I first watched “Gratitude, the Nature of Gratitude” right before going to bed. In this very cozy moment, the sounds of the flute and the majestic photos of nature opened my heart in unexpected ways, and the elixir of gratitude welled up from within me. The image that came up for me then—and often does in relation to gratitude—was that of the smooth, syrupy liquid that emerges from a honeycomb’s core when you squeeze it. This golden liquid moistens every bit of the honeycomb and beyond. After watching the video, I read the exposition and, when we were invited to describe what gratitude feels like, it took me right back to that experience.
As I enjoyed this state of gratitude, my dog, who had been napping at my feet, started to ululate. To my surprise and delight, the sounds he was making matched the notes of the flute. I believe he tuned into the video, almost as much as I had, and I completely treasured this shared experience.
New York, United States
Watching this beautiful video from Gurumayi reminded me to remain grounded on this earth while still looking up at the heavens. It inspired me to enter “A Temple of Gratitude” and offer my gratitude to nature’s beauty and bounty. It encouraged me to embrace the light and warmth around me and to see the beauty in all forms of life, death, and transformation.
I am so grateful to Gurumayi for her abundant teachings, which she shares so generously with us in such creative ways on the Siddha Yoga path website.
Sydney, Australia
This autumn, I took the time to consciously observe the beautiful, colorful leaves on the trees. With a blue sky as backdrop and warm sunlight, the leaves looked like gold, and my experience was one of breathtaking beauty.
As I watched the video and saw the many autumn-leaf hearts, I realized that the trees were offering, playfully and with great joy, their most beautiful, most precious gift.
What a sweet reminder for me to also offer with great joy my most beautiful and precious gift—my love.
Konolfingen, Switzerland
This year on the eve of Thanksgiving, my husband and I sat in our easy chairs by the fire and watched this creative and joyful video.
On Thanksgiving morning, as we walked through the forest down to the beach, we were walking through a wonderland of leaves everywhere! At water’s edge we each made an offering of gratitude to Gurumayi with little wishing stones we found, each of which had a circle all around it. On the return stroll we paused and created a large, rather soggy, but happy heart with red, orange, and yellow leaves, and sang mantras in celebration.
We experienced such lightness, an inner lift almost like flying. What a glorious day of thanksgiving Gurumayi inspired in us!
Washington, United States
I have noticed that viewing the video, along with reading Eesha’s exposition, has had a great impact on me. I feel joyful and happy. Sometimes I have been chanting spontaneously.
I am feeling gratitude for the Siddha Yoga path website, which is so precious to me.
Hindelang, Germany
I woke before dawn on this day of Thanksgiving and dove into the experience of this gift of visual and musical beauty, a blessing of pure love. From a space beyond words, this poem emerged:
The temple of this body yearns to live
always as “a temple of gratitude”
heart and mind flowing pure and happy
in the midst of all this beauty and suffering
The flame of pure love breathes us all
For all this I give thanks eternal
Colorado, United States
I love the title, “Gratitude, the Nature of Gratitude.” I especially love the way this title connects me to two meanings of the word nature. Spending time in nature, both in person and through the images and videos on the Siddha Yoga path website, is such a potent portal for me to connect to gratitude. When I am in nature, I so easily experience the beauty and divine perfection of God’s creation and my own connection to it.
And to me, gratitude is an experience of God. Some of the qualities I experience when gratitude arises in me are blessedness, protection, love, fulfillment, happiness, and awe. So, to me, “the Nature of Gratitude” is the great Self, God, whom I experience within myself and all around me.
California, United States
I am so thankful to Gurumayi ji for this Thanksgiving gift. I am filled with gratitude and now have an expansive awareness of everything that I am so grateful for. I am deeply grateful for all of the blessings I have received and continue to receive from the Guru and the universe. I also have profound gratitude for the strength and fortitude that Gurumayi has blessed me with in difficult times throughout the years.
Gurgaon, India
I am grateful to Gurumayi for her love in the form of this beautiful Thanksgiving gift. I am grateful to know that she is thinking of us, and that she knows we are thinking of her. Her gift of love fills my heart with so much gratitude that I only want to share it with others.
California, United States
I watched this video early in the morning with my nearly two-year-old son. Throughout the video, each time a heart appeared on the screen, he remarked, “More heart!” At the end of the video, he turned to me and said, “Draw heart!”
He seemed to capture the essence of gratitude the video conveyed: to share ever more heart and to give expression to that heart’s giving.
New Mexico, United States
When I looked at “Gratitude, the Nature of Gratitude” and read Eesha Sardesai’s exposition, my heart leapt with love and gratitude. I searched within myself for a way to express gratitude and I saw water flowing down my hands as an offering to the sea, which then returned to its source: the heart.
I have seen so many hearts lately, including signs of my mother’s presence; she is no longer in life but often manifests to me as hearts and white butterflies. Recently, I even saw a heart with bubbles in a container full of water and, beyond amazement, I felt immense gratitude.
I experience the power of gratitude often because, through Gurumayi’s grace, I am constantly reminded of it.
San Giorgio a Cremano, Italy
I offer gratitude for my connection to Shri Guru, to nature, to the Heart, and to the fire of love that blazes within me.
For me, gratitude is an offering and experience of the heart.
Cambridge, Canada
The soothing music in this video has brought a smile to my face. I was feeling tired, but this healing music is so uplifting. I feel a soft, light sense of gratitude in my heart, like a fluffy cloud. I offer my gratitude to Gurumayi for this beautiful gift.
Thane West, India