Embodiment of Gratitude

"Persist in gratitude, and you will slowly become one with the Sun of Love, and Love will shine through you its all-healing joy."
-Rumi

Hello Beautiful Soul- 

As I begin to slow down, move inward and reflect on the season I am always filled with enormous amounts of gratitude.  No matter where we are in life, if we can pause and lean into the present moment with an open heart, there is so much to be thankful for.   
 
Gratitude is a way of BEING. It is the ENERGY that arrives when we are in the act of gratitude. The next time you thank someone and sense the authentic gratefulness within your heart, notice the ‘experience’ or ‘energy’ that is evoked. This energetic elevation or frequency has the power to transform you, those you interact with and the physical space you occupy. It has the power to heal, forgive, create, manifest, love, and attract. It has the power to change your perspective, open your heart, envision new solutions, change how you are in relationships, or simply to re-energize and lift your mood.
 
There are many was in cultivating gratitude, here are 5 of my favorites.  
 
Create gratitude rituals: Pausing for a moment to appreciate something and giving thanks for it can help you feel a greater sense of gratitude. Rituals include meditation, prayer or mantras.  My best-loved gratitude ritual is ending my daily meditation practice where I find myself fully present with an open heart, saying out-loud a list of what I am thankful for. 
 
Go for a gratitude walk: You may have heard of walking meditation, a gratitude walk allows you to gather positive thoughts and energy.  As you’re walking, notice your thoughts and veer them towards what you’re grateful for. This type of walk is not about reaching a destination, but creative problem solving.  For example, you may be grateful for your family, home or witnessing the beautiful colors of the leaves and feeling the cool crisp air.  
 
Keep a gratitude journal: Establish a daily practice in which you remind yourself of the gifts, grace, benefits and good things you enjoy. Recalling moments of gratitude associated with ordinary events, your personal attributes, or valued people in your life gives you the potential to interweave a sustainable theme of gratefulness into your life.

Reframe experiences: Another way to increase gratitude is to compare current situations to negative experiences in the past. Doing this not only allows you to see how your strengths helped carry you through those events, but it also helps you focus on the things you can be grateful for in the here and now.  
 
Use your breath to anchor yourself in the present moment. Our minds are always so easily pulled to busyness. By brining your awareness to your breath, how it moves through your body and particular attention to feeling it expand in your heart, can orient your attention toward gratitude.

I invite you, as you navigate through the holidays to take a pause, reflect and give thanks.  

I am thankful for the tremendous amount of reflection and growth.  I am thankful for the opportunity to slow down with more introspection and deeper connections.  I am thankful for the tools I have learned over the years, which allow me to navigate difficult times with equanimity.  I am thankful for my children as they have been my biggest teachers lately.
 
I am also extremely grateful for you.  Whether you’re an established or new client, or read my newsletters with curiosity, your support means the world to me.  With each connection or session, I am constantly reminded how we are all one, traveling through life’s journey together.  
 
Thank you from the core of my heart, 
 
Dena