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Boost your Attitude with Gratitude
Modern psychology in a movement that has come to be known as "positive psychology" is looking for ways that people can be happier. You recall the old psychology business model was looking for ways that miserable people can be normal.
What these new-frontier psychologists are showing in their laboratatories is that the ancients had it right all along when they encouraged positive emotions. The Yoga Sutra calls the practice Santosha, or simply contentment.
One of these most powerful emotions, if not the most powerful, is gratitude. That's right. Thanksgiving.
How does this tie in with your yoga practice? When you are in a meditative state, like deep into a savasana at the end of class, your mind is calm and very accessible. It's a great time to practice gratitude.
While there, think what you are really grateful for and then spend some time dwelling in this gratitude. Enjoy it. Feel how good it makes you feel. Give thanks for it.
Make a habit of practicing gratitude. You'll find that you'll soon be at a feast of positive emotions every day.
Happy Thanksgiving
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Anjali Mudra
There are various occasions when I hold anjali mudra during my asana practice: during my opening meditation, at the end of each sun salutation, and in the closing meditation and chant. Prayer mudra reminds me to invoke a prayer of gratitude and I thank the Divine for the breath of life.
Gratitude finds its way into my day
The more I spend this time in gratitude in a meditative state, the more gratitude seems to find its way into my daily life. There is a palpable difference in the way I feel about everything.