When we experience life through the purifying filter of a grateful heart, we automatically attract more reasons, things, and situations for which to be thankful. The world seems so alive more than we could have ever imagined.
A grateful heart is a happy heart that keeps us present and content in the present moment. When we are grateful, the so-called “challenges of life” fade away as we focus on the joy accompanying our thoughts of gratefulness for whatever comes our way. Amid a grateful heart, we find the peace that passes our human understanding. Even as life’s storms roar about us, we feel peaceful and can be safe harbors for our fellow man who has not yet found peace. This beautiful attitude of gratitude can only come from a heart and a mind rejoicing in gratefulness.
If we awaken to be grateful, any fear or judgments that block us from appreciating ourselves and others are destroyed. We can express our gratitude throughout the day. As we do so, a feeling of contentment and peace comes over us—even when unexpected events occur.
We can set our life’s course with grace and ease as we follow the gratitude star. Because our intentions are focused on being grateful, we begin to think less about ourselves—and more about what is happening within and around us. As a result, everything we encounter becomes more beautiful and significant, holding deeper meaning than in our pre-gratitude lives.
As we practice gratitude, the ego begins to lose power over us. We no longer feel compelled to judge others or ourselves. Instead of seeing life through a lens that focuses on separation and lack, we see it as one great web of interconnection and abundance. Gratitude opens our hearts, minds, and spirits to all that is good in our lives—and in others’ lives too.
As we now see and experience everything through the purifying filter of a grateful heart, we automatically attract more reasons, things, and situations for which to be thankful. The world seems so alive more than we could have ever imagined. Sometimes it is hard to tell if our joy and happiness come from this earthly plain or a celestial dimension. The world bathed in the loving light of gratitude seems ethereal, more stable, trustworthy, and more solid than ever. We reflect on the actuality of this state, and we know that we are one with each other and with the spirit, and all is exactly as it should be.
When we start being grateful for the things we have, it’s hard to believe the positive difference in our lives.
An Attitude of Gratitude Serves as the Foundation of all Healing
I want to share this truth about gratitude with you because it can help you lead a more vibrant and healthy life. I start my clients off on the pathway of appreciation because I know that if they don’t have an attitude of gratitude, there is usually no lasting health.
While short-term changes in eating habits or physical health and appearance can be seen when clients follow our protocols, long-term health problems can sometimes remain. Hauntingly, many people do not achieve lasting health and vitality if they cannot learn to be thankful.
For many of my clients, developing an attitude of gratitude is a long and challenging process. They’ve spent most of their lives in emotional turmoil—and haven’t learned how to rest peacefully within themselves when things are going well.
When they start being grateful for the things they have, it’s hard to believe that this will make much of a difference in their lives. But once they start, many people are amazed at how quickly their outlook and health improve. I’ve seen it happen repeatedly—and I’m always delighted when it does! This is because gratitude is one of the most potent forces in the universe—unlike any other form of energy.
We are patient and loving, knowing that it can take time for our clients to embrace a life of gratitude and holistic health. So we gently guide them in recognizing—even for us, it’s the little changes we see! Once they start counting their blessings, it’s only a matter of time before good things start happening in their lives.
Seeing our clients find joy and gratitude in their lives is uplifting—and this positive change impacts their health and every aspect of their existence. They start eating better, sleeping more soundly, exercising regularly, and improving their health. All I can say is: Thank you!
Recent scientific studies
According to research by the Institute of HeartMath, gratitude “improves the heart’s rhythmic functioning, which helps us to reduce stress, think more clearly under pressure, and heal physically.” It’s physiologically impossible to be stressed and simultaneously have a heart of gratitude.
Great Reasons to Live in Gratitude
“Amid a grateful heart, we find the peace that passes our human understanding.”
Dr. Lisa Aspinwall, professor of psychology at the University of Utah, “has determined that grateful people may be more likely to:
Take better care of themselves physically and mentally
Engage in more protective health behaviors and maintenance
Get more regular exercise
Eat a healthier diet
Have improved mental alertness
Schedule regular physical examinations with their doctor
Cope better with stress and daily challenges
Feel happier and more optimistic
Avoid problematic physical symptoms
Have stronger immune systems
Maintain a brighter view of the future
Being grateful keeps us from focusing too much on the past or speculating too much about the future. Being grateful helps us appreciate and be happy with what we have. It can help us see life’s bright side even when things are not going well. It can also help us realize that we don’t always have to have more, but sometimes less is more! Our life is a journey, and we all have ups and downs. But being grateful can help us to be more positive, less stressed out, healthier, and happier overall.
“A grateful attitude and a passion for life will cause good things to come to you.” “Even on my worst day when nothing is going right, I am still blessed and have absolutely nothing to complain about.” “Be happy to be alive.”
