"Thanks giving"

"Let the gratefulness overflow into blessings all around you and then it will really be a great day."
- Brother David

Dear Friends,

I love Thanks Giving...

That is, when I remember to practice it, and am not caught up in the frantic contagion of doing-ness. The speed of life and the weight of things undone narrow my awareness, and I lose the awe and wonder that is at the heart of gratefulness. Here is a journal entry from one of those days last week:

I feel as though my life has been taken over by technology. I am screaming inside and run from the house, after yet another computer breakdown, walk miles into the woods to sit by the Yuba River in peace and find stillness. Suddenly my new iphone starts ringing to remind me of an upcoming appointment I had forgotten. Everything’s moving so fast, I’m feeling depressed or on the verge of a breakdown. How can I extract myself from this state of perpetual doing and just enjoy being alive? Even my daily meditations are filled with commotion, like cats set loose in a room full of rocking chairs.

Can I be still? Can I just be still? One of the things I love about the grandeur of the water worn granite rocks of the Yuba River, is that they drop me into a story of stillness, change and the unfolding of time. When I am lost in my myopic journey of self-fulfillment, I have no time to express my gratitude, which is born in stillness and wonder. So much in nature points to allowing life to emerge, rather than trying to drive destiny. Without the counsel of nature we disrupt the natural processes of evolution.

We forget that the Earth gave rise to humans, we did not give rise to her. Everything in nature (including us) is connected, alive and mutually interdependent. We can no longer view the earth as a collection of independent resources that are here to support the human dream of continuous growth.

What if we started our journey of thanks giving here in a place of stillness and awe at the miracle of just being here, on this wondrous earth? What is the point of having self-reflective consciousness if it is not to recognize, celebrate and appreciate our relationship with all life?

"It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment. "
- Naomi Williams

I return from the river feeling refreshed, vibrant and open to life. Where did that dark feeling of depression and anxiety go? Washed away in the river of time...

Four hours of sitting by the Yuba, and I feel so alive, so at peace, and so grateful to be a part of this evolutionary unfolding. How can my attitude change so quickly? Through the practice and presence of gratitude!

There is so much in life that I take for granted: turning the tap, and hot and cold potable water comes out, going to the co-op and getting fresh organic vegetables, having heat in my home, work I love, an income, a car, an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and friends to call on if I need help.

So many people in the world do not have these things, which I so often take for granted. Can I be surprised by life? Even the predictable can be surprising! Surprise is the entry into the fullness of gratitude, but first we must experience the presence of silent stillness, at the source of all life. Can we fall in love with life?

By falling in love with life, we become love and this teaches us to see deeply into the miracle of life. I’m not talking about some of life, but all of life, the things we like, dislike, resist, turn away from, or blame for our unhappiness and discontent. In fact, those parts are probably the most fertile compost for deepening our love, finding our way and expressing gratitude. Every time we resist something in life, we say NO to life. Can we develop curiosity about anything, whether the object of our inquisitiveness is bitter or sweet? Can we say YES and befriend what is, looking with a sense of wonder for the jewel in the lotus.

So, what are the elements of living a life of gratitude and thanks giving? First, we must be willing to enter the domain of still presence and drop our story so that we can see things as they are. Secondly, we need to develop an attitude of awe, wonder and curiosity which surprisingly, becomes love. Lastly we would be wise to develop a practice of expressing our gratitude and appreciation to others.

What we appreciate appreciates. So if you are feeling unappreciated, or not recognized, find someone to share your gratitude with, and the world will smile in wonder.

I want to personally express my deep appreciation for your participation, support and co-creation in bringing forth a new world-view of equity and sustainability for all life.

In love and appreciation,
michael

"I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community,
and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can."
George Bernard Shaw

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