Gratitude Changes Everything
In 2012, I went on a meditation retreat in Sedona, Arizona. (Yep … running 30 miles a week isn’t enough to calm my ass down, so I had to take up the study of mediation, too). While I was there, I was introduced to the book, The Hidden Messages of Water.
This book changed my life, and after reading it I began to implement gratitude into my life in a big way.
Author Dr. Masuru Emoto, a Japanese scientist and water researcher, revealed the true nature of water and how thoughts and vibrations affect the molecular structure of it. Using high-speed photography, he studied how the crystals formed in frozen water and made a striking discovery. When thoughts were directed at the crystals, they actually changed. For example, the water from clear springs or water that was exposed to loving words showed brilliant, colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, the water from polluted sources or water that was exposed to negative thoughts formed incomplete patterns with dull colors.
In the course of his research, Dr. Emoto also wrote words or phrases, such as “Thank you” and “Fool,” on pieces of paper and wrapped them around the water bottles with the messages facing in. Water exposed to the words “Thank you” formed beautiful hexagonal crystals. But water that was exposed to the word “Fool” produced crystals that were malformed and fragmented.
I know it seems incredible to think that words alone could change the way water crystals form, but they truly did. (Incidentally, the water that was exposed to the words ‘love’ or ‘gratitude’ showed the most beautiful crystals of all!)
So what does this have to do with us? Well, the human body is made of 70% water!
Our thoughts can have profound implications on our health, wellbeing, and even our happiness levels. Words really do matter and they are powerful. The vibration of good words has a positive effect, whereas negative words have the power to lower our vibration and make us dull.
It’s this power of positivity that makes me practice gratitude with my quarterly and yearly taxes. Each year when I send my money to the IRS, I purposely send it with a heart stamp.
Why? Because gratitude changes the vibration and I’m sending my money with love. I’ve made enough money that I “get” to pay taxes. I have a friend who does something similar; he writes the words “thank you” in the memo of his check when paying utility bills. We are fortunate to be able to pay our taxes and our bills. So, why shouldn’t we be thankful for that?
These may seem like little actions. But they’re ones that matter. Because when you send a positive vibration (like gratitude), you’re rewarded in turn, with abundance.
Gratitude = Abundance