Angeles Arrien’s newest book, Living in Gratitude – A Journey That Will Change Your Life, has just made a timely debut. Like all of her work and past writings she brings multicultural wisdom to everyday life in a practical way that supports each of us in living our life dream.
From the Introduction:
“Living in Gratitude is designed to carry you through a full calendar year, month by month. It approaches the topic of gratitude from a cross-cultural perspective, offering varied tools, maps, and practices based on perennial wisdoms that human beings have explored for centuries. This book is written as a dependable resource guide and touchstone to gratitude – available to you at any time, no matter what may be happening in your life at the present moment. By creating the opportunity for repeated and sustained gratitude practice, it will help you establish a solid foundation as you shift and begin to embody the true essence of gratitude.”
November’s chapter features Grateful Seeing.
“Grateful seeing is the ability to look first for what is good and working in our lives without minimizing or denying the hardships or challenges that are also present. Many traditional societies hold the perspective, or world view, that what has been given to us ultimately ignites growth and strengthens us. Individuals who are viewed as seers in indigenous societies are highly respected, honored and valued for their gifts of insight, vision and grateful seeing. The Maasai of East Africa, for example, call their seers diviners, ones who perceive in the seen and unseen worlds that which is divine and good. We, too, can learn to be seers – seers of the blessings, learnings, mercies and protections that are ever present.”
This gem of a book is rich in content and practice. I highly recommend it for yourself and your loved ones. I can’t think of a better way to start the New Year, a new month, a new day or this new moment than with a practice of gratitude.
PRACTICE
It’s easier to express gratitude to people who we love or already appreciate. Make a gesture of gratitude to someone you have been intentionally withholding it from – either from embarrassment, jealousy, or resentment.
Think about something in your life you’re feeling victimized by – a situation, an experience, a difficult person. Look for something to be grateful for in that situation.