At Home in the Body

We cannot be grateful unless we are grounded in the present moment, and we cannot be grounded in the present moment unless we are grounded in the body. Much of the time we live like disembodied minds, not even noticing what’s around us, but preoccupied with past and future. But when this mug of tea warms first our hands and then our stomach on a cold day, or the cat purrs contentedly in our lap, we are suddenly present and grateful.

We can learn to cultivate the joy of this awareness, but it may not always be easy. Illness, poverty, old age, or abuse can make it a great challenge for us to accept embodiment. And yet, bringing ourselves back into the body again and again is central to the practice of grateful living. When we do so, we allow healing power to flow through us, and we appreciate our aliveness as the great gift it is.

A sacred illness is one that educates us and alters us from the inside out, provides experiences and therefore knowledge that we could not possibly achieve in any other way, and aligns us with a life path that is, ultimately, of benefit to ourselves and those around us.  
-- Deena Metzger

Practicing gratitude for the marvels of the body -You may have managed to make a great many different places your home, and still need help to become more truly at home in your own body. The Practice of Using Your Nose - Do you want to let your sense of smell come alive? Gratefulness for the gift of smells can greatly enhance your joy of living. Grateful Sounds message board - Add your favorite sound, and listen with the ears of your heart to what others say about sounds that make them grateful. Grateful Smells message board - Share your most memorable smells, and catch a whiff of what others appreciate. 12-Step message board - Once you hit bottom and discover the ladder of a 12-Step program, you are surely among the most grateful people in the world. Click Here for more links and resources