Expressing Gratitude Is Transformative....

[Jundo]

Catching up on the Buddhist magazines, I just came across a lovely, simple practice on Gratitude from the late Daido Loori.

Expressing gratitude is transformative, just as transformative as expressing complaint. Imagine an experiment involving two people. One is asked to spend ten minutes each morning and evening expressing gratitude (there is always something to be grateful for), while the other is asked to spend the same amount of time practicing complaining (there is, after all, always something to complain about). One of the subjects is saying things like, "I hate my job. I can't stand this apartment. Why can't I make enough money? My spouse doesn't get along with me. That dog next door never stops barking and I just can't stand this neighborhood." The other is saying things like, "I'm really grateful for the opportunity to work; there are so many people these days who can't even find a job. And I'm sure grateful for my health. What a gorgeous day; I really like this fall breeze." They do this experiment for a year. Guaranteed, at the end of that year the person practicing complaining will have deeply reaffirmed all his negative "stuff" rather than having let it go, while the one practicing gratitude will be a very grateful person. . . Expressing gratitude can, indeed, change our way of seeing ourselves and the world.

It is from a book we recommend around here by him (Bringing the Sacred to Life) on "at home" liturgy ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?8069-Recommended-at-home-liturgy

Gassho, J

[Yugen]

Coming from someone who has spent most of their life elevating complaining to a fine art, the practice of expressing gratitude is indeed powerful and transformative. Thanks for this Jundo. I am going to practice this morning and evening.

Deep bows
Yugen

[Hans]

Hello,

This is a valuable teaching indeed. A non buddhist friend of mine has cultivated that practise for a while now and says it has been very transformative.

Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Myosha]

With gratitude. . .


Gassho,
Edward

[Koshin]

A beautiful book and a great practice, thank you for the reminder
Gassho


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[Mp]

Yes Jundo, this is a wonderful practice, thank you ... I am grateful for you, Taigu, this Sangha, and this practice.

Gassho
Shingen

[Taigu]

Well, that s just a brilliant and most profound practice, a way to bow with body- mind and open our hands: i will put this into practice as from today. Thank you Daido, thank you Jundo, thank you all !!!

Gassho

Taigu

[Taigu]

Something unusually wise from Alanis Morissette:


how bout getting off all these antibiotics
how bout stopping eating when I'm full up
how bout them transparent dangling carrots
how bout that ever elusive kudo

thank you india
thank you terror
thank you disillusionment
thank you frailty
thank you consequence
thank you thank you silence

how bout me not blaming you for everything
how bout me enjoying the moment for once
how bout how good it feels to finally forgive you
how bout grieving it all one at a time

thank you india
thank you terror
thank you disillusionment
thank you frailty
thank you consequence
thank you thank you silence

the moment I let go of it was the moment
I got more than I could handle
the moment I jumped off of it
was the moment I touched down

how bout no longer being masochistic
how bout remembering your divinity
how bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out
how bout not equating death with stopping

thank you india
thank you providence
thank you disillusionment
thank you nothingness
thank you clarity
thank you thank you silence


In gassho


T.

[Daitetsu]

Thanks a lot for the reminder, Jundo - I have a "Gratitude Journal" in which I used to write regularly, but haven't done so for several months now.
I can only confirm how good such a practice can be. And I will now try to re-establish that habit.

@Taigu:
Thanks for these lyrics! What a coincidence, I thought about looking them up a few days ago, as a neighbour of mine is an Alanis Morissette fan and I thought about this song (don't worry, I don't believe in telepathy). ;-)

Gassho,

Timo

[Shohei]

A great humbling practice and reminder
Thank you!

Gassho
Shohei

[Jiken]

Something that resonates deeply with me. Thank you for the reminder

Gassho,

Daido

[Hogo]

Very useful practice, myself been going through a very negative period in regards to work and been looking for some sort of reset button to help bring things back into perspective.
A simple yet valuable reminder.
Thank you.

[Ishin]

Thanks for this Jundo and Taigu I love that song! Every time I hear her sing that it gives me a chill.

I personally believe that metaphysics is real so I am just going to throw my 2 cents in here, for those who might want to read it. When you express gratitude, you are sending out an energetic message "I have this". When you appreciate what you have you open the door for MORE to come to you because you are vibrating with the frequency of already having. If you express frustration about something you don't like then you are saying " I don't have"; same thing with jealousy.

While we are on lyrics I like this one from Sheryl Crow

"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you got"

Gassho C

(when I give up caffeine for Ango you might get less of these "inspired" posts )

[Taigu]

here you are...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOgpT5rEKIU

[Gen01]

Many thanks to all!

Gassho