January 23 – Confidence and Gratitude

Dear Friends,

We’ll look at another couple of ways we can incline our hearts towards joy – confidence and gratitude.

Confidence

There was some level of confidence that brought you to the practice of meditation – maybe you met someone who inspired you, or read about it, or some other way that sparked your interest. You’ve probably experienced at least a few moments of easing of reactivity, and that can give us a bit more confidence and courage to continue. Christina Feldman says, “There is joy in discovering we are just a little less judgmental, impatient, or agitated. … Confidence in the path we are walking brings joy, aspiration brings joy, and to know that every moment of care and compassion truly matters brings joy.” (pages 102-103)

As a practice, Christina encourages us to reflect on our aspirations and values and recall moments when we have embodied these. Meg Gawler shared similar instructions, which you might want to listen to here:
https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/audio_player/8444.html

Gratitude

The practice of gratitude is a lovely support for the cultivation of joy.

Jack Kornfield writes,

Gratitude is a gracious acknowledgment of all that sustains us, a bow to our blessings, great and small. Gratitude is confidence in life itself. In it we feel how the same force that pushes grass through cracks in the sidewalk invigorates our own life. … Gratitude does not envy or compare. Gratitude receives in wonder the myriad offerings of rain and sunlight, the care that supports every single life.

As gratitude grows, it gives rise to joy. We experience the courage to rejoice in our own good fortune and in the good fortune of others.

Bringing Home the Dharma, Awakening Right Where You Are, chapter 4
and similar: https://jackkornfield.com/gratitude/

Christina echos this:

It is helpful for us to pause again and again in our day and to know that our life is the gift of many. This is not sentimental nor a denial of the many hardships of the past and the present. It is about making a choice concerning where we abide and make our home, in resentment or in gratitude. We are grateful to others, and we learn to offer gratitude to ourselves.

… we learn to be grateful for the food we eat, the kindness of strangers, the air we breathe, and life itself. Joy is not always so far away, and we discover the many ways that we can make room for joy.

page 104

Many folks already have a gratitude practice, but if you’re looking for a simple idea, check out this suggestion from Rick Hanson: Say Thanks
https://www.rickhanson.net/say-thanks/

I have great appreciation for your confidence, persistence, and practice! Thank you for continuing to read along with me!

Warm wishes,
Andrea