Find Happiness in Gratitude Discover more about one of the four keys to the Gate of Heaven: As it turns out, Buddha had quite a lot to say on the subject of gratitude, including citing it as one of the four keys to the Gate of Heaven. Why is this? Perhaps the sheer simplicity of gratefulness is a large part of this, as it is available to all of us at any time. Even in the midst of over-busyness, stress, and chaos, we can find plenty to be glad about, and The Buddha’s Guide to Gratitude will start your journey towards Zen and gratefulness. Count your blessings: According to Buddha, “You have no cause for anything but gratitude and joy.” Being thankful is one of the most powerful tools we humans have to attain peace of mind and a measure of happiness. Take time to stop each day and count your blessings. This can be done with a prayer or mindfulness mediation, whichever works for you. This lovely, uncomplicated approach featured in The Buddha’s Guide to Gratitude may well be life-changing. Increase your happiness: Studies show—and experts counsel—that gratitude is a key component of our own happiness. People who are grateful about events and experiences from the past, who celebrate the triumphs instead of focusing on the losses or disappointments, tend to be more satisfied in the present. Follow the advice of Buddhist leader Thich Nhat Hanh, “With all I have experienced in my own life, the power of gratitude stands above everything else. In your mindfulness practice, use gratitude until it becomes your way of life.” The Buddha’s Guide to Gratitude will show you the way. Shift your thinking: Gratitude moves us to do all kinds of things inspired by joy. Gratitude can help us transform our fears into courage, our anger into forgiveness, our isolation into belonging, and another’s pain into healing. Saying “Thank you” every day will create feelings of love, compassion, and hope. But the fact is, the art of living—for that is what we speak about when we speak of gratitude—isn’t something that comes naturally to most people. Most of us need to work intentionally to increase the intensity, duration, and frequency of positive, grateful feelings—a daunting challenge, indeed. But fear not; The Buddha’s Guide to Gratitude is here to help! Inside The Buddha’s Guide to Gratitude, we have provided you with positive thinking “power tools” that will help you build a more grateful life, including:
• mindful meditations
• hands-on exercises
• profound practices
• inspiring quotations
• space for notetaking and journaling
• thought-provoking questions About the Author: Becca Anderson is a writer, gardener and teacher living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally from Ohio, Becca’s background in sustainability and landscaping inspired her to become a part of the seed-saving and seed-sharing community with chapters across the US and Canada. Becca Anderson credits her first grade teacher as a great inspiration and runs several popular classes and workshops including “How to Put Your Passion on Paper.” Anderson and is currently at work on a book about the healing power of gardening. |
