Do you want to be more present, have more energy or be more joyful? These benefits of yoga will naturally introduce themselves in your daily life when you practice yoga regularly, but to speed up the process and to live even more mindfully, from the heart, gratitude is the virtue to cultivate! Yoga is so much more than the poses we practice on the mat. The purpose of yoga is not to improve on the mat, but rather to ask yourself in what way you want your physical practice to effect your life off the mat? In this blog post I will provide practical tips for how to cultivate an attitude of gratitude both on and off the mat!
"The attitude of gratitude is the highest yoga" - Yogi Bhajan
It is often easier to get caught up in things that go wrong than in things that go right and to focus on what is lacking rather than what we have, but through the practice of gratitude we can teach our brains to start thinking in more positive patterns. This is a mindfulness practice. Instead of reliving the past or worrying about the future you bring your awareness to this day, this moment, by asking yourself what there is to be thankful for right now? Your heart beating for you, all the amazing things your body does for you every minute to keep you alive, the people in your lives, a smile from somebody when you needed it, a beautiful sunset, the roof over your head, clean water from the tap etc. There's so much in our lives that we take for granted and there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for!
However, the practice of gratitude does not mean sweeping difficulties under the rug, but rather that the practice can change your attitude towards difficulties, giving you greater tools to handle whatever life throws your way. For example by asking yourself how this can help you grow. I am pretty sure that if you reflect back over rough patches you've been through you will find at least one outcome to be grateful for. In the beginning, especially if you're going through a stressful time in your life, it might feel difficult to start cultivating an attitude of gratitude, but after a while you will discover it becomes easier to notice your blessings! And it won't take long before you start noticing that even what you might consider a “bad day” has positive moments in it.
How to cultivate gratitude on the mat:
- It is easy to get mind-stuck on the mat, focusing on what isn’t working rather than what is. Next time you practice, make an effort to focus more on what the body CAN DO rather than what it can't or what it might look like, observe all the fantastic things you can do with your body!
- Be grateful for the breath in your lungs by giving your breath your fullest attention! Be grateful that you can breathe! For the life force energy prana! For your life!
- At the end of a yoga session/meditation or breathing practice, bring your attention to your heart and thank yourself for taking the time for yourself, to cultivate whatever it may be that you need at the moment.
How to cultivate gratitude off the mat:
- I advise you to start a gratitude journal, to write down 5 blessings daily. It could be people, items, experiences, emotions, anything that enters your mind. Try to vary the things you write, inviting and reflecting over the big things in life which we might take for granted, as well as the tiniest details that make a difference.
- Find a time during the day to attend to your journal, whenever works for you, and commit to the practice!
- Gratitude is feeling thankful, so try to really FEEL it rather than keeping it on a level of thought. Embrace the state of gratitude!
- Try to count your blessings daily, however, if you miss one day it´s not the end of the world, just do it the next day again. A few moments of gratitude are better than none, the more you open your heart to the feeling of gratitude, the more you will attract things into your life to be grateful for!
Best of luck!
Namaste,
Amanda
Photo by: Saara Oinonen
You can practice cultivating your attitude of gratitude with Amanda during two weekends in October, read more about the events here!
