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Gratefulness
A seven-day practice to find nourishment, insight, and a sense of calm in the little things.
“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
When we nurture our own capacity for showing up to life with presence and vulnerability, we cultivate clarity and resilience, which can support us in meeting difficult circumstances. The seemingly “little” things that nourish us — breath, connection, shifts in perspective — aren’t little at all as they tend to our humanity. In the enoughness of small actions and brief moments of care, we can rest assured that it makes us more available to life, and more of life available to us.
This seven-day practice composed of little things is inspired by Alexander Levering Kern. Find nourishment, insight, and a sense of calm in the little things that allow generosity, compassion, and gratitude to flow for the health and wellbeing of all.
The Practice
We recommend you bookmark this page and move through the practice days at your own pace. You might move through the practice alone or consider exploring it with others, as part of a group experience.
Day 1. Breathe Breathe. Breathe. Breathe some more. Throughout the day, whenever you remember, simply take a couple of slow, deep, even breaths…
Day 2. Connect with This Moment Connect with this moment. Feel the contact of your feet on the ground, and the support of the ground beneath you. Become aware of the sensations in your body…
Day 3. Acknowledge Fears Acknowledge your fears, anxieties, and concerns. Feel them as sensations in your body. Breathe into them….
Day 4. Remember You Are Not Alone Remember you are not alone. Ever. Feel the truth and blessing of your belonging. You are part of an inextricable web of connections…
Day 5. Rest Rest when you can. Honor the need to pause, find stillness, and simply “be” if even for just a moment. You might close your eyes…
Day 6. Practice Kindness Practice kindness. There is a temptation during health scares to view others as potential threats. Remember we are in this together…
Day 7. Practice Gratitude Practice gratitude. Make note of the things for which you are grateful: your breath, your beating heart, the particular shade of the sky at dusk or dawn…
We hope the Little Things practice deepens your connection with the steady companionship of your breath, the transient nature of anxieties and fears, the beauty and comfort of belonging and rest, and the transformative practice of kindness and gratitude. May we celebrate these seemingly little things, allowing the fullness of their gifts to unfold.
Feel moved to support future practices? We warmly welcome contributions!
MAKE A GIFT
A 7-minute meditation or prayer featuring the words and voice of Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk,…
“You have to design your gatherings for the kinds of connections you want to create….
“Gratitude is strongest, clearest, most robust, and radical when things are really hard.” ~Diana Butler…
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