<\/p>\n
This article — first published in the New Day Herald in November of 2017 — is edited from a webcast John did in November 2007 on the topic of Gratitude \u2013 a Great Attitude. Included are a meditation he led that day and two blessings given by John: A Blessing of Thanksgiving and A Blessing of Thankfulness.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a season of thanksgiving, a time we often find ways to celebrate, to give thanks for our families, our friends, our blessings \u2013 and experience gratitude for our lives and all that God has bestowed upon us.<\/p>\n In looking at gratitude, I want to give thanks in particular to a trip with a group of us who traveled to Ireland a while back. We\u2019ve been in various places around the world and we always make it our theme to study individual and world peace. Years ago John-Roger founded the Institute of Individual and World Peace, and it is about the study of peace wherever we go.<\/p>\n So along the way in this variety of places we\u2019ve been, we learned a thing or two about how to come in peace and how to experience the peace that\u2019s present. Often we get all kinds of images and references about places because of how we\u2019re introduced through the media, and the media doesn\u2019t always give us a full picture. I think that\u2019s one of those great understatements.<\/p>\n It\u2019s really good to go to places and find things that are uplifting and joyous and celebratory. We\u2019ve also been to places where it\u2019s very understandable that there\u2019s quite a bit of disturbance in what\u2019s going on there, whether that\u2019s political or climate related or something else.<\/p>\n Today, I came in from New York via Rio de Janeiro on my return from our trip to South America where we held several MSIA events with the folks down there.<\/p>\n Upon arriving in New York, I picked up a copy of the New York Times and the headline read: \u201cWar ends for militant group in Northern Ireland.\u201d News from Dublin continued, \u201cThe largest Protestant paramilitary group in Northern Ireland on Sunday renounced violence officially ending the decades of terror inflicted on the Providence\u2019s Roman Catholic minority. The outlawed Ulster Defense Association said that it was disbanding all of its armed units and would store its weapons beyond the reach of rank and file members. The Ulster Defense Association believes that the war is over and we\u2019re now in a new democratic dispensation that will lead to permanent political stability, the group said, referring to the Catholic Protestant administrations established in May under the terms of the 1998 peace accord.\u201d<\/p>\n In some ways we claim this, we claim this because we were there. Actually, while we were there, the last major violent incident that happened in a place called Omagh, up in Northern Ireland, took place right during the trip such that we were supposed to go through Omagh and that day they were having a memorial service. We had the opportunity to bring Light to the area, even though we had to actually detour from our planned itinerary.<\/p>\n I encourage you to continue to place these kinds of situations in your prayers, into the Light in whatever way moves you to do that, to consider that it is something that overcomes when it\u2019s needed in the world. We have something to be very thankful for and can share our gratitude, knowing that however it happened, there\u2019s something that we can celebrate amongst all the things we hear about going on in the world.<\/p>\n John-Roger has shared a lot about gratitude over the years. I know there is one seminar in particular J-R gave, \u201cGratitude the Attitude of Success.\u201d He shared that a great attitude is a way of knowing that the blessings already are. It\u2019s a way of claiming these blessings.<\/p>\n Here is a quote about gratitude from a book co-authored by J-R and Paul Kaye, The Rest of Your Life<\/em> – Finding Repose in the Beloved<\/em>:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe antidote for lack is gratitude. Gratitude is a choice, an attitude, an approach towards life. My gratitude for this moment does not depend on what is going on in this moment; it is the moment, regardless of what is going on, that I am grateful for. My gratitude for this breath is not about the breath. It’s that I am breathing, that I recognize it comes from a higher source, and that I am alive. Gratitude is a moment-to-moment celebration.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>– John-Roger, DSS<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Gratitude is an attitude that sees somehow there\u2019s always something being done as a balancing action, as a learning action, as a teaching action, and that we can find an attitude inside that understands. And if we don\u2019t understand, then we can find the compassion inside. We can be thankful that in some way we can reach out and that in our times of need, others will reach to us.<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to have you do a little inventory about your life and just consider if we realistically went back a hundred years ago. Just think about conditions on the planet at that time. Maybe if we were really in touch with what things were going on and who was dealing with the things going on, we would understand that things are easier now.