Gratitude
While we celebrate being thankful during this holiday season, I am here to remind us that we should strive to have an
attitude of gratitude all year long. This is essential for cultivating a healing mind, which is a major goal for having
a successful daily Qigong practice. There are many ways to develop an attitude of gratitude. Here are a few.
First, as soon as you get out of bed in the morning, sit quietly and silently express gratitude for at least three things
in your life. These things could include your life, spouse, family, friends, pets, job, health, etc. One thing we all tend to take
for granted is just being alive. Yes, we should be grateful just to be alive. You can incorporate this into a morning or evening
meditation program or prayer. You can also write down these things that you are grateful for in a Gratitude Journal (fancy words for a
notebook dedicated to those things that we are grateful for). Then after you have done this for some time, you will be able
to review your journal and reflect on these things over the past year.
Second, you can express your gratitude directly to those around you, to your family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, the hair
stylist, the waiter or waitress, the cashier, etc. It is difficult to imagine our lives without these people in our life. We should
let them know, not just during the holidays, but all year long.
In Qigong, we often talk about relaxing your mind. Well guess what, being grateful for all of the abundance in your life,
no matter what challenges we face, is one of the keys to relaxing your mind. When you are expressing gratitude, you may feel love,
compassion, generosity, and kindness. These qualities open your heart and open your mind. In this state, your mind and body will
begin to relax. The more we can hold these feelings of gratitude, the easier relaxation will come and thus yielding greater healing,
health and abundance. With that said, I am grateful for my Qigong teachers, who gave me the insights that I apply in my own life and
that I am able to share with you in the form of this newsletter and through teaching Qigong.
Best Qi Wishes,
Tom
