On Gratitude and Grounding

Note: Blogs reflect the ideas of the author and not of the Reiki School + Clinic

By Alexandra DiFilippo

The path of Reiki is a winding and profound one for most people. It can lead us to self discovery, realization, and a sense of self that might have been missing "before." As we change, so might our view of the world around us. Our perspective may also be altered when we leave the Reiki Bubble and run free and wild in the Real World.Our culture is steeped in distractions. For someone dedicated to path of self mastery, there is plenty of prodding to get you to believe you're not good enough, getting nowhere, that your wheels are spinning. Many will hold this perception, this mental trap, of being stuck. If we are feeling good and powerless, we can fall victim to those cultural mindsets. Those of us on the path of spiritual connection have a particularly unique relationship with the material world. We might take on other people's problems, maybe our families don't get us, and we are generally perplexed by the absurdities of mundane life.For many, the next step is to get into attracting love or abundance, manifesting All The Things. The problem? Still outside of the Self. All of the yearning and longing desires are just floating out on the ethers, meanwhile, at our core there is some kernel of unworthiness that grows ever time every time it comes up against whatever triggers some sense of lacking. This is Act II in the battle of good and evil within our precious selves and in the world around us.Enter the personal work and practice. This looks different for many people, and the important thing is to find what works for you. I'm going to offer a simple solution that costs no money and takes very little time, but is infinitely brilliant: gratitude. At first, it's voice may not overpower any voice of desperation or critical ego nonsense, but don't let that stop you. You're unstoppable. Here is what to do:1. Notice a thing that is causing you to feel something you are uncomfortable with.2. Notice how your body feels as you think about this thing. Acknowledge this feeling.3. Find some aspect in your relationship to what you're uncomfortable with that you are grateful for.4. Notice where in your body you feel that gratitude. If you have resistance, make space for whatever comes up and don't judge yourself.5. Once you're feeling some good and juicy gratitude, breathe into it like a balloon, until it encompasses your body.Some examples:-If you miss someone, find gratitude for knowing them-If you can't afford a fancy vacation, find gratitude for the place that you live in-If your job drives you nuts, find gratitude for everything your paycheck makes possible for you-If you feel unwell, find gratitude for your heartbeat and breath.This is a simple practice of returning to your heart and to yourself. Accepting yourself where you are is in radical defiance to distraction and power hungry vampires. It's the biggest gift you can give yourself. From this place, you can grow, you can move. I also want to note, that there need not be any judgement or denial of what isn't serving you in your life, on the contrary, it offers a delicious opportunity to lovingly witness your own humanity and evolve yourself and the world around you.