<\/p>\n If we would bring ourselves into a full appreciation of what is going on today on the planet, we would have an understanding that much has progressed and there is a lot for which to be grateful. Even though I\u2019m sure that when we read the front page of the New York Times or any other source of information that is considered news, it doesn\u2019t tend to tell that story.<\/p>\n The first key: Observe<\/em>.<\/strong> The next key: Handle your completions<\/em>.<\/strong> The third key: Enjoy living in the present moment<\/em>.<\/strong> Fourth: Be grateful regardless\u2026 no matter what.<\/strong> And the fifth<\/em> key: Lov<\/em>e it all \u2013 that\u2019s an obvious key.<\/em><\/strong> 1. What are you grateful for?<\/strong><\/em> That\u2019s a fairly simple question. What are you grateful for right now?<\/p>\n 2. What do you experience when you focus on gratitude?<\/strong><\/em> If you\u2019re grateful, then that\u2019s leading you right in the moment to gratitude. And then find the experience. Is that peace? Is that calm? Is that satisfaction? Is it joy? Is it enthusiasm? What is it?<\/p>\n So the two questions are \u201cWhat are you grateful for and how do you experience gratitude?\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019re about to ask yourself where your greatest difficulty is. Bring some trust in, bring some Light and love from your Soul and Spirit so you\u2019re more prepared and willing to look at where your weakness is and where your greatest difficulty is such that you can turn towards the value, what is bringing you your blessings.<\/p>\n There\u2019s that willingness to give yourself to the truth of your consciousness, to be open, perhaps in some way that feels vulnerable. Find that you are embraced. This is a safe place, a place to be open. It\u2019s a place where there\u2019s loving and caring present. It\u2019s also a time you can let go of any judgments, anything that would be holding in a restriction so that there\u2019s more opportunity coming forward for those things that will answer your needs. And your heart already knows what that is.<\/p>\n Part of it is to be willing to let go of any restriction you have allowed to be placed upon yourself or that you yourself have imposed as some form of illusion. The truth is everything is serving you. Everything is blessing you. So find your wisdom. Find your strength. Find the greater good that is upon you. For all this we place it in the Light for the highest good, through the Christ, through the Holy Spirit, through the actions coming here with the Traveler Consciousness. That it is done for the highest good of all concerned. So be it.<\/p>\n Take a few minutes to reflect upon each of the following questions (and you may want to write your responses in your journal):<\/p>\n 1. In what area or situation in your life is it difficult for you to experience gratitude?<\/em> <\/strong>Maybe a hint would be if there\u2019s any kind of pain, upset or disappointment.<\/p>\n 2. How does your attitude limit you?<\/strong> <\/em>That might be, \u201cMy attitude isn\u2019t working, I can\u2019t handle it. I don\u2019t deserve this. I\u2019m not worthy\u201d \u2013 something like that.<\/p>\n 3. How could you nurture the attitude of gratitude in the situation by being more giving or receiving?<\/strong> <\/em> There\u2019s a choice in this to adjust yourself to be more giving. That could be a way to adjust your attitude to give more. Maybe it\u2019s give yourself more nurturing. Give somebody else more nurturing. Maybe it\u2019s to receive the nurturing.<\/p>\n 4. Forgive yourself for any judgments you have made by completing the following statement.<\/strong> \u201cI forgive myself for judging\u2026(and fill in the blank).\u201d <\/em>For example, <\/em>\u201cI don\u2019t have the time. I have to keep saying yes. I can\u2019t say no because no means I\u2019m not doing my part or I\u2019m not being responsible.\u201d So find what the answer is for you\u2026\u201cI forgive myself for judging\u2026,\u201d and finish that sentence.<\/p>\n 5. Close your eyes and imagine yourself using this experience to become more grateful<\/em>.<\/strong> See it or imagine it as clearly and as detailed as you can. As you see and visualize this experience, allow yourself to become more grateful. And become clear how you would be<\/em> more grateful.<\/p>\n 6. Write about how you experience yourself in this situation or area in your life now \u2013 now being with gratitude.<\/em><\/strong> So keep going with seeing yourself, how you would be grateful and what that experience is like. For example, \u201cI feel relief or less tension. I can feel my heart radiating out to my body consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n We have another part to this process that takes place inwardly and works like a meditation. In MSIA we like to make our meditations very active in awareness.