This entry was posted on November 26, 2024 by Charlotte Bell.
We are in the middle of the season of gratitude. At Thanksgiving, we are encouraged to remember our blessings: family, friends, work, and the many pleasant experiences we have had in our lives. But how often are we encouraged to remember this body that carries us every day and allows us to enjoy these blessings?
In general, we tend to take our bodies for granted, until something goes wrong. Can we instead remember our bodies for the blessings they represent, despite their quirks, their pains, and what we might perceive as their limitations? If you really think about it, there are many reasons to be grateful. In this article, I’ll share some ideas for practicing gratitude for your body.
A warning signal
Our bodies change. As we age, they require more attention. No matter how well you eat or how much yoga you practice, a human body at 60 is not the same as a human body at 30. We all carry different genetic seeds and are subject to different environmental factors, so the process is different. for each person. But even as our bodies change and become more demanding, we can still feel grateful for the many joys we experience through these bodies each day.
A few years ago, my body insisted on waking me up. My body, which has always been very low maintenance, sent me a message loud and clear: “Stop taking me for granted!” How about a little gratitude?
In 2015, my left hip was replaced due to hip displaysia. Even then, I knew it was only a matter of time for my right hip. A year and nine months later, I got a shiny new titanium joint on my right side.
On the first day of an 18-day meditation retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center that same year, I was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. I was lucky in two ways: it was detected very, very early and did not require radical treatment. Plus, I was in an ideal setting to receive the news.
Although I felt the expected shock in the form of a strong dose of adrenaline upon hearing the words “invasive ductal carcinoma,” my mind added no drama during the entire 18 days of the retreat. In fact, I felt a lot of peace around my diagnosis. It seems that 30 years of practicing mindfulness has paid off. Of course, the diagnosis wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 2.48 says, all the years of practicing yoga and meditation had allowed me to remain calm in the face of bad news.
This series of body-centered events helped me remember to be grateful for this body and make an even stronger commitment to caring for it.
Why practice gratitude?
Studies have shown that cultivating gratitude actually confers health benefits. A 2015 article in Newsweek cited five proven benefits:
- Grateful people have more hope and are healthier
- Improved sleep quality
- Increased self-esteem
- Increased helpfulness and empathy
- Increased resilience
Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that appreciating our bodies, not only when we experience pleasant sensations, but also when things are going on as usual, can be a source of happiness. He says: “If we are not aware that we are happy, we are not really happy. When we have a toothache, we know that not having a toothache is a wonderful thing. But when you don’t have a toothache, you’re still not happy. Not having a toothache is very nice. We can practice gratitude for the times when we do not have a toothache or any other illness.
How to Practice Gratitude for Your Amazing Body
Here are some ways to practice gratitude for the body you live in:
- According to the Mayo Clinic, our hearts beat on average 60 to 100 times per minute, which translates to 86,400 to 144,000 beats per day. If you’re reading this, that’s exactly what your heart is doing. This, along with the estimated 23,000 breaths you take each day, keeps you alive. Give your heart some gratitude.
- Your eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin allow you to appreciate the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations of our world. Of course, one or more of these senses may lose their sharpness over time. But you can appreciate them for the window they give you to the rest of the world all day long.
- Your nervous, digestive, circulatory, respiratory and reproductive systems all contribute to the normal, healthy functioning of your body. We often don’t pay much attention to our bodies until something goes wrong. Take the time to recognize your body when it is functioning properly, not just when it is causing you problems.
- If you practice yoga, be grateful that you have the means to get to a class, get on the floor, and get back up again. Be grateful that you can experience the practice we all love through the body that brings you there.
- Give your body a nice, long Savasana after practicing. It takes 10 to 15 minutes for your body to reach physiological relaxation after physical activity. Savasana allows you to integrate the energies you cultivate into your asana practice. Give your body the time it needs to recover and replenish itself.
About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice, and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST magazine and is the editor-in-chief of Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member of GreenTREE Yoga, a nonprofit organization that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and the folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy Awards.