If this resonates with you, you may not be alone. According to a 2023 meta-analysis on the impact of 'gratitude interventions' many people find it difficult to express gratitude and remain unaware of the hidden benefits of developing and sustaining a gratitude practice.
This 2023 review revealed 10 enticing research-based reasons for cultivating a deliberate gratitude practice, all related to social and emotional wellbeing and life satisfaction.
The 10 research-based hidden benefits of cultivating a deliberate gratitude practice:
Hold a greater sense of appreciation.
Experience more positive emotions.
Encounter greater levels of positive mood.
Enjoy more prosocial behaviours.
Have lower levels of worry.
Have lower levels of psychological pain.
Enjoy greater satisfaction with life.
Experience better mental health.
Hold greater levels of optimism.
Have fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression*
* Note, this was a small effect compared to other therapies (e.g. medications) and gratitude practice was offered as complementary therapy, not standalone (see p6 of the 2023 review).
What has gratitude got to do with yoga?
Perhaps you don’t think of a having a gratitude practice as yoga… However, expressing gratitude is an ancient yoga practice linked with the concept of santosha or contentment.
“From contentment unsurpassed happiness is gained”
Yoga Sutras 2: 42
Santosha is listed under the observances for healthy living, known as the niyamas, in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (circa 400 AD / CE). The niyamas are just one of the eight limbs of yoga. The Yoga Sutras have recently been described as ‘the definitive guide to inner tranquillity’ by A.G. Mohan and I like to think of them as an early self-help guide, especially chapter 2 which seems to have been written with the householder in mind.
So how are contentment and gratitude linked? Contentment or santosha is the feeling of ‘I have enough’, while gratitude is the more expansive feeling of ‘I appreciate all that I have’. It is the practice of gratitude that leads to inner contentment; and this strengthening of inner contentment in turn strengthens our sense of happiness or sukkha and inner wellbeing... (back to the 10 research-based benefits discovered by clinical researchers of positive psychology!)
Managing your feeling state or bhavana
Evolutionary psychology proposes a theory that the quality of our daily life and where we place our attention is influenced by our moment to moment feeling states below the level of consciousness (Wright, 2017). Potentially, if we are able to manipulate our feeling state in a given moment, we are able to direct where our mind and attention goes.
In yoga a feeling state is known as a bhavana. Bhavana is the composite feeling state (in body, breath, mind and sensations) that arises from an experienced-based recall. We've all has experience of recalling memories and their associated feeling states, though often these are memories that surface randomly and are not self-directed (sometimes they are unwelcome). When we meditate on a positive memory, for example linked to gratitude or contentment, we can evoke the associated feeling state.
In this way, harnessing a gratitude / contentment practice based on recall influences our feeling state… which influences our thoughts… which influences our actions… which influences the quality of our life...
The practice.
Pause for a moment and try this mini meditation for 3 to 5 minutes:
Try to recall a time when you felt a rich sense of inner contentment or gratitude in your life.
As you recall this moment, try to recall what led to your feeling of contentment or gratitude and recall the feeling state (the bhavana) within.
As you inhale and open up, stay with that feeling of contentment / gratitude.
Exhale and let go.
On the inhale, expand and continue to let the feeling of contentment / gratitude expand within.
Stay with this focus for 3 to 5 minutes.
What did you notice? Was this difficult or easy for you?
Here's why a neuroscientist starts her day with gratitude...
Here's another perspective from Tara Swart neuroscientist. In a recent podcast (2024) Tara explained the interplay between cortisol and oxytocin and the benefit of developing a morning gratitude practice.
Tara explained how high levels of cortisol are linked with the feeling states of fear, anger and disgust. Cortisol is a natural hormone that we all need in our lives… it helps us to get going in the morning, though when out of balance and in excess has been linked with stress and negative health outcomes. What is interesting is that cortisol levels change in relation to oxytocin levels.
“I do my gratitude practice straight away (in the morning).
It’s almost like washing your brain with the love and the trust
before the fear can creep in.” - Tara
Basically, the morning practice of gratitude enables you to start the day with a positive feeling state resonating through your mind, body and sensations. It sets you up for the day... and it's possible to do before you even set foot out of bed.
What does a gratitude practice look like?
Gratitude practices are quite simple and can take different forms, here are four examples:
1. Keep a gratitude journal. Note what you are grateful for each day. This could be a morning or end of day practice.
2. Express gratitude to others, verbally or in writing.
3. Publish pictures with expressions of gratitude e.g. on social media.
4. Simply sit and think of things that make you feel grateful or content (contemplation practice).
Final thoughts.
What to focus on in your gratitude practice
One thing to be mindful of is the content of your gratitude practice.
From a yoga perspective, it is recommended to focus more on recalling people and circumstances, than possessions. It may also be helpful to appreciate longstanding positives in your life, as well as the positives from recent events.
If you decide to develop a regular gratitude practice, I’d love to hear how you manage to sustain this over time, and any impacts or benefits you notice.
References:
Swami Hariharananda Aranya (1983 edition) Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali. Suny Press
Geyze Diniz (and 5 others) (2023) The effects of gratitude interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Einstein. Sao Paulo. (This is a review (64 articles) and meta-analysis (33 of the articles)).
Tara Swart (2024) The Science Behind Stress, Body Fats and Manifestation. Episode 273 of High Performance podcast. Dr. Tara Swart is a Neuroscientist. (podcast)
Robert Wright (2017) The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment. (Book)
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