| Next Thursday is Thanksgiving, an opportunity to express thanks for all that we have. Often it is easy to do this. At other times, especially if we are dealing with disappointment or hardship, it may be more difficult. Our minds inherently focus more on what is not going well rather than what is, an attribute that is often referred to as negativity bias. This may well be an evolutionary adaptation from our ancestors who needed to be vigilant and anticipate the worst in order to survive. Although most of the time now we are not actually in danger, our minds can hold on to thoughts about negative events as if we are.
In response, we can both acknowledge our circumstances and still choose to focus on something positive, something we are thankful or grateful for instead. One way to do this is by practicing brief gratitude meditation. We can start by closing our eyes and bringing attention to the region of the heart, on the center left side of the chest, then breathing in a little deeper and longer than usual, noticing the flow of air into and out of the lungs. We can then bring to mind someone or something or some place that we really appreciate or are grateful for, holding this image in the mind while we continue to breath in and out slowly and deeply. While doing this, we may notice a sensation of warmth, lightening or opening in the region or the heart, or we may not notice any particular sensations. In either case, we can continue doing this for as long as we like. Even a minute or two can be beneficial. When we’re ready we can then let go of the image, begin to breath normally and open the eyes. This simple meditation can help us counteract the negativity bias by intentionally shifting our attention to something for which we are grateful or thankful. It has been shown to have measurable positive physiologic effects by decreasing the activation of the sympathetic (stress) nervous system and increasing the activation of the parasympathetic (relaxation) nervous system. So not only can it have positive psychological effects, it can also positively affect our physical state. Thanksgiving can be an ideal time to practice being thankful, expressing gratitude and appreciation using this meditation or however else we may choose to, even if our circumstances are difficult. Thanksgiving was established as a national holiday by President Lincoln in 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, as an opportunity to appreciate the blessings of life in the midst of the sufferings of war. Although it is not easy, with awareness and intention it is still possible to hold such disparate circumstances as both being true. |
Filed Under: Monthly Musings