Why Gratitude Is the Most Transformative Practice of All

A couple of hours after I got off the phone with my commissioning editor, I dusted off an oracle deck I hadn’t touched in years. Let me provide some context about myself: I’m a practitioner of Tarot and various other mystical arts, a healer, and a spiritual coach. It’s safe to say that I own more decks than Carrie Bradshaw owned shoes. Yet, on that particular day, I felt compelled to work with The Soul’s Journey. This deck highlights various lessons we experience in this lifetime, such as ‘Grief’, ‘Loneliness’, ‘Happiness’ and ‘Bliss’. Call it serendipity if you must, but the card that chose to make a grand appearance was ‘Gratitude’. Let me start our conversation by sharing a little excerpt from the guidebook: “Consider this as an important reminder to express your appreciation for what has been, what will be, and most importantly, who you are. It is time to acknowledge to the Universe how thankful you are for being provided with these opportunities for insights and understanding.” So, in essence, gratitude is the practice of counting your blessings, affirming the good, and programming your subconscious to believe the best possible outcome—because who amongst us doesn’t microdose on ‘delulu’ every once in a while?!

So, how and where does one begin? Get your hands on a gratitude journal—or any journal, really—and make a list of all the things, magical and mundane, that add joy and meaning to your life. As you do, tune into your heart centre and feel that sense of expansion ripple through your body. Remember, the list doesn’t have to be lengthy. Start with five, but make sure you’re consistent with your practice.

The benefits of a daily gratitude practice are many. According to a study conducted by Dr. Robert A Emmons, who is widely regarded as the foremost scientific expert on the subject, those who practised gratitude daily reported a boost in their mood, a stronger sense of connectedness, and an increased likelihood of helping others (prosocial behaviour). His research also reveals that the practice activates the hypothalamus (linked to sleep, metabolism) and the ventral tegmental area (reward centre), which, in turn, produces dopamine and serotonin. His golden words on the subject?

Closer home, Mumbai-based trauma-focused therapist Seema Hingorani believes that showing appreciation has helped her activate feelings of bliss and view life from a balanced perspective. “I work with a lot of clients who suffer from anxiety, depression, and prolonged PTSD. Sharing this tool with them, along with meditation and breathwork, has been nothing short of magical. I’ve not only witnessed powerful neurological shifts but also an overall shift in their emotional and physical state of being.”

Needless to say, the conscious community, too, has embraced gratitude in its unique way. Healers, embodiment coaches, and wellness experts all over the world are weaving the practice into the tapestry of their offerings, ranging from sound journeys to cacao ceremonies. For Dharamshala-based yoga teacher Mihir Jog, it’s about anchoring ourselves in the now.

“Gratitude, like love and courage, is always present in our hearts. We simply need to open ourselves to it by bringing our focus back to the present. Asana for the body, pranayama for the breath, and dharana for the nervous system help with this.”

Popular hashtags such as #BlessedNotStressed, #ThankfulThursday and #Appreciation are proof that this practice is not just for a chosen few. Mumbai-based actress and influencer Rytasha Rathore reminisces about a time early on in her career, when she would take the jetty to Madh Island every day for a shoot. “Upon arrival, I saw a quote there that said something to the effect, ‘the more grateful I am, the more miracles seem to find me.’ Let’s say that I was experiencing turbulence in my inner landscape at the time, and these words helped me shift my perception from lack to all that was working out for me.”

’Course it would but be an act of spiritual bypassing to dismiss life’s unsavoury moments altogether. To love and light your way through everything without actually acknowledging the uncomfortable feelings that may be brewing underneath the surface. My two cents? Start by bringing the gift of acceptance to the table before you move to the next stage. And here’s another thing that inevitably brings a smile to my face: remembering that I now have the things that were once a distant dream.

This story appears in Manifest India’s Issue 04. Subscribe here for more stories like this.