Week V:
I Lift up my Voice in ThanksGiving
Expansion:
“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” Thorton Wilder
Reflection:
ThanksGiving! To be in Gratitude, from the Latin gratus, which means and is defined as the quality of being thankful with a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. And as Thorton Wilder reminds us, creating a heartfelt, conscious awareness of the treasures of our lives and giving it voice, brings our entire Being into a state of elevated vibration. And an elevated vibration, as we know, feeds that electromagnetic field produced by our very own holographic heart!
As we give thanks, both to ourselves and to others, we are activating our brain to release the powerful neuropeptide Oxytocin. Long-recognized as the “joy and feel good” hormone, oxytocin also plays a central role in promoting close social bonds with known effects on behaviors such as trust, generosity & affection. In fact, authors of a recent study indicate that the oxytocin system is activated through the expression of gratitude. Oxytocin which has a baseline of about zero in the human body, is stimulated and released, in response to gratitude, kind words and touch, suggesting that our emotional response to someone sharing a kind word or deed is deeply rooted in our bodies and is part of our evolutionary history.
Beginning your day with Thanks Giving will place you into an energetic and electromagnetic stream of goodness. And of course, expressing it as you glide joyfully through your day will stimulate this potent “feel good” hormone in everyone you meet, while stimulating your own even more.
Notice how when you recognize the good in your life, the good just keeps on coming? Give thanks for that!
Practice: Gratitude
Upon awakening, take three long, deep breaths in and out. Allow your thinking mind to settle on the words, All is Well, flowing into I Live, Breathe & have my Being in the Field of Ever-expanding Good, flowing into Feelings of Joy, Love, Beauty & Peace vibrate through me like a current flowing into My Heart is Broadcasting Love, flowing into I Lift up my voice in ThanksGiving!
Continue to breathe deep and slow as you rise from bed. If your thoughts wander or begin to project forward into your day, take another breath and return to the thought, All is Well, flowing into I Live, Breathe & have my Being in the Field of Ever-expanding Good, flowing into Feelings of Joy, Love, Beauty & Peace vibrate through me like a current flowing into My Heart is Broadcasting Love, flowing into I Lift up my voice in ThanksGiving!
Once you have taken care of your initial daily needs, pause in the quiet of your room, or outside in the fresh air and repeat your Breathing Practice at least seven times, feeling your breath fully oxygenating your entire cellular make- up & ending with All is Well, flowing into I Live, Breathe & have my Being in the Field of Ever-expanding Good, flowing into Feelings of Joy, Love, Beauty & Peace vibrate through me like a current flowing into My Heart is Broadcasting Love, flowing into I Lift up my voice in ThanksGiving!
Having anchored the breath, now find a comfortable place to sit. Allow your spine to rise up, your head to rest gently at this apex. Continue to take slow, easy breaths in & out as you find this relaxed place to sitting, allowing relaxation to move through you. Breathe in relaxation in three deep, slow inhalations & gentle exhalations.
- Your mind is centered & still.
- Your breath is centered & peaceful.
- Your voice speaks first of Gratitude.
- Smile, as you enter into the state of ThanksGiving.
- Relax, resting in this state of Being
- Experience this feeling of Gratitude. Feel it to your very bones.
Now you may begin your daily activities, pausing frequently to give thanks and to share your kind words of thanks often.
Affirmation:
Thanksgiving wells up from within me and I give it voice.
Gratitude becomes my calling card!
Thank you God!
I Lift up my Voice in ThanksGiving!