Gratitude, It’s The State Of Mind And A Guiding Star
I can’t speak for everyone, but I sure am glad, I finally live most of my life in a place of gratitude. I am not bragging, I’m just claiming and acknowledging the blessings that an attitude of gratitude brings to me. I’m not going to lie, it’s not easy. In fact, it can be downright difficult at times. But if you’re someone who is seeking a happier and more fulfilling life, then I encourage you to give gratitude a try.
Although my state of mind and spirit are not always perfect, when I begin to lose sight of gratitude—my guiding star in life—I quickly realign myself. I have learned that when I am grateful, my life is better. When I am not, it’s worse. And so I strive to maintain a mindset of gratitude as often as possible—even when things aren’t going the way I want them to go or when life throws me curveballs (which it does quite often).
Living my life with my first intention of being grateful for everything helps me to be more physically, psychology relationally, and spiritually healthy.
Having an attitude of gratitude, means we live life at a higher vibration, making it easier for us, as well as those around us, to experience the joy of healthy living at a higher level. Practicing an attitude of gratitude instills in us increased levels of peace of mind, happiness, vibrant health, and deeper, more satisfying personal relationships.
Gratitude is the one thing that cost us nothing to give, yet it attracts outrageous levels of abundance in every area of our lives. It’s not just a nice thing to do, it’s the law of attraction in action. When we appreciate and acknowledge what we have, our lives become easier and more enjoyable. We attract health and more good into our lives, instead of feeling pain and sick feeling when focusing on what is missing or wrong with them. Gratitude helps us feel happier, healthier, and more positive about ourselves, as well as others around us.
An attitude of gratitude seems to have an almost magical healing effect, as it clears karma or past wrongs while touching every part of our being, making every aspect of our life better. So, if you want to be in the best physical, psychological, relational, and spiritual shape, maybe it’s time to put your intentions on having an attitude of gratitude.
“Whatever we think on, we become. Wherever we put our attention on, those things will develop.” ~ Bobby Morgan
Tina Turner… “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” Everything!
Love is amazing, listing loves attributes could fill dozens of pages. It’s love that keeps us centered and connected with each other; without love in our lives we feel depressed, lost and disconnected.
For some of us, when growing up there was no one to teach us, how to love and be loved. We spent much of our life “looking for love in all the wrong places”. So, now it’s up to us to learn how to love and be loved. The best thing about love is that it’s here for the asking, and it starts with us having an intention for love to fill our hearts.
If we begin to see ourselves as being a loving hearted person, we will soon find ourselves being that person. Directing our thoughts towards being a loving person brings us new insights as to how we to better treat ourselves, our fellow man, and all sentient beings.
Just by keeping the desire to be a loving hearted person at the forefront of our minds, will stir up our passions and emotions, so that having a loving heart becomes as natural as breathing. We find ourselves literally inhaling love with every breath and making ourselves into the person we were always meant to be.
Forgiveness is a natural out-pouring of a loving heart. | Source
“Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.” ~Jose Ortega y Gassett…
As we greet each morning we remember who we are and our purpose for being on this earth. We are being born anew, given another day so that we can be the essence of love. Our intentions are set on being loving hearted, its love we bring with us into the world, it’s what we have become. It does not matter who we were yesterday, it only matters who we are now! Love heals past hurts and pain, it’s the great game changer, freeing us up to be the person we were always meant to be.
When all of our intentions are on having loving hearts, we find forgiveness for ourselves and others to be as natural as breathing. We know in our heart-of-hearts, the deepest part of our beings, our sins and failing are always committed in ignorance. Understanding this allows us to free ourselves from self-pity and blame and to love unconditionally; freeing every other human being of their failings and any judgement we may have had of them.
It was Jesus who said “Father forgive them they know not what they do”. So,with the dawning of each day we awake, breathing in love, forgiving ourselves for what we have done in ignorance and forgiving those who have hurt us by their acts of ignorance. Yes, we are free, free, free at last to breathe in love, to be love, to give love.
The moment you wake up, a new day is beginning, you smile, realizing the power within.
With every breath we take, we are changing every aspect of our being; we are becoming something anew, we are manifesting something anew, our thoughts and words affect ourselves and the world around us.
When we are focused on being loving hearted, we become a safe harbor, a place of welcomeness, a place of peace. As loving hearted people, we are no longer consumed with ourselves. Instead, we are filled with a new spirit that transcends time and space; empowering us to heal ourselves physically, spiritually and emotionally. Our love becomes so profound, that where ever we go we find we are the love that heals the sick, comforts the brokenhearted, empowers the powerless, and enables the miraculous.
Is there any other way to love? | Source
A Simple Loving Meditation…”Breath in Love!”
