A grateful heart, a more abundant life.
- Annabella Roig
- Nov 30, 2024
- 7 min read
Have you ever stopped to think about all that you have? Gratitude invites us to do so. By cultivating a grateful attitude, we open the doors to a new way of looking at the world, one in which we appreciate the little things and celebrate the big accomplishments, this nurtures a grateful heart, a more abundant life.
Fall is my favorite time of the year. It is the leaves, the kaleidoscope of color, a harvest for the eyes, leaves offering the jewel tones of mulberry, gold, saffron, cinnamon, magenta, and emerald, to say nothing of the variety of apples, the assortment of pumpkins, squash, gourds, carrots, and beets. It is a harvest, and indeed, there is much to be thankful for.
I started to think, "What is the difference between gratitude and thanksgiving? Isn’t it the same thing?" No, it is not. Thanksgiving is on the outside; Gratitude is on the inside. Gratitude is the source of thanksgiving. They go together like chocolate and cayenne. Both are important.
Gratitude is what you are being. Thanksgiving is what you are doing. BOTH are important, in every situation, in most every relationship.
What is gratitude? Gratitude is a deep emotional response to recognizing the good things in life, your blessings, whether they come from nature, other people, or a life circumstance. It is an attitude of appreciation.
Thanksgiving is the outward expression, and for the holiday, a collective expression for many of us, an opportunity for a more formal expression of appreciation and gratitude. This is often demonstrated through actions, verbal expressions like thank you, maybe giving gifts, or performing acts of generosity for someone’s kindness.
Yes, Thanksgiving is an annual, collective expression of our inner gratitude. But how about the other 364 days? How do you express gratitude and thanksgiving in our every day? To our intimate partners, to our family, to our friends, our work colleagues, in our spiritual practice?
For me, it is still yet too easy to forget the daily kindnesses from my partner, or my work colleagues. What is my attitude? How do I walk in the world? How often and in what way do I show my gratitude, and give thanks? Gratitude is like an elixir, a magic formula, a sacred sweet incense, that is emitted in your energy, it lets others know, they are seen, they are safe.
If you are not partnered and would like to be, I invite you to consider gratitude as a practice. In “Calling in ‘The One’” Katherine Woodward Thomas presents gratitude as a personal practice of transformation. By cultivating a practice of gratitude, you can help shift your focus from any experience of lack of feeling or negativity to a mindset that is abundant and positive. By consistently practicing gratitude, you can shift your perception of scarcity, and build a more receptive mindset.
Gratitude is central to calling in and keeping a healthy happy connection. Gratitude aligns you with a higher vibration, it is key to manifesting desires, especially in the context of connection and relationship.
Another book, A Course in Miracles, ACIM, calls gratitude an expression of Joy that bubbles quietly within. ACIM links gratitude with joy and peace, as it arises from an awareness of truth and the dissolution of fear and ego. When the mind is aligned with the Holy Spirit (ACIM’s symbol for divine guidance), gratitude becomes a natural state of being because one recognizes the interconnectedness of all life and the divine order in everything.
Deep authentic gratitude is how I walk in the day, how I drive to work, and how I greet the Sunshine. It is with gratitude that I look at my feet, and massage my toes, it is how I carry my groceries. And It is not just the feeling of gratitude, it is the expression of thanksgiving, to the person giving you your change, looking at them in the eye, and thanking them, just a small gesture, but so true, every day, in every way.
Partnered, not partnered, there is no need to wait- Gratitude is here now. Gratitude is the force we wield when we say Thank you.
Exercise
Thought Experiment- A Practice of Gratitude
At the end of your day today, take a minute to think about your day and bring to mind something that went your way. And give thanks.
Think also about something that did not go your way and be curious. I invite you to play with the idea, While it may feel that it did not go for me, what would it be like, if I considered, that it did? What might that be like? Pause, and give thanks.
In Calling in "The One" by Katherine Woodward Thomas, gratitude is presented as a powerful practice for personal transformation and attracting love into one's life. Thomas emphasizes that cultivating gratitude helps individuals shift their focus from what is lacking or negative to what is abundant and positive. This shift in mindset opens the heart and aligns a person with a higher vibration, which is key to manifesting desires, especially in the context of love and relationships.
Gratitude in the book is also framed to break free from limiting beliefs and patterns. By consistently practicing gratitude, individuals can reframe their perception of past experiences, heal emotional wounds, and build a more open, receptive mindset. This process is central to calling in a healthy, loving relationship, as it allows one to appreciate and attract what they truly desire.
Overall, the interpretation of gratitude in Calling in "The One" ties closely to personal growth, healing, and manifesting the life and love you desire by focusing on the positive aspects of your current reality.
The difference between thanksgiving and gratitude.
Yes, there is a difference between thanksgiving and gratitude, although the terms are closely related and often used interchangeably. Here’s a breakdown of their distinctions:
1. Gratitude: - Definition: Gratitude is a deep emotional response to recognizing the good things in life, whether they come from other people, nature, or life circumstances. It’s a general attitude of appreciation for both big and small things. - Internal State: It’s more about the ongoing, internal experience of feeling thankful for what one has or what one has received. - Scope: Gratitude can be expressed privately through reflection, journaling, or silently acknowledging things one appreciates. It often includes an emotional and spiritual dimension, where one feels connected to something larger (e.g., to other people or the universe). - Example: Feeling grateful for the love of friends, a beautiful day, or simply for being alive. | 2. Thanksgiving: - Definition: Thanksgiving refers to the act of “giving thanks”. It is a more outward and often formal expression of appreciation. While gratitude is an internal feeling, thanksgiving is the external expression of that feeling. - External Expression: Thanksgiving is often demonstrated through actions or verbal acknowledgments, such as saying “thank you,” giving gifts, or performing acts of kindness in response to someone’s generosity. - Scope: It can be done personally or collectively, as in Thanksgiving Day (the holiday), which is a formal celebration of giving thanks. - Example: Saying “thank you” to someone who helped you, writing a thank-you note, or participating in a Thanksgiving ritual or holiday. |
Key Difference:
- Gratitude is an internal state of appreciation and recognition of the good in life.
- Thanksgiving is the act of expressing that gratitude outwardly.
While gratitude can exist without overt thanksgiving, thanksgiving is often the result of feeling gratitude.
In A Course in Miracles (ACIM), gratitude is understood as a spiritual state that transcends ordinary feelings of thankfulness. It is deeply rooted in the recognition of truth, forgiveness, and the unity of all beings in the love of God. Gratitude in the context of ACIM has several key interpretations:
1. Gratitude as Recognition of God’s Love:
- ACIM teaches that gratitude is not just for specific things, but for the awareness of the divine love that flows through all of life. It reflects the understanding that everything, in its essence, is an expression of God's will and love. By being grateful, a person acknowledges the constant presence of this love and the perfection in everything that happens.
- Rather than being thankful for material gifts or worldly achievements, ACIM encourages gratitude for the eternal truth that transcends the physical world—God’s unwavering love, peace, and salvation offered through forgiveness.
2. Gratitude and Forgiveness:
- Forgiveness is central to the teachings of ACIM, and gratitude plays a key role in this process. The Course suggests that when we forgive others and ourselves, we become grateful for the release from illusions, grievances, and ego-driven perceptions. By forgiving, we see others not as separate or guilty, but as one with us in spirit, and this brings gratitude for the realization of oneness and peace.
- Gratitude, therefore, is tied to the healing of relationships and the recognition that everyone is part of the divine unity.
3. Gratitude for Learning and Awakening:
- In ACIM, the journey of spiritual awakening is filled with lessons designed to help us remember our true identity as children of God. Gratitude is expressed for these lessons, even if they come through challenges or difficult experiences. The Course teaches that every situation is an opportunity for growth, forgiveness, and learning, and being grateful for this learning process leads to spiritual freedom.
- This perspective shifts gratitude from being conditional (based on outcomes) to being unconditional, recognizing that everything serves a higher purpose in the awakening process.
4. Gratitude as an Expression of Joy:
- ACIM links gratitude with joy and peace, as it arises from an awareness of truth and the dissolution of fear and ego. When the mind is aligned with the Holy Spirit (ACIM’s symbol for divine guidance), gratitude becomes a natural state of being because one recognizes the interconnectedness of all life and the divine order in everything.
5. Gratitude Beyond the Ego:
- The ego, according to ACIM, is the false self that operates in fear, separation, and lack. The Course warns against the ego’s version of gratitude, which is often transactional or based on scarcity (“I’m grateful because I got something”). True gratitude in ACIM comes from the soul’s recognition of abundance and the ever-present love of God, which needs no external validation.
- It invites practitioners to move away from the ego’s narrow focus and toward a broader, more universal gratitude that is free of conditions or attachments.
In A Course in Miracles, gratitude is a profound acknowledgment of divine love, the power of forgiveness, and the process of spiritual awakening. It shifts the focus from the material world to the spiritual reality of oneness, healing, and eternal peace. Gratitude, in this sense, becomes an essential part of recognizing the truth of our existence and the love that connects all beings.
Get to the place of gratitude in our hearts. Let it move us.
Overall, the interpretation of gratitude in *Calling in "The One" ties closely to personal growth, healing, and manifesting the life and love you desire by focusing on the positive aspects of your current reality.
This is the force that we wield when we say thank you.
Relationship & Health Coach
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