by Sarah Bellum
Summer is ending, the kids are going back to school, and harvest is rapidly approaching. Fruits and vegetables overflow as Mother Earth gets ready to share her bounty before slumbering for the winter. It’s a time of plenty for many, and whether we like it or not, it’s easy to take this abundance for granted. That is why it is important to understand the art of gratitude, and get it working for you.
Gratitude simply means to be appreciative of what you have. Some days it is better than others! It’s very easy to be thankful when everything is going your way and you have what you want; but what about the times when that’s not the case? That’s when you should make a special effort to be thankful. A gratitude journal can help to keep you on track.
Gratitude journals are easy. They don’t have to be expensive. Composition books from the discount store, or even notebook paper kept in a binder, work just as nicely as the fancy journals sold for this purpose. All a gratitude journal is is a collection of thoughts at the end of the day. When you get into the thankful habit, then it becomes easier to remember to be grateful. That is one of the keys to success. The path to abundance is not paved with gold; it’s paved with gratitude.
Sometimes your gratitude journal will have entries in it that are very positive; being thankful that you were able to catch up with an old friend, being thankful that you found something lost, being thankful for something good that happened that day. But how do you write a gratitude post about something that seemed to be unfortunate?
Sometimes when you’re just starting to keep a gratitude journal, you may find yourself writing things like, “I’m thankful for the stupid butthead at the supermarket checkout, because she taught me how not to behave!” The more you practice gratitude, though, especially in negative situations, the easier it gets to see the positive in them. “I’m thankful I only broke my toe and not my ankle.” “I’m thankful I only lost $40 and not my whole wallet.” “I’m thankful that I only have a cold, and not something more serious.”
Most things in life are about the way that we perceive them, and this is no exception. If you try to find the positive aspect in all situations, then–because like energy will always attract like energy–you will draw more reasons to be thankful into your life, and that’s a good thing! In addition to keeping your gratitude journal to get you into the habit, you might also want to do a little bit of spell work, to help keep you in the grateful frame of mind.
This is a very simple spell, but it does seem to help to bring you reasons to be thankful. You will need a rich, sweet-smelling incense like frankincense, or I actually like a blend of patchouli and clove. Light the incense and smell its heady scent. Think about things for which you are grateful, and then say the words,
“Clothes on my back
A roof overhead
I’m grateful this day
That I’m safe and I’m fed.
I’m given so much
And I’m thankful for things
That come into my life
The gifts the day brings.”
Now take a few minutes to count your blessings. You may even do this spell before writing in your gratitude journal. Remember to give thanks for each blessing as you reflect upon it. Just as you like to be told ‘thank you’ when you give someone a gift of do something nice for someone, it’s the same in the spirit world. Practicing the art of gratitude for a few moments every day really can be life-changing. What do you have to lose?
SARAH BELLUM
About Sarah Bellum
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