Gratitude - A feeling of gratefulness, a spontaneous feeling of thankfulness...perhaps these are some weak phrases one can use to describe the term “gratitude”? In it appears to be a subtle vibration of an egoless, thankful appreciation of bounties offered to one, for which nothing is expected in return, either from man, nature or God or all three of these entities. Perhaps it is a feeling that arises from one’s depths in response to the fulfilment of a need? One can probably do nothing about it; it comes of its own and remains in one’s heart, glowing. It is perhaps a response quite remote from the domain of the measuring mind? Whatever gratitude may be, it definitely breeds an atmosphere of wideness, wellness, warmth and “rightness”, something to be cherished, nurtured.
The Mother has categorically singled out gratitude as a special movement, one that is, more than other desirable movements, capable of drawing “you most out of your ego.” It is no wonder than that Gratitude is a necessary condition in the psyche of the sadhak on the way towards a spiritualised life. If ego stays one too long on the path, very far away from the attainable goal, then gratitude is that which aids in the diminution of that ego. The Mother also singled out gratitude as a movement that can give “the most joy, an unalloyed joy, untainted by egoism.” It is, together with the quality of enthusiasm, referred to as a “lever to enter into contact with the Divine in one’s psychic being.”
It therefore appears imperative that Gratitude deserves more attention in one’s life.
Where does one start? It is indeed a formidable question. The story, “Les Virtues” by The Mother discloses gratitude as the least ostentatious, the most ill recognised and rare of all virtues, and yet, it is one that has the power to link one to the core of one’s being, to the psychic. In order to appreciate ‘gratitude’ better, it may do us good to go through experiences of “ingratitude”, preferably in oneself. A few silent moments with memories of these experiences will quickly paint a pretty picture of which of the two is a more desirable state of affairs, the most elevating and therefore, worth keeping, nurturing and letting grow into fullness in our day to day life, only because it feels like the thing to be held within, quite naturally in harmony with the deeper self.
The Mother also points out something that we tend to miss, and that is, to feel gratitude when everything goes well without event. We tend to be grateful when we have a narrow brush with danger or are touched by an adverse force by way of an accident that we happen to survive. So it appears that living with gratitude in one’s heart may not be quite an easy task for beings accustomed to a certain way of looking at the world, especially from the surface of the egoistic and egotistic personality.
It is possible that when one contemplates on one’s life, very quietly, and the many routes it would have taken, as in a journey, one may marvel at the way it has been actually meticulously arranged for some progress in the nature. This inevitably brings about a certain feeling of gratefulness towards the Preceptor Force. It appears that it is in stepping back that the sense of gratitude flowers within and not when one lives on the surface, where the ego most often reigns as king.
The Mother beautifully paints a picture of this special vibration called Gratitude:
When you can enter this vibration in its purity, you realize immediately that it has the same quality as the vibration of Love: it is directionless.
Gratitude, be with us, always!
The Mother has categorically singled out gratitude as a special movement, one that is, more than other desirable movements, capable of drawing “you most out of your ego.” It is no wonder than that Gratitude is a necessary condition in the psyche of the sadhak on the way towards a spiritualised life. If ego stays one too long on the path, very far away from the attainable goal, then gratitude is that which aids in the diminution of that ego. The Mother also singled out gratitude as a movement that can give “the most joy, an unalloyed joy, untainted by egoism.” It is, together with the quality of enthusiasm, referred to as a “lever to enter into contact with the Divine in one’s psychic being.”
It therefore appears imperative that Gratitude deserves more attention in one’s life.
Where does one start? It is indeed a formidable question. The story, “Les Virtues” by The Mother discloses gratitude as the least ostentatious, the most ill recognised and rare of all virtues, and yet, it is one that has the power to link one to the core of one’s being, to the psychic. In order to appreciate ‘gratitude’ better, it may do us good to go through experiences of “ingratitude”, preferably in oneself. A few silent moments with memories of these experiences will quickly paint a pretty picture of which of the two is a more desirable state of affairs, the most elevating and therefore, worth keeping, nurturing and letting grow into fullness in our day to day life, only because it feels like the thing to be held within, quite naturally in harmony with the deeper self.
The Mother also points out something that we tend to miss, and that is, to feel gratitude when everything goes well without event. We tend to be grateful when we have a narrow brush with danger or are touched by an adverse force by way of an accident that we happen to survive. So it appears that living with gratitude in one’s heart may not be quite an easy task for beings accustomed to a certain way of looking at the world, especially from the surface of the egoistic and egotistic personality.
It is possible that when one contemplates on one’s life, very quietly, and the many routes it would have taken, as in a journey, one may marvel at the way it has been actually meticulously arranged for some progress in the nature. This inevitably brings about a certain feeling of gratefulness towards the Preceptor Force. It appears that it is in stepping back that the sense of gratitude flowers within and not when one lives on the surface, where the ego most often reigns as king.
The Mother beautifully paints a picture of this special vibration called Gratitude:
When you can enter this vibration in its purity, you realize immediately that it has the same quality as the vibration of Love: it is directionless.
Gratitude, be with us, always!
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