How would you like to live? I have come to think of gratitude as ground zero, a powerful starting point for positive peaceful living. David Steindl-Rast, the Benedictine Monk says “gratitude is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful then no matter how much we have we will not be happy, because we will always want to have something else or something more”.

The Buddha placed significant importance on generosity, even telling his followers that it was critical to develop a mind-heart of generosity to follow the eightfold path. But in today’s market economy where everything is so transactional, it can be challenging for many to cultivate generosity as a foundation for living the dharma path. But when we cultivate a sense of gratitude not only do we increase our own satisfaction and contentment, but we also often open our hearts to the world in bigger ways. When we have the experience of being satisfied and full, we often feel we have much to give.

Gratitude is often referred to as the fifth Brahmavihara.

With a mind of gratitude comes peace and satisfaction. With peace we have equanimity. With satisfaction we can care for others, and we can rejoice in other’s happiness. Perhaps gratitude truly is a superpower!

I invite you to join me on a yearlong journey. Using Angeles Arrien’s book “Living in Gratitude”. Arrien’s book provides a structure that allows us to explore different aspects of gratitude each month, as the chapters are divided into 12 monthly parts. Each session, I will offer thoughts on the topic we are working with, and equally important, the group will support and encourage each other. We will meditate together and share with each other our experiences and our discoveries in living gratitude. We will live into gratitude together as a community.