Gratitude for the Abundance

A Thanksgiving Day Blessing

“Blessing for the Fullness of This Day
I bless this day in the fullness of good it already contains, in the many occasions it offers to listen deeply, to be of service to others, to express gratitude moment by moment and to keep my mind so filled with love, beauty and joy that no negativity can find even the tiniest crack in which to set foot. I bless this day in the infinite opportunities it gives me to love: to love and bless every human I meet, every beast or bird I pass by, every plant I behold, for all are but the manifold expressions of the infinite Life that undergirds all. Truly, I bless this day for the wonderful adventure it can become as I walk through it with the eyes of wonder rather than boredom, use every opportunity to express peace rather than irritation, and chose love over fear. Thank you, Life, for this day.”  – Pierre Pradervand

Let’s talk about abundance! It’s everywhere when we choose to see it. A daily acknowledgment of what we’re grateful for, illuminates this truth and fuels our joy and connection with our loved ones and our communities.

Abundance, from the Latin abundancia- meaning fullness, plenty, overflow. In the  yoga sutras, the 5th Yama (ethical practice) is Aparigraha: non-hoarding, non-grasping or abundance. When we acknowledge abundance, we immediately shift out of scarcity and into gratitude, flooding us with joy, open-heartedness and even relief. When we worry too much about money,  when we fear for the future, when we’re running late, we’re feeding into a scarcity mentality, keeping us contracted and depleted. When we practice gratitude it allows us to see, feel, smell, taste and connect with the abundance all around us. From this place of fulfillment, we are always more generous with our energy, time and resources. We have more space for kindness, generosity and the truth, seeing that everyone matters. When we’re leading with joy and gratitude, we are more ready with a smile for a stranger, more able to be forgiving and much less contracted within our hearts and minds.
Practicing gratitude comes in many forms and there’s obviously no wrong way to practice, share, cultivate and nurture this feeling of gratitude. The difference between seeing the word through the lens of glass-half-full as opposed to glass-half-empty is immense and when we look at our life, an experience, a moment, a day, a year, through the lens of optimism, it has the great power to create these feelings of abundance and joy. We’ve all experienced this and it feels amazing! So, in honor of this month of giving thanks, I invite you to take a moment, close your eyes, breathe deeply and let your heart swell with gratitude for the abundance in your life. Plentiful food, friends, love, Autumn colors, your home, communities, breath and body.

If you’ve never really sat down and thought about crafting an intentional gratitude practice, that’s okay! If you’d like to explore that, here are some simple ideas to get you started or to add to what you already do. Keeping it fresh, keeps it potent.

1. Loving-kindness Meditation

2. Keep a Gratitude Journal (written or audio recorded on your phone)

3. Light a candle for a person you’re grateful for

4. Express your gratitude. Let folks know you appreciate them.

5. Place left hand to heart, right hand stacked on top & breathe into your heart, what it is you’re grateful for this very moment. Allow your breath to help you expand this feeling.

6. Resources

And finally, for your holiday enjoyment, here’s a simple recipe you’ll love!

Roasted Vegetables with Cous Cous

1 Fennel Bulb, sliced, including stalks

1 small head cauliflower, cut into generous florets

2 small yellow or red onions quartered

A handful of fresh peas (if available) or fresh fava beans(shelled)

6 multi-colored carrots, halved and halved again

3 Tbls approx of olive oil

Generous 1/2 -3/4 Cup chopped dill, parsley, thyme, basil, mint & set aside the chopped frilly tops of the fennel if avail

2 cups cooked Israeli cous cous

preheat oven to 400

Cook the cous cous according to package, set aside to come to room temp then fluff with a fork and toss with a splash of olive oil and about 1/4 of the chopped herbs

Cut up  all the veggies and toss in a large bowl with a medium coating of olive oil, and session as you like. (A dash of garlic salt, dash of mustard powder, dash of onion salt or simply salt and pepper). Add the frilly fennel tops, and about 1/4 cup of chopped herbs.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the veg mixture out evenly. Bake for about 15 -20 mins or until desired veg consistency. Be careful not to overcook. Best to cook the veg aldente.

When veg is cooked, serve over the cous cous/herb mixture and add a nice sea salt to taste, or my favorite: Maldon Sea Salt flakes -yum!

Enjoy Friends! And share with Gratitude, Abundance and Love

with love,

jenny