In a number of posts here, I talk of the power of gratitude. I even suggest it as one of the key steps in awakening. Gratitude steps us out of the mind and into the heart. It gets us out of our story and into the present. It gets us out of pain and into acceptance. All of these are key aspects of healing and awakening.
There is another form of gratitude which I’ve not talked about much as it is more mired in what is for many, negative associations. Rather ironic. Blessing, we could say, is an active form of gratitude. When Gratitude fills us up, we begin to overflow with love and happiness. We begin to want to give, to direct that flow. Blessing is the answer. We may use words in our head to bless, or we may simply direct loving attention. If we are there, the second is more powerful, closer to source. Feel it, point it. Drown your intended in love.
A good friend sent me this link for Valentines, “The Gentle Art of Blessing”. We may be cultured to consider these words fanciful thinking. But they are not. We can consider it a technique. As we culture giving and flowing love, it becomes habit. A habit that will change the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WegAgepCYfo
“IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BLESS AND JUDGE AT THE SAME TIME.”
Last Updated on January 30, 2014 by
Hi Davidya,
Good post.
There are many areas in awakening that the mind cannot comprehend. Why non-expectant gratitude makes us happy is one of them. Some others:
Acceptance of what is
Imperturbability
Not worrying about outcome
Gratitude
Blessing
Big Love
Metta meditation
Metta zap
Some might add forgiveness, but really, “who” do we forgive? Metta zap is a fun little thing: simply send out a quick flash of love to everyone you meet. As you point out, these all amount to the same thing really; they lead to a feeling of overflowing love; some are more active than others.
Hi Kaushik
Yes, the mind cannot comprehend the heart, for example. Many items on your list are heart based.
It’s interesting to consider – emotions can seem more superficial than mind and they are. But the deeper feelings go much deeper and have a more direct connection to source.
The other items on your list are basically mindlessness, being in a place of not engaging the mind and experiencing attachments. Again, mind doesn’t grasp what it isn’t. But knowingness can grasp it. Or rather, grasp is the wrong word. Can include it (laughs)
Forgiveness is quite real for the person who is caught up. But once it is released, it is seen there was nothing there to forgive. So its a necessary part of many journeys.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.