- The originating impulse of all religious and spiritual traditions is gratitude for the gift of life. Yet we so easily take this gift of life for granted, which perhaps is why many spiritual paths begin with thanksgiving, to remind us that for all our woes and worries, our existence itself is an unearned benefaction.
- In times of turmoil and danger, gratitude helps to steady and ground us. It brings us into presence, and our full presence is perhaps the best offering we can make to our world.
- That our world is in crisis – to the point where survival of conscious life on Earth is in question – in no way diminishes the wonder of this present moment. For the great open secret is this: gratitude is not dependent on our external circumstances. It does not depend on whether we like where we are or approve of what we are facing. On the contrary, to us is granted the great privilege of being on hand to take part, if we choose, in the Great Turning. We can let the hardships of this time enlist all our strength, wisdom, and courage, so that life can continue.
- Gratitude is politically subversive in the Industrial Growth Society. It helps inoculate us against the consumerism upon which corporate capitalism depends. It serves as a counterweight to the dissatisfaction with what we have and are, the craving and neediness inflamed by our political economy.
- Gratitude is at the core of indigenous culture on Turtle Island (North America). Among the Haudenosaunee in particular, this is seen as a sacred duty. At the beginning of virtually every meeting or ceremony, thanks and greetings – “the words that come before all else”—are offered to all that gives life: from our eldest brother, the sun, to water, winds, plants, animals, and Grandmother Moon.
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