Always End with This

In my Thai massage workshop this weekend, the teacher clued us into this key part of ending any session. She said to "Always end in a state of grace."

She instructed us on the power of a metta practice, also known as loving kindness, and how ending the session with this energy can help to seal the practice for both ourselves and the receiver of the work.

In myself, this also evokes a feeling of gratitude. I feel gratitude for myself for showing up for the session. I feel gratitude for my teachers, both those I've learned from directly and the lineage