Gratitude places you in the energy field of plenitude. Perceiving life in a consciousness of gratitude is literally stepping into another dimension of living. Suddenly the seeming ordinariness of your days takes on a divine sparkle.
Michael Beckwith
“Bismillah” is the traditional Islamic invocation I offer before every meal. While my prayer and meditation practices may be stronger in some periods more than others, this simple gesture of thanksgiving has remained consistent meal after meal, day after day, and year after year. Literally, it means “In the Name of the Divine One,” and for me it is a profoundly important mindfulness and gratitude practice. It reminds me to approach this mundane endeavor which happens throughout the day as an opportunity to pause and live deeply, fully aware and present to the gifts I have received. It makes me think of the Earth, what I’ve chosen to put on my plate and what I’ve chosen not to put on my plate, and the fact that I have the resources to make such choices and do not have to worry about having enough to eat or clean water to drink.
For the few moments that I pause, I also then think of the many ordinary blessings that enfold my life–from the rays of the sunlight coming through the windows, to the beautiful verdant trees outside, to the solidity of the table before me, and another breath in my body. I feel truly “In the Name,” encompassed by the loving care of the infinite spirit in so many ordinary ways it is almost inconceivable. For a moment, I enter into the mystery. I offer this practice of mindful eating as one of the many ways I nurture gratitude in my life in regular intervals so that it is as much a way of life as it is a spiritual practice.
In what ways are you nurturing gratitude in your life and what practices might you “try on” to discover if they are meaningful and helpful to your life?
Our Soul Matters theme-based ministry team generated these questions to guide our spiritual reflection on the theme of Nurturing Gratitude this month on Sunday mornings, in our Chalice Circles, and in committee and group meeting of the congregation:
- When was the last time you were grateful for yourself?
- Which childhood experience are you most grateful for?
- Is there something you used to be grateful for that you now take for granted? What would it take to view it with fresh eyes?
- You are aware that your life is someone else’s dream, right?
- What would happen if you turned “I have to” into “I get to”?
- How would your life change if you paused to reflect on how many things you have now that were things you only dreamt of a decade ago?
- How good are you at receiving thanks?
- Autumn leaves burn bright with color, but if you blink, they are gone. So, what temporary blaze of beauty do you need to give your gratitude and attention to before time runs out?
- Have you mistaken gratitude for a “feeling” rather than a practice? Or to put it another way, do you wait for gratitude to arise rather than proactively find ways to cultivate it?
- What wakes you up to the gift of it all?
- The most difficult gifts to be grateful for are the gifts given to us by our suffering and losses. Have you found the gift in the thing you wished hadn’t happened?
- So, life’s led you into a puddle. Are you still staring at your mud-covered feet? Or are you ready to look up and notice that the wide-open sky never went away?
- Might gratitude for your life increase if you lessened how much you compare it to the lives of others?
- How might gratitude be calling you to shift your thanks from what is extraordinary and rare to what is abundantly ordinary?
We know the changes of the seasons can amplify feelings of loneliness, isolation, and sadness, in addition to the anxious times in which we are living, and we want you to know that our Pastoral Associates are available to provide confidential support to members of our congregation who are in need. To request pastoral support, please email the Pastoral Care Team leaders at pastoralcare@uusm.org or call the church office at (310) 829-5436.
If you have a joy, sorrow, or milestone–such as an anniversary, graduation, life transition, loss, or other important moment in your life to share with the community, please email joysandsorrows@uusm.org or call the church office to have it included in our weekly announcements and shared from the pulpit on a Sunday morning.
With love and gratitude,
Jeremiah
Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae
Developmental Minister
