GRATITUDE DAY #1: Creating and expressing gratitude through the mind-body connection

THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY! (art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Hallelujah for this day! Today signals Day #1 of my conscious effort to create and express gratitude. Hallelujah for Karen Drucker's song, "Thank You for This Day" (Acknowledgement to Christine Gautreaux for introducing me to KD), which will be the theme song for me through Thanksgiving.

What does it mean to "create" gratitude? 

In simple incremental steps, I have been exploring the way the "body" can "change" the "mind." 

The first and most easily accessible way is through MOVEMENT (Thank InterPlay). For example, this morning before sitting down, I put on the music "Thank You for This Day" and stretched my arms, swirled my hips and stepped around the perimeter of my two bedroom condo. The lyrics of "thankfulness" flowing around me. Step #1 towards creating gratefulness completed.

Then playing the song for a second and third time accompanied by the "act" of being at the computer to write this blog post is another "embodied" action holding and creating a way of being in GRATITUDE. Step #2 towards creating gratefulness completed.

Finally, a preliminary act....In the Ichno-Art Cat Palace that I share with Tony Martin (science author and artist extraordinaire), we have the good practice of preparing the night before for our "Daily Creative Practice." Therefore, last night, I rummaged through a precious collection of 100 images made across a three-month plus time frame in 2014 and processed it through the app, Paintbrush. (My resourcefulness is being called upon since I am fortunate enough to have numerous teaching engagements right now which limits my time making originals). This incremental act, prepares both mind and body to "create" in the morning because I have a plan which I only have to enact! Step #3 towards creating gratefulness completed.

Did I succeed in "creating" gratitude through my actions? Absolutely! I am awakened. And I am anticipating sharing this created gratitude with my Facebook Group, The Daily Creative Practice. I think it might be fun to create gratitude up through Thanksgiving! What do you think?

THE GRATITUDE STAR!

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me. What are you grateful for today? What do you think about creating gratitude through movement? Give Karen Drucker a listen! 

ABOUT THIS IMAGE: Ta Dah! This is part of many images made for my "Cosmos of Hallelujah." Here, I have surrendered to the energy in the middle of my body, that today I have named the "gratitude star." On one side is my Mother Snake, the primal creator and on the other side is my feline companion. Often I draw the sun and moon to bring in the sense of timelessness and eternity. (Hallelujah Truth)