"Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more." ~Mary Baker Eddy~

First celebrated in 1621, Thanksgiving is one of the busiest and most popular holidays celebrated here in the United States. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday for citizens to celebrate unity and give thanks, and since 1941 it has been celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.

For most of us Thanksgiving conjures up many mixed emotions; happiness, stress, excitement, pressure, frustration and anger (just to name a few). The days are growing darker and shorter, holiday excitement is building, and tempers are flaring.

I work in the healing arts, and many of my clients find this to be the most difficult time of year to get through. Family pressures can get to be too much, traffic can send one over the edge, and standing in line at any department store requires the patience of Job.

It's no wonder Thanksgiving falls this time of year --- it's the time of year when it's needed the most!

Why not spend this Thanksgiving giving thanks? When we express the emotion of gratitude we can actually strengthen our immune system! (Remember that stress weakens the immune system!)

Gratitude carries a very high vibration! What is a vibration? you ask? It's the frequency at which something resonates. Emotions of a low vibration (like anger, frustration and hatred) lower our immune systems. Emotions of a high vibration (like love, gratitude and appreciation) strengthen our immune systems and can even help lift some forms of depression!

In Dr. Masaro Emoto's book, "Messages from Water," Dr. Emoto found through his experiments with water that the emotion of gratitude actually carries a higher vibration than that of unconditional love!

So it's quite apparent that being thankful is very good for not only our emotional state, but our physical health too! So, what can we do to feel gratitude?

Keep a Gratitude Journal
A Gratitude Journal is a great way to make ourselves aware of the many blessings we already have in our lives. Do you have someone who is particularly irritating in your life? Try jotting down a few notes of appreciation about them, and over a couple of weeks see how your relationship changes. For optimum effectiveness, journal everyday, and always find new things to be thankful for!

Carry a Gratitude Stone
A Gratitude Stone is just a stone, any stone you like, that can fit in your pocket. Carry it so that you are aware of it frequently throughout the day. Every time you touch it you have to think of something to be thankful for.

Play the Gratitude Game
This is a great one for kids! You have to name something for which you are thankful for every letter of the alphabet. For example, I am thankful for "Apples," "Big pieces of pie," "Candy canes," etc.


If we were to all experience a few moments of gratitude each morning, we would not only see an improvement in our physical well-being, but we could really make a difference in how we feel and relate to each other in the world.


Check out one of my favorite books on the power of vibration by Dr. Masuro Emoto.