“July is a month in which to embrace nature, to observe its principles and integrate them into our lives” as stated in Angeles Arrien’s book Living with Gratitude A Journey That Will Change Your Life. This month gives us many opportunities to be grateful for sharing time in nature with family and friends.  It is also a time to show gratitude in helping care for our planet.

Love the world as your self; then you can care for all things.”

~ TAO TE CHING 

Earth Teach Me

Earth teach me stillness as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth teach me caring as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands alone.

Earth teach me limitation as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.

Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness as dry fields weep with rain.

~ A prayer from the Ute Indians

Continuing to use Angeles Arrien’s book, Living In Gratitude as our inspiration, we look at equanimity for the month of June. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it means “calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation. In theory – All the major spiritual traditions of the world regard equanimity as central to their teachings.  A modern definition of equanimity: cool. This refers to one whose mind remains stable & calm in all situations.

“When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, loose no time in recovering your self-control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it.”  ~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

“Gratitude, not understanding, is the secret to joy and equanimity.”  ~ Ann Lamott

Due to the tragic April Boston Marathon bombings it is heartfelt that this month’s chapter,“Gift of Grace” from Angeles Arrien’s book Living with Gratitude A Journey That Will Change Your Life, has us explore the relationship between gratitude and grace. She writes “The destiny and true grace of all creation is inter-communion.  This sense of unity, interconnectedness, and belonging accentuates the experience of gratitude, awe, and wonder within us.”

Below is the Boston Magazine’s May issue cover.  These are the shoes gathered from the courageous runners participating in the marathon.  This dynamic photo represents the runners’ “Gift of Grace” to the nation.  The nation has already responded by their “Gratitude” regarding this photo’s powerful message.

Go the following link to learn more behind the May Boston Magazine cover:

 http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2013/04/25/behind-our-may-boston-marathon-cover/

“APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS.”  How many times have you heard this well known saying?  Spring represents a new beginning.  I feel that is what Angeles Arrien is offering us to consider when we read the April chapter of her book  Living in Gratitude, A Journey That Will Change Your Life.  This chapter is titled Mercy and Atonement, which seems appropriate that she states how April holds the twin blessings of nature’s spectacular renewal and opportunity for us to release corrosive states of ingratitude.  This month it is recommended that our gratitude work is to expose the states of ungratefulness we harbor within ourselves.  Angeles Arrien writes “Healing occurs when the heart is open, trusting, and hopeful….spring functions as an irrefutable mirror of human nature’s goodness, beauty, and resilience in its ability to survive, grow, and thrive regardless of hardships or injustices.”

Many North American indigenous societies speak of three medicines that we must carry with us every day:  1. The medicine of genuine acknowledgment; 2. The medicine of genuine apology; and 3. The medicine of laughter and joy.  Angeles Arrien points out how all three of these medicines are necessary for extending healing and mercies towards ourselves and others. Also they foster the practice of atonement in our lives, the desire and action to make amends or to come back into natural harmony with oneself (at-one-ment). Living in Gratitude’s April invitation is to sustain hope and trust in life through practices of gratitude and mercies.  Grateful people are more compassionate, merciful, generous and forgiving. As a result, they are also more hopeful and trusting of themselves and others.

Angeles Arrien in her book, Living in Gratitude a Journey That Will Change Your Life, has us look at compassionate service.  She writes that compassionate service cultivates mutuality, reciprocity, and gratitude.  Where are you involved in compassionate service in your life at this time?  What wise actions of thankfulness and generosity do you want to extend to yourself and others this month?  Notice this month where you have extended compassion to others.  Where have others extended compassion to you?

She also suggests one of the best set of practices for becoming a better person through cultivating compassionate service comes from Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush in their book Compassion in Action: Setting Out on a Path of Service.  In this book, we are advised to:  be brave, start small,  use what you’ve got, do something you enjoy, and don’t over commit.

    March Prayer

Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen,

and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him…

Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?

Will it lead to self-rule for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?

Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away.

MOHANDAS GANDHI (1869-1948)  

Reflections

 Embody the love, gratitude,

 and compassion you want to promote

    DENNIS RIVERS