Thursday Thankfulness

This is a page from An Amansha booklet I have written that proposes many of her main precepts for joyful living. I use this as part of a workshop I do in Italy for a group of American teens.

THANKSGIVING ALL YEAR
I HAVE HEARD THE FOLLOWING PHRASE COINED MANY TIMES BY VARIOUS PEOPLE, THAT IT’S BEST TO ALWAYS LIVE WITH AN ‘ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE’. THAT MEANS THAT A CONSCIOUS PART OF INTERROGATION OF SELF, ESPECIALLY DURING MEDITATION OR MORNING SILENCE, IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN WISH MANIFESTATION WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE MOST THANKFUL FOR. IF WE CAN THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE MOST THANKFUL FOR AT ALL TIMES, THEN WE ACCOMPLISH AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. OR, I LIKE TO SAY THAT IT BECOMES THANKSGIVING ALL THE TIME. DON’T WAIT FOR ONE TIME DURING EACH YEAR (IF YOU’RE AMERICAN) TO DEVOTE THOUGHT TO HOW LUCKY YOU’VE BEEN. REALLY MAKE IT A PART OF YOUR INTERNAL DIALOGUE TO MAINTAIN A SENSE OF HOW GREAT LIFE IS AND HOW THANKFUL YOU ARE. NOW I’M NOT SAYING TO FEEL IN ANY WAY GUILTY. NO WAY! REMEMBER TO NOT MAKE YOURSELF BAD. REJOICE IN THE ABUNDANCE IN YOUR LIFE. SENDING THOUGHTS OF THANKFULNESS TO YOURSELF AFFIRMS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN HOW YOU DESERVE ABUNDANCE. REJOICE IN OTHERS’ ABUNDANCE TOO. BE THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WITH SO MUCH TO GIVE TO YOU, AS YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER TO THEM. RELEASE THE NEED TO FEAR ABUNDANCE IN YOUR LIFE. SOMETIMES WE DON’T HAVE WHAT WE WANT BECAUSE IT FEELS SAFER TO BE WITHOUT IT. LACK BECOMES A COMFORT AND A NEED. GRATITUDE REVERSES THAT, ALL YEAR, ALL THE TIME. WHAT I AM SAYING IS SERIOUSLY TO THANK EVERY LITTLE THING IN YOUR LIFE, FROM THE MATTRESS YOU SLEEP ON, THE VEHICLE THAT GETS YOU TO YOUR DESTINATIONS, TO THE FOOD YOU EAT. IT’S THE SAME AS THE ACT OF KNOWING LOVE MORE. AND IT JUST FEELS GOOD.