your knees. Inhale, lift the arms up as you straighten your legs; exhale and bring the arms down as you bend your knees. Practice several times.

Stand up and turn the heels out. Bend forward from the hips and place hands on the floor or a block. Bend the right knee, then the left, going back and forth several times. Finally, straighten both legs, bend forward in the center and let your mind quiet down. Hold for several breaths.

Bring the feet together. Have a seat on the floor.

Mind gratitude practice: Sit on a blanket or a cushion on the floor, or sit up tall on a chair with feet well-grounded on the floor. Place the backs of your hands on your legs and turn the palms up. Breathe naturally and easily through the nose. Remember a time when you were happy. Try to remember all the things that contributed to that happiness—where you were, who you were with, what you were doing, what you were wearing. Use all of your senses—seeing, hearing, touch, taste, smell—to make the remembrance as real as possible. (pause)

Let go of the scene you created and simply isolate the feeling of happiness. What does it feel like in your body? Does it have a color, a shape, a texture? What other feelings or thoughts accompany it? (pause)

Let that feeling take over your whole body, bathing your body in color, light or the sensation of being happy. (pause)

Link that feeling of happiness to a place in your body so that you can return to this feeling anytime you need to or want to. (pause)

After several minutes, bring your hands together in front of your heart center and bow your head to your own heart. Let gratitude arise in your heart. Namaste