Gratitude on the Mat
Nov 27, 2019 | Written by Leticia Padmasri
Gratitude is a catalyst for happiness. In fact, one of the keys to long-term mental and spiritual fulfillment is to regularly express gratitude. Expressing gratitude is a powerful mindfulness practice in which we acknowledge and honor what we already have and do. Having gratitude allows us to see opportunity in each experience and encounter and to approach them with a sense of child-like wonder. This ability is one of the core aspects of joy.
An existing body of research supports an association between gratitude and an overall sense of well-being. One study found that grateful people don’t deny the negative aspects of life, they just choose to appreciate what is positive as well. It was also found that those who focus on gratitude report more positive emotions and more vitality as well as lower levels of stress and depression. Basically, an attitude of gratefulness helps to look at the world with a different perspective as we become more able to reframe the negative events into positive ones.
We can use our hatha yoga practice to help us remember and appreciate the many blessings in our life. Healing happens when we express and feel gratitude and our yoga mat can be a perfect place to reflect on and express those feelings.
Here are a few ways to cultivate and express gratitude when on the mat:
Savor the breath moving in through the nostrils. Be patient to receive it, honoring the life force moving through you. Then, slowly and mindfully, breath out and notice the warm air passing through the nostrils.
When holding an asana, instead of counting your breaths, count your blessings! For every in breath, think of one thing you are grateful for. For every out breath, say “thank you”.
When feeling the stretching in the hamstrings or the work of your muscles in plank pose, find gratitude for those sensations —a sign that you are alive, and everything is possible.
The forward bending asanas naturally inspire gratitude as the motion can be basically a gentle bow— a sign of respect and honor. When you fold forward into yourself and rest near the earth, make it a bow to yourself and all the ones who brought you to where you are right now.
In the backward bending asanas, as you open your heart, throat, and shoulders, give thanks for all the courage you have called into your life, and how it has helped you through challenges big and small.
When upside down, find gratitude for the change of perspective which lets you see the world in a different way, giving you more flexibility to encounter the unknown adventures of the future.
When in savasana, feel your own energy and connect deeper with your body and mind. Give thanks to all the great things you can do on the mat and offer the fruits of your practice to the wellbeing of humankind and Mother Earth.