“Breathing in Love” is something all of us can do without any training. It is what we naturally desire to do. There are no rules or gurus to follow. As we focus our minds, and “breathe in love”, we become the presence of love, the manifestation of love, we quickly are able to identify our actual purpose, “breathing in love” becomes oxygen to our spirits, we know we have found our birthright.
“When I think of Mercy, I see myself right inside the other person’s skin, I stay there until I can see things with his, or her eyes, think his or her thoughts, and feel his or her sufferings. Then I am able to be truly loving and merciful.” | Source“Reconciliation for me, is a chance to restore the good that was lost. We start fresh, each person filled with mercy, reestablishes themselves, seeing the world through the each others eyes. We are now one in Spirit, all our sins are forgotten.” | Source“When I am patient, I wait with a calm and loving spirit. Hoping and for the very best outcome for all who are affected by the circumstances. My patients is secure in the love of my creator and I feel gentle like a dove.” | Source“Being in harmony with my fellowman and all creation resonates at the highest of vibrations for me. My highest intention is to be loving, kind, and patient towards all mankind. Turning my cheek and seeing, through their eyes” | SourceThis word is difficult, unless it’s breathed with love. It’s difficult for me to speak about it, because its very personal, I can only share the experience of humbleness, within the framework of being humility itself. Pray I am always ready.” | Source
A New Paradigm – Breathing In Love
Five years ago at our healing center, I found myself, and many of my students, clients and friends were able to enter quickly into a state that enabled us to maintain loving hearts. By just taking a few minutes each day to focus on “breathing in loving thoughts, we began to experience a complete change in our lives. It’s almost hard to belive how easy it was for us to enter into a state of loving bliss.
Anyone can do this, breathing in love takes no special skill. It as easy as taking a loving breath in and when exhaling, focusing on and attribute of love that came into our mind.
When we did this loving meditation as a group, I believe it manifested itself and did what love does best… healing bodies, minds, and spirits, empowering the meditators to not only experience receiving pure unconditional love, but allowing each of them to be conduits of love as it flowed to every other meditator in the room. It was as if all of us were born again in the midst of unconditional love, so powerful that it broke down evey barrie and carried us all across time and space.
“Suffer not the little children to come to me” ~ Jesus Christ… It’s amazing what a beautiful effect “breathing in love” has on us; it is as if we almost become like children, freely giving love and receiving love without conditions. Not like the love of the world, but the purest love of creation.
Examples Of Attributes Of Love: “I breathe out….”
Here are some suggested attributes of unconditional love. You may want to use some of them to start with and add to them as you go along. For this exercise, all you need to do is say: “I Breathe in Love” and as you breathe out state one, or as many of loves attributes that your heart desires.
Thankfulness
Kindness
Peace
Compassion
Joy
Patients
Healing
Gratitude
Calmness
Cheerfulness
Alertness
Forgiveness
Acceptance
Goodness
Calmness
Stillness
Honesty
Hopefulness
Wisdom
Gentleness
Mercy
Grace
Peace
Some of the practical aspects of “Breathing in Love” with every breath are…
Love accepts what the moment is.
Love is joyously waiting on others, to come along at their pace.
Love is embracing all creation with the deepest reverence.
Love prays the best of everything to come to every creature.
Love provides prosperity for every creature as required.
Love kneels first and gives unconditionally.
Love gives bows and honors all creation keeping no records of deeds.
Love regards all life as part of the creators family.
Love is compassionate towards every creature.
Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
“May these spiritual attributes accompany our every breath. Filling our hearts with love that overflows and fills in loveless valleys, in the world.” | Source
Three things will last forever faith, hope, and love and the greatest of these is love. ~ Saul-St.Paul
Focusing on the presence of love, and honoring its attributes, enables us to completely immerse ourselves in the present moment. By our being here and now, we find all we need for our immediate happiness, and yes even eternal life is found.
Throughout most of our lives many of us have tried to find perfect balance, first to love, and accept ourselves and to be in harmony with mankind, all living creatures, the environment and our universe. In our search for a perfectly balanced life, filled with love, peace, and harmony, we have had to traverse many different roads, many of which led us further from our true selves,
Breathing in love returns us to our true selves. The wonderful part of practicing “Breathing in Love” is that it encompasses and incorporates all that we have learned from our life experiences. It brings them into one single breath, the breath that sustains us now and for all eternity. The breath, of unconditional love.
Final Thoughts
Finally, when doing the Breathe In Love meditation, just be with yourself, you can let every thought arise. Yes, we let all thoughts come to us without judgment, for they are only thoughts and they have no form, or power except what we give them. So, we choose to love every thought, as we smile to ourselves and say thank you, thank you, thank you for these thoughts.
Our hearts rejoice as we “Breathe in Love” and breathe out the attributes of love! For many of us, it may truly be our first breath.
Robert C. Morgan, Doctor of Naturopathy & Counselor
Robert Morgan, Naturopath 