Bridges to Gratitude

The following is a brief summary of the audio, which is available by download here.

The next installment is presented in two parts. It's the action plan, so to speak, the tools and practices that can help us move from thinking to doing, from idea to embodiment, from knowledge to experience. 

In Bridges to Gratitude, Linda Douty explores ways of thinking and behaving that help us cooperate with the divine flow of thanksgiving. “The good news,” she says, “is that there are amultitude of options available. The bad news is that most of them are not quick fixes; they require that we accept our own stumblings with compassion while maintaining our intention.” 

Douty explains in detail a few of those ways to develop our inner muscle, embody our gratefulness and put into practice the concept of a thankful life. Listed below are some of those suggestions:

Bridges to the Body

The “Write Thing”  
Forty days, forty notes. Douty felt like she was being called to take up this daily practice of thanking people for their consideration and attention, but the idea of writing 40 thank you notes brought up all sorts of fears. Yet, once she began, Douty found that writing the notes served to open her eyes to all that there is to appreciate. The note-writing brought back joyous memories, and made her aware of small acts of kindness that she had not noticed before.

Using Walking as a Way to Embody Gratitude   
"All manner of walking meditations provide opportunities to thank the God of creation for the intricate interaction of nerve and muscle that makes walking possible.  As the soles of your feet meet the earth, allow your soul to be nourished in earthy appreciation.”

Parable walks “encourage us to allow God to speak a personal parable through some detail that catches our eye.”

Sensory walks “invite us to stop and smell the roses—literally.” 

Companion walks where you imagine a companion who accompanies you on your way .

Grounding walks remind us that “…in God  we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28a). 

Breath Bridges
“One of our most valuable tools of thanksgiving is always at the ready,” Douty says, “our very own breath.”  She then talks about techniques of breathing, and explains two very powerful prayer forms that make use of our breath to connect with ourselves and the Holy: a breath prayer and a pause prayer.

Listen to this installment