Sri Daya Mata is one of the earliest and closest disciples of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI. She has served for the past 40 years as president of Self-Realization Fellowship, the international nonprofit religious society founded by Yogananda in 1920 to disseminate his universal teachings on India’s ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. Soon after meeting Yogananda in 1931, Sri Daya Mata became a nun of the monastic Self-Realization Order; and for more than 20 years, Yogananda personally prepared her to carry on his spiritual and humanitarian work. One of the first women in recent times to be appointed spiritual head of a worldwide religious movement, Sri Daya Mata has made several global speaking tours, and she is the author of two anthologies—ONLY LOVE and FINDING THE JOY WITHIN YOU.
Gratitude is a quality that can contribute immeasurably to our happiness, for it is an essential aspect of love. Indeed, it draws us closer to the ultimate Source of all love.
Looking back on the many years that I was privileged to be in Paramahansa Yogananda’s presence during his lifetime, I recall how often he encouraged us to cultivate the habit of appreciating all the good in life—not taking for granted even the little things. The more we express loving gratitude to God for our blessings, great or small, the deeper will be our attunement with that Infinite One, and our awareness of His responding love. And too, the divine laws of abundance operate more fully in our lives when we acknowledge and appreciate the Giver behind the bounty of our spiritual and material blessings. It is so rewarding to recognize the good in each moment, in every experience, looking to the Giver with a grateful heart.
How, then, do we cultivate such gratitude? One way is to dwell on some circumstance in our life for which we feel truly thankful. It does not have to be a momentous experience. A hint of some good done to us—maybe a smile that came our way and lifted our heart—is sufficient. Remembering such experiences helps us to develop a spirit of thankfulness.
As often as some sweet grace comes to you, inwardly say, “Thank You, my God.” This simple practice brings far-reaching results, because to dwell on good is to magnify it. That which we enliven in our mind soon reflects in our outward behavior. Thus, a deep sense of gratitude ennobles our life and the lives of those with whom we associate.
Sometimes the greatest cause for gratitude lies concealed in the challenges we face, for they help to make us stronger and more compassionate human beings. The concept of giving thanks to God even in the midst of misfortune is a very beautiful one, often referred to in the scriptures of both East and West. More than that, it represents the truest perspective we can adopt. Even the highest and finest of the pleasures of this life are bound to come to an end. But God is our Eternal Well-Wisher, and when we turn to Him—whether in joy or sorrow—with a whispered word of thanks, we begin to transcend the fluctuations of earthly existence and to anchor our lives in a love that will endure forever.
