The more you have and are grateful for; the more will be given you.

(An ancient spiritual law)
“Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Much has been said and written about the importance of developing an attitude of gratitude. Years ago when Oprah interviewed Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, Oprah told the audience how powerful gratitude had been in her own life. She claimed that working with gratitude was one of the most life-changing things she had ever done. Oprah claimed that the more grateful she was, the better her life became. She encouraged the viewers to do the exercise described in the book, for the January 14 daily practice session, which suggested writing down 5 things every day for which you are grateful. Then watch your life change for the better!

Like many of you, I have recognized the value of being grateful, knowing that what I think about expands in my life. I know from personal experience that this technique works. Have you noticed, however, that on some days, it seems more difficult to find things to be grateful for? It is sometimes harder to connect with those feelings than on other days.

Recently I was in the passenger seat of our car and we had been traveling for 4 hours or more and I was feeling a little bored and restless. I decided to change my feelings by thinking of things I was grateful for. A thought came to me that made the exercise even more powerful. What if I was from an earlier century, say the 17th Century and I suddenly found myself transported to the year 2006. Imagine how it would be to see the world from the eyes of someone from a different time. How grateful I would be for the things I was now taking for granted! From that perspective, I was more than grateful for the comfortable vehicle I was riding in, traveling at 65 miles per hour, equipped with a CD player, a car phone, automatic windshield wipers, lights, seat adjustment for even more comfort and, of course, air conditioning. With that filter, there was so much to appreciate! I thought about how much most of us take for granted.

Next I imagined what a 17th Century person would think if they visited a modern home, with running water and indoor plumbing, central heating and cooling systems, electricity and all the appliances and conveniences that were not available 300 years ago. Imagine what this person would think of television, radio, cellular phones, computers and all the things that have made our lives more comfortable. The average person living now, has a better standard of life than the richest kings and queens of the past. Most of us live in much better conditions than many of the people living today in less fortunate areas. Yet, many of us feel deprived of abundance.

A 17th Century person would marvel that we now connect almost instantly to others in any part of the world by using a cellular phone, telephone, pager or an email. We can almost instantly get assistance in times of medical crisis. We can contact experts in most any field by accessing their websites or picking up the telephone. Now, we see and know of things happening anywhere in the world by turning on the television news. What an amazing life we live in this Century. How much we take for granted! So the next time you are having difficulty thinking of what you are grateful for, I invite you to close your eyes and imagine that you are seeing your world through the perspective of that 17th Century person and watch that gratitude flow!

Sarah Ban Breathnach writes: “The revelation that we have everything we need in life to make us happy but simply lack the conscious awareness to appreciate it can be as refreshing as lemonade on a hot afternoon. Or it can be a startling as cold water being thrown in our face. How many of us go through our days parched and empty, thirsting after happiness, when we’re really standing knee-deep in the river of abundance? Yet make no mistake about it. The Universe will get our attention one way or another – with a sip or a splash. Let’s choose today to quench our thirst for “the good Life” we think others lead by acknowledging the good that already exists in our own lives. We can then offer the Universe the gift of our grateful hearts.”

Donna May MA Ed, is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Stress Management, Pain Relief Specialist, practitioner of NLP, Reiki and Yuen Energetics. She utilizes spiritual principles and “A Course in Miracles” teachings. Available for classes, public presentations or private consultations. (248) 626-4859 or DonnaMay27@comcast.net.