Ayurveda: Healing through Gratitude

Written by Emma Dasco

As we approach a season of giving thanks, how would it feel to tap into the abundant nature of gratitude as your medicine?

According to Ayurveda, which is the Science of Yoga, everything can be medicine. Everything from a substance to an experience has a qualitative nature as it relates to the five elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Ayurveda focuses on restoring balance to these five elements both internally and externally to bring forth an optimal state of wellness. Given that opposite qualities balance one another, even something like the experience of gratitude can be healing. 

Consider how you feel during a moment of gratitude. Do you feel calm, grounded, nourished, soothed, and warm? Many of these energetic qualities are the opposite of denser energies, like feelings of stress, overwhelm, and frustration. Gratitude vibrates at a high frequency, that may foster a sense of healing and connection. From an Ayurvedic perspective, gratitude would be a great antidote to experiences that feel heavy and aggravating. And, in fact, a consistent gratitude practice is associated with lower blood pressure, a slower heart rate, and greater happiness. 

In times of adversity, gratitude can serve as a bridge between one state of being to another. However insignificant it might seem at the time of adversity, can you find a moment of gratitude? Pretty soon, you might notice the expansive and healing nature of gratitude as it spreads and brings softness. This practice does not suggest that you ignore or suppress the emotion, but instead, offers a different route to expressing and feeling your emotions. 

Cultivating gratitude naturally attracts more of what you love into your life. When you are in the habit of expressing gratitude, you amplify our connections and serve as a magnet for things you feel aligned with. You can lean into these healing energies to embody our most balanced state, inside and out.

PHOTO: Darius Bashar on Unsplash