<\/p>\n Often we do these types of meditations with our eyes closed. But you can do it as you read along. One of the things you can do for yourself is in some way make yourself more comfortable. Sometimes we do things that actually aren\u2019t comfortable because of the wrong kind of message. And I\u2019ll explain that a little bit.<\/p>\n If we were anxious or fearful, then we might double up or be tense or in some way close ourself off to what\u2019s actually in our heart. But rather than take that approach, I suggest you take an approach in which you\u2019re open, relaxed, and you let go of tension.<\/p>\n Often a really good way to do that is simply be conscious of your breathing. Breathe in more deeply. Breathe out more deeply so you\u2019re letting go. And that\u2019s a way of giving up the breath and receiving the next breath. And giving up that breath and receiving the next breath.<\/p>\n As we consciously focus on our breathing, we can relax more, we can be more at ease and we can also increase our conscious awareness of what\u2019s inside past our emotions, past our thoughts where our awareness is very active, very bright in the Light, very clear in knowledge.<\/p>\n We can activate the creative imagination so that we move through limitations that might consciously come to our awareness. We can use the creative imagination to be attuned to the inner knowledge and the greater awareness of our truth.<\/p>\n Once we\u2019ve done that, we just bring in more conscious awareness of the Light. Through the creative imagination you can see there is a very bright light, very pure. Often it\u2019s seen as white light but you can also see very beautiful colors in the light however that works for you.<\/p>\n You can continue to be open to this light attunement. And the energy of the Light nurtures and heals you. Your energy feels relaxing and assuring.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a moment for some attunement to those things that in some way are acting as limitations for you. Let your creative imagination work for you to represent what those limitations are specifically.<\/p>\n Now you can use something that is in some way like a junkyard or a place where there\u2019s a lot of waste. This is a place where things are dumped or discarded that are no longer needed or utilized. They are things that are broken down and dysfunctional. So you can see all kinds of things. You can see things in some form of decay, disarray, things that are faded, or in pieces.<\/p>\n And rather than being disturbed by this, you just observe, looking around. Maybe there\u2019s some curiosity about what you\u2019re seeing, perhaps some vague recognition. You can go over and pick something up if you like so you can look at it more closely and check it out.<\/p>\n Let your consciousness speak to you so that in some way these things that you are seeing are representing for you where there\u2019s waste, where there\u2019s some form of dysfunction, a conflict, perhaps some kind of disturbance. It could represent things that are processing in the emotions as guilt or resentment. Perhaps these things represent your exhaustion, frustration, irritation, confusion or other negative conditions within you.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to know when or how, that\u2019s not important; it\u2019s just knowing that at some level in your consciousness you\u2019re still holding onto conditions that are no longer present or on purpose for you. You are looking at conditions that are negatively limiting you. And rather than try to understand or know where this is coming from, there\u2019s an opportunity to let go and release the negative conditions. If you would like what you\u2019re seeing to be cleared up, to be released, to be taken away, so the place that you\u2019re in can be restored to its natural beauty, you can simply say, \u201cYes,\u201d inside. \u201cYes, I\u2019m willing to be clear. I\u2019m willing to be whole. I\u2019m willing to be in my harmony again. I\u2019m willing to be restored and regenerated. I\u2019m willing to experience healing.\u201d<\/p>\n As you affirm your willingness to transform, this place also starts transforming. Maybe these things just go away and are no more, or you start seeing things dissolve, or they might be washed away, or evaporate. In their place are things that are naturally beautiful, naturally harmonized, things that are comforting and nurturing for you. And you find that your sense of yourself is strong and bright. You are alert, happy, calm, and at ease.<\/p>\n You realize in some way you are letting go of the past. You\u2019re giving yourself permission to forget about those things that have negatively affected you. You are especially allowing forgiveness of yourself and others. You realize how forgiveness is God\u2019s consciousness of grace. The forgiveness is not about what you did or what happened. It\u2019s about your choice to let go and let God and to experience this grace in your presence, that all things that are appearing to you are in a beautiful and vibrant state. All of what you see is preserved in perfect beauty, perfect order. And your consciousness is being experienced as whole and complete.<\/p>\n And for whatever level needs to hear this you say, \u201cI accept, I cooperate, I understand. I choose my life just as it is, joyously and with compassion and caring for all.\u201d It\u2019s that simple, and you know it to be so in the core of your being, in every cell, in all of your consciousness.<\/p>\n Baruch Bashan.<\/em><\/p>\n One of the qualities that we talked about earlier was the steadfast aspect of how gratitude is working, and it\u2019s working on an ongoing basis. It\u2019s working as something where you choose in every moment \u2013 regardless of whether you have a job, or how well that job suits you, or if you don\u2019t have a job \u2013 to look at the circumstances of your life, that they still show you that you can be in gratitude.<\/p>\n One of the places I refer to over and over, and I\u2019m going to do it again now to demonstrate \u2013 is that if you realize that getting your next breath is in some way a triumph \u2013 it represents your own success. It\u2019s a confirmation to you on a very personal level, because it\u2019s your breath, that you\u2019re being successful. It\u2019s a way of saying to you, \u201cYou\u2019re okay, you\u2019re meeting the demands of this world. Here\u2019s your next breath. Use it well.\u201d<\/p>\n So wherever you are, whatever the circumstances in your life, this attitude of appreciation opens amazing doors. And I\u2019d just be willing to bet, even though I personally don\u2019t know the circumstances that you\u2019re dealing with, that most of you have had shelter, you\u2019ve had food, you\u2019ve had water, you\u2019ve had your basic needs met. That is a lot for which to be grateful.<\/p>\n And the most important need indeed is love, that love that\u2019s indwelling. And yes there are great opportunities to experience that loving is here and here and here, that in order to know the loving that\u2019s outside, it\u2019s the loving inside that has that recognition, that I see the loving, I am the loving. You know that was the last of the five keys \u2013 love it all<\/em>. So love the all that is your job. Love the all that is not your job or whatever they pay you, love that. Love how far it gets you. Love what it buys for you. Love what it doesn\u2019t buy for you. Love your family, your friends, your self, your life. Love it all.<\/p>\n Well let\u2019s come into our attunement that we like to do called, \u201cThe blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n Dear Lord,<\/p>\n We give thanks and we offer up our appreciation. If we\u2019re still hanging on to our limitations, our doubts, our fears, our judgments, we welcome your grace once again and your mercy that lets us offer that up. We offer up also the part of us that would want to hide it in shame or feeling unworthy, that we\u2019re just not doing it in a way that is acceptable or how we wanted.<\/p>\n We ask you to restore us so that we have the experience of being whole again, free again. We ask to be those who celebrate in this world, who see the causes of upliftment, of good, of caring for one another. And we\u2019re thankful that in our midst is that one who we can call to and the sound that is joyful, the resounding joy that is your name, your truth and your purpose.<\/p>\n We are gathered here as those who you\u2019ve sent a redeemer, one who brings a new day, a new life. And in our gathering here we are those who love one another.<\/p>\n Here’s a video of John invoking A Blessing of Thankfulness:<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\nWe have identified five keys amongst many that can assist you in finding gratitude.<\/h4>\n
\nJust look around and find something of value. Anything from your next breath, and that\u2019s something that comes in the moment. It\u2019s not a guarantee. So whatever happens, it\u2019s something to be grateful for. And look through your eyes, look with the goodness and let the goodness reveal itself to you.<\/p>\n
\nThis means clear out the things that in some way need to move on, things you no longer want or need. Maybe these are things that somebody else would like, or maybe it\u2019s time to recycle.<\/p>\n
\nJust find some way of identifying with what is enjoyable rather than what is bothering you, or not quite the way you\u2019d like. You can choose to enjoy each moment.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>You can also decide to be grateful even in a challenging situation. Look for the gifts in your challenges. Often there are tests, there are things that happen that we don\u2019t want, that we don\u2019t expect. And so we have a choice immediately whether we consider that something isn\u2019t the way it should <\/em>be, or choose<\/em> to be grateful regardless.<\/p>\n
\nThere\u2019s a great book that John-Roger and Paul Kaye wrote that talks about anytime you\u2019re dealing with anything, there\u2019s an opportunity to declare \u201cI love this.\u201d The book is Momentum: Letting Love Lead.<\/p>\nHere are some questions you can ask yourself. You may find it beneficial to write your answers in a journal.<\/h4>\n
Here is another exercise we did as partners in the workshop, that you can easily do for yourself in your journal. It has six parts.<\/h4>\n
Meditation<\/h4>\n
\nA Blessing of Thanksgiving<\/h4>\n