Gratitude is a feeling that increases well-being. It strengthens and calms, reduces stress and improves sleep. And that increases gratitude.
What can you be grateful for? It may be that nothing amazing comes to mind right away. But does gratitude need some wondrous, big and wonderful, lottery win? When you think more closely, you can find hundreds of reasons to be grateful. I feel enormous gratitude for things that may be taken for granted at first thought, but which, upon closer examination, are not taken for granted in the first place: A warm home, clean water (which even comes directly from the tap at home), everyday food. From fresh outdoor air that does not weigh down our sky with pollution. I am grateful for freedom of thought and self-expression and speech. The ability to learn. About friends.
What do you think about the ability to speak, for example? Or literacy? The fact that almost everyone in Finland learns to read and write as a child? Could you feel gratitude for these?
I am grateful and in awe of the many wonderful inventions made by people, for example glasses, hearing aids, rollators and wheelchairs, medicines and various possibilities for repairing the human body. And about means of communication: internet, computer and phone. From electricity. About the camera... Oh my goodness, how many of these come when you stop for a moment and really think! I am grateful that we get many health and learning aids, care and maintenance procedures at very low prices, some even for free.
I am grateful for nature: Forests and seas, fresh fell streams that you can even drink from! From our wonderful archipelago; rock formations, small villages, sea marks, lighthouses, birds, seals, barnacles... Trees, flowers, wild herbs, berries and mushrooms - and of course the right of every man to enjoy all of these. I am grateful for the ability to enjoy the beauty of nature with many senses; I can listen to the birds singing and the patter of the rain, I can admire the flowers and touch the moss, taste the berries and put a ratamon leaf to treat a scratch. I can make heather or horsmate tea, and I can, for example, stretch and exercise, or take a nap supported by strong trees
Video: Mia Lamberg
I am grateful for creativity and art: music, visual arts, dance, literature, storytelling with pictures and words. I am grateful for movement and stillness; from dancing, stretching, body care, organic exercise. For being able to work on the things I love, guiding, teaching, helping and encouraging wonderful, wonderful people - just like you - to move, take care of and take care of mind and body. I am grateful that I get to be a part of maintaining people's health and even improving it. I am grateful for the trust, happy moments and lessons I received from each of you.
You too can experience the joy of learning and creating! You can dance, move and also stop to relax, for example. You can participate boldly, as yourself, come as you are. At Aurala, we offer a huge selection of courses, from which you will surely find something suitable for you.
We here at Aurala are grateful for you.
World Gratitude Day is celebrated on September 21, 2021. This day, still relatively unknown here in Finland, originates from Hawaii, and has been celebrated since 1965. You can read more about the day here: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-gratitude-day/
The author of the story, Mia Lamberg, is a long-time mover; she has instructed oriental dance, body care and various exercise classes; first as a hobby along with other work since 1996, and full-time since 2009. In addition to exercise, body and mind care, she has been involved in organic exercise and crossfit, forests, wild herbs, knitting (ie weaving), and reading. Mia's courses can be found here: https://opistopalvelut.fi/aurala/search.php?l=fi&search=Lamberg . (You can register for courses that have already started. You can get a discount on the course fee by sending an email to the Aurala office, toimisto@aurala.fi)
