A New Kind of Gratitude
A Practice I Will Preach
I want to talk to you about gratitude. And before you decide to hit the delete button because you believe there’s certainly nothing new I could add to the topic of gratitude, hear me out.
If you’re in the spiritual, self-help, health and wellness spaces to any degree, you are no stranger to a gratitude list or practice. Or you’re no stranger to someone suggesting you adopt a daily routine of gratitude so that you keep your eyes on the prize that is your life. While I think it's helpful to bring awareness to all of the positive things we have going in life, I feel that the type of gratitude we focus on tends to miss the mark for the more subtle things. And some may argue [me, that’s me… I’m the ‘some’] that these are the things that would allow us to see EVEN MORE deeply into all the things that ARE going right in the world.
When was the last time you seriously felt a well of gratitude in your heart for the person who delivered your grapes to the grocery store so that you could buy them? What about the clerk who checked you and your grapes out? When did you feel gratitude to the people in traffic who stayed in their lane, stopped at red lights, and put their turn signal on on a busy highway? Have you thought of and sent gratitude to the human who grew and harvested those grapes you enjoyed for lunch? [We are back to the grapes.. And if you’re not a grape person, please substitute it for whatever fruit makes you feel joy.]
Chances are, you can’t recall. Or – you’ve never brought these ideas to your awareness in the first place. There are layers upon layers of this type of example that can be applied to all levels of life. The shirt on your back? Hand made. [Yes, I am aware that ‘handmade’ is meant to be a way to describe something artisanal these days, but all clothes are sewn with human hands.] That person certainly deserves your gratitude. The tree that grows leaves and flowers and brings you joy after a long, dark winter? Yes. This miraculous act of nature deserves your gratitude, too.
When you put this frame on the way you view life, things come into focus in a whole new way. It is much easier to see HOW CONNECTED we all truly are. A person from India or China likely had a large part in crafting or putting together some of your clothes, your electronics, your books, and your belongings. Faraway lands potentially grew the veggies in your fridge, the spices in your cabinets, and the wine that you may or may not drink [sub fruit juice if you live that NA or mostly NA life like myself].
It’s important. No. Vital. That we remember this connection – that we ARE all connected. And it’s essential that we remember the importance of paying reverence in a profoundly intentional way.
I like actionable steps. While I think I’ve given you some ideas to gnaw on [ahem, go bow to your local tree], here is an easy way to implement this level of gratitude into your daily life. This is something that I myself try to do every day for every meal [again, I’m not perfect, but it’s a practice I try to be intentional about including in my daily practice].
My partner and I call it THANK YOU FOOD.
Before we eat any meal, we say thank you to our food and each other. And then, I like to send gratitude to every single person, place, land, and animal responsible for getting that food to my bowl or plate or napkin. The grocery store clerk. The person who harvested the plant. The person who planted the food or raised the meat. The soil that nourished the food and kept it safe and able to bloom into whatever has ended up in front of me. The person in the manufacturing facility. The delivery driver who drove or flew my food to me. The salesperson who organized the food delivery to the grocery store or market from which I bought my food.
This list is extensive. It could go on and on. My food would be ice cold if I really went through each and every person and handful of soil responsible for delivering to me a meal that nourishes my body. But I try to focus in on this energy and send it out in gratitude, in reverence. It’s my way of praying over my food. And I’ve found it impacts that way I move through this world, the intentionality I then seek through other facets of my life. It sprinkles magick into my life and reminds me that we are in this together, whether we want to realize it or not.
I invite you to do the same thing. If not with your food, with something you love or use on the daily. Who was responsible for getting it to you? How many people’s physical hands worked on bringing this thing to life? What lands did it travel? What mother gave birth to the person who thought of inventing or growing or doing this thing to get you what you want or need? Examine this closely. Notice what it does to your mental space. Pause for a moment [for we never pause enough] and take it all in.
UPDATES AND OTHER FUN THINGS
Tomorrow, March 6, at 8 PM EST, my VIRTUAL workshop with Aliza Kelly’s Constellation Club will take place. Note that it is for members only, but I very much suggest signing up [you can cancel at any time, and it’s only $20/month]. Read about the workshop here. Also, BROOKLYN: you can officially buy tickets to my workshop at the beautiful Anima Mundi Brooklyn apothecary for April 15 here.
Have you received your copy of Womb Witch in the mail? I’ve been getting so many lovely messages from those of you who have, and I promise I am not getting sick of seeing this book out in the wild. So, by all means, keep posting photos of your books and share what you’re learning - it’s been a dream come true.
Don’t have a copy yet, but want one? I am personally sending out signed copies ($24 covers the book + shipping). If you would like one, email me with your address and send a Venmo to @Angelica-Merritt. I will be shipping books on Fridays and Mondays.
As always, thank you for reading. If something here struck a chord, please forward this to a friend or family member who may be able to glean something from it as well. Like, share, subscribe ←– these things GREATLY help me. No. Really. Hit that like button. And if you decide to embark on this deeper gratitude process, feel free to share your experience with me. I would be delighted.
Until next time,
Angelica