Gratitude is one of my favorite things. Therefore, I appreciate the American holiday of Thanksgiving, even though as a Canadian I see Thanksgiving belonging in October. Living now in the UK, where Thanksgiving is not a holiday, I continue to appreciate the reminder to give thanks. I understand the essence of this holiday as relating to giving thanks for a good harvest, for having food to put on our table, and enough to share with others. American Thanksgiving has other associations, but to me, the essence of giving thanks has always been foremost. These days, I take any opportunity to practice gratitude. I invite you to join me in that.
One influence in my gratitude practice is the research of Heartmath Institute showing that a simple shift in mindset to gratitude and appreciation can improve our health and sense of well-being. It can affect chaotic heart rhythms to come into coherence, which then supports coherence everywhere in our bodies. I have heard that successful relationships tend to involve seven appreciations for every complaint. I have also read about recent research indicating that people with a positive attitude are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and similar conditions. Since we know stress can contribute to these conditions, it makes sense that orienting to what is good or ok in our lives can reduce our stress levels and support our health.
I consider it important, however, to not just accentuate the positive while ignoring the challenges or difficulties. A major value in reminding ourselves of what we can feel grateful for is that is strengthens our sense of well-being, support and resource to enable us to more easily meet the challenges that arise. If I only focus on what’s wrong or difficult or scary or irritating, I can easily become overwhelmed. I am then less able to creatively deal with problems. My behavior or mindset may even add to them. On the other hand, when I remember that there are things working for me and my loved ones, that we have support, that there is something to be thankful for, I can be more resilient in meeting the stresses of life.
Gratitude and Trauma
Heartful Presence
Modern trauma therapy emphasizes the importance of not getting drawn into what Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, has called the trauma vortex. It is not usually useful to dredge up old trauma scenes and get lost in re-living them. This can reinforce old neural patterns, increasing our tendency to re-visit and identify with trauma states. What is generally more helpful in resolving and integrating left over trauma is to orient primarily to our sense of support, safety and resource in present time and from this place, mindfully touch in on the trauma memories.
In this more resourced state, we can recognize the trauma as something that happened in our past and negotiate its current effects on our nervous system, psyche and behavior. Remembering what we can feel grateful for can support this sense of resource and remind us that in this moment, we are safe. We are ok. We can give thanks for being ok in this moment
From this perspective, I often begin my classes or experiential explorations with taking a moment to consider at least one thing you can feel grateful for or appreciate just now. It can be anything or anyone.
What Can You Give Thanks For?
No matter what our situation, it is always possible to find something to be grateful for. 
It may be as simple as noting that I have some food, I can breathe, I have a place to rest my head at night. Hopefully, we have those basics available to us. Many of us have much more than that to be grateful for.
What can you give thanks for in this moment? When you do so, what are you aware of in your body, your breath, your sense of presence? Does anything change? What is the felt sense of gratitude in your body?
For me, orienting to gratitude supports a pleasurable softening of the tissues around my heart. It feels like my heart opens. I feel what I suspect is the love and bonding hormone, oxytocin, radiating out from my heart. I then become more aware of the support around me, the ever-present holding of Mother Earth under me, the relatively clean air in this small town I live in, the love and smiles of my dear husband. I think back to so many years of being alone or in difficult relationships and feel grateful for having been willing and able to do all the intensive work I did on myself, and the sometimes brilliant therapists and tutors I had to support me in that process.
I give thanks for having survived my often challenging past and the mysterious guidance that led me to my body through bodywork and studying Dance/Movement Psychotherapy, which introduced me to Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and therapy and then to Craniosacral Biodynamics, and the increasingly less subtle calling to go meet and dive into the fluids with Emilie Conrad.
I could never have planned this route. I thought I would be an Occupational Therapist all my life. I never could have imagined any of this that I now give thanks for.
How does the mystery play in your life? Are you listening closely for its instructive support?
I wish you ease, grace and immense gratitude, or even starting with just a bit of thanks, as you move through the next part of your life.
