Gratitude is a form of prayer; it’s a mental list of special people or experiences; it’s an attitude, it’s an exercise, and it’s a mindfulness-based practice that has been shown to literally change the brain.*
For me, gratitude is a feeling of fullness. At the top of my gratitude list is my family. When I leave my parents’ home after a dinner together, I feel so full. Not just because my mom is a food-pusher (aren’t all moms?), but because I feel so content, so full, that I couldn’t possibly need any more of any thing in that moment. I can feel the belly laughs, the warmth of home, and my cheeks are sore from smiling.
“‘Enough’ is a feast,” so the Buddhist proverb goes, and that’s what I feel when I’m with family.
The same goes for my BYS Yoga Collective family and, by extension, the larger Pittsburgh yoga community. It’s in our yoga studios where I feel safe and supported. Yogis LOVE to give hugs, and I’m always greeted with a big squeeze or two in our studio. I'll give a plug for my favorite class of the year and say I get the most hugs at our annual Thanksgiving Day Practice. I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope to see some of you there.
Giving thanks,
Alicia
