Yoga on the Beach

Community Bliss

It’s November and for many of us this is the month that reminds us to open our hearts to gratitude.  On Thanksgiving Day we gather in community, feasting together in the bounty of our harvest and giving thanks for all of the blessings in our lives.  Giving thanks for our family, friends, loved ones, health, and prosperity, just to name a few things, uplifts us and opens our eyes again to these gifts.   It is a powerful experience and one that can generate amazing changes in our lives.

One day a year is a wonderful beginning to what can become a daily or even moment to moment life altering and affirming path of life.  But let’s start with the baby steps, and not get too carried away, right away.

For example, start by noticing how often you are feeling thankful, or in appreciation.  Do you feel and see the abundance of life that surrounds you, or do you often find your focus is on what is lacking?  Open your eyes and heart to appreciate something right now!  Go on, what is in your field of awareness right NOW that you are thankful for?

Next take it to the street.  Start moving through your day and notice how you are relating to the people, places and things that you interact with every day.  Do you struggle with them, or feel a sense of thankfulness for them?  Just notice.  Maybe you catch yourself grumbling about the cracks in the sidewalks, or noticing there is not enough room for you on the bus. What about the flowers that are growing along the sidewalks?  Did you see them? Did you consider that the crowded bus means less people polluting with cars?  Bring your awareness to that.  The person who opened the door for you gives you an opportunity to get those feel good vibes of gratitude flowing, or criticize them for not holding the door wide enough for you.  Are you starting to see and feel what is going on here?

Every moment is an opportunity to feel good or not.  AND how you feel will affect others all day around you.  Want to live in a feel good community?  Then start feeling good.  The best way I know is to feel the bliss of gratitude.  That’s right give some thanks, feel it within yourself and watch what happens.

I recently noticed this sense of community spirit with two restaurateurs here in Key West.  They are in business right across the street from one another, and a number of times I have noticed that they help one another, offer each other assistance and support. There is a lot of appreciation and support that flows between them.   At the same time another restaurateur down the street feels the sting of lack, and competes with the other two establishments, often doing things in an effort to undercut or undermine the other businesses nearby.  Guess which two are thriving businesses, and who is struggling to survive?

When you gather this Thanksgiving Day, let it be a kick off day for you to spend every day finding your bliss through gratitude.  Some people find a gratitude journal or making a list daily in the morning or at night a great way to make a shift for themselves.  If you need more support with this check out Heartmath at http://www.heartmath.org/.  I know I speak for many when I say thank you for taking on this shift, and welcome to the bliss community.