Grant Yourself the Gratitude

last week I had a moment where I realized that I had taken something for GRANTED that I literally could NOT imagine living without. It wasn’t intentional but it happened just the same. It is human nature to not always appreciate things until they are gone or changed in some way so I asked my students to connect to their gratitude last week on their mats.

We can spend our energy focusing on what isn’t available, what could be better…or we can use  our energy to cultivate a place of gratitude for all that is available on our mats and off. As we moved through our familiar Sun Salutations, I reminded the students that while it is easy to assume that a Downward Dog or a Chaturanga will always be available, that appreciating them each time in some small way helps remind us not to take these small but important movements for granted.

Then later as we explored more challenging transitions such as Cresent Warrior into Pashasana, we could find joy and appreciation for what was available…not take it for granted…. and also let go of judgment for what wasn’t.

It’s like the breath; We take for granted we will wake up each day and breathe. Yet, when we put our mind to our intentional breath and connect to each breath, it feels different…truer and deeper and we find gratitude. Like with the breath, it is impossible to be thankful for everything all the time, but practicing gratitude on our mats helps us Grant ourselves that Gratitude off the mat as well.

The things and people we hold most dearly are sometimes the things we pay the least mind to. Just like the breath, we take for granted that they will always be there for us. They are fixtures in our lives…until they aren’t in the same way. We can learn these lessons through loss or through gratitude. I choose Gratitude. Namaste.