The Transformative Journey of Gratitude as a Spiritual Path

As the medieval mystic Meister Eckhart (c. 1260 – c. 1328) wrote, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank You’ it will be enough.” We live in a time of such intense suffering and uncertainty from so many different sources that it can seem almost trite, inconsequential or naïve to hear those words as relevant to life now. Yet for centuries, gratitude as a spiritual path has been recognized as a profound journey of transformation in many spiritual traditions including Buddhism, Judaism, Islam as well as indigenous cultures. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul writes, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you.” At the heart of Christian life is the acknowledgment of the blessings we receive daily, both big and small, recognizing the loving presence of the sacred in all that is, which opens us to experience “the peace of God that passes all understanding,” that Paul speaks of in Philippians 4:7. Rather than a particular practice, gratitude itself is a way of life that increasingly brings our consciousness into alignment with the holy mystery that lives in all and through all. It is one of the foundational qualities of the contemplative path that slowly shifts our identification from the separate, egoic false self to the true self, transforming the mind and aligning the heart with the sacred. The simplicity of “Thank You” has the potential to impact every dimension of our being, changing the way we show up in life in relationship to the Sacred, to ourselves, to others and to the world.

Brother David Steindl-Rast (b.1926), a Benedictine monk and internationally known author and teacher, has dedicated his life’s work to teaching gratitude as a pathway to both presence and joy. Gratitude doesn’t ignore or whitewash the problems that we face either individually or collectively. Rather, it is a larger container that allows our hearts to open, to see clearly without being swept away or overwhelmed by the enormity of suffering, and to take appropriate responsive action grounded in the sacred. He states that our approach to gratitude has to be big enough to embrace all the difficulties of the world as well as our personal suffering which reflects the Buddhist stance that our hearts must be able to hold all that life has to offer, the “10,000 joys and the 10,000 sorrows.”

In addition to the transformative power of gratitude as a spiritual path, the holistic benefits of gratitude, as a way of life, are well documented in the fields of neuroscience and mind/body medicine.  It increases happiness, reduces depression, improves sleep, engenders greater resilience and ability to handle adversity, fosters better relationships, and improves immune function with overall better health.

It sounds easy to live with a grateful heart.  Yet, in my decades of work as a minister, therapist, and retreat facilitator as well as in my personal journey, I know the difficulty of moving from a theoretical concept to a new way of being. While we may have a strong intention to be present in our lives with gratitude, it doesn’t just happen. Neuroscience has shown us how the inherent negativity bias of our primitive, limbic brain is fear-based and powerfully primed to hijack us repeatedly into automatic default patterns of reactive behaviors: complaints, judgements and criticisms of self, others and life, anxiety about the future, and regrets and resentments about the past. These are universal patterns, and neuroscience has given us numerous ways to cultivate the more evolved part of the brain with its ability to form new neural pathways that strengthen the ability to choose and cultivate a particular quality such as gratitude.

For gratitude to become a way of life in which we reap the benefits at all levels, we have to do our part and practice. There are many ways to practice, and any consistent practice of gratitude shifts our consciousness into alignment with the sacred and moves our physiology into a healthier functioning. It is helpful to start the day with a clear intention to live with a grateful heart which then directs our attention throughout the day, and informs our actions. Planting seeds of gratitude frequently throughout the day is especially powerful. One practice is to stop for about one minute, take a few conscious breaths, come into the physical body and senses (what do I see, hear, smell right now?), and end with, “And a blessing in this moment is___,” or “Thank you for your presence with me.” Short practices done frequently have a cumulative effect that add up to a life that is more and more grounded in gratitude. Find one or two that work for you and practice.

May each of us experience the transformative power of the Spirit that is grounded in the thank you of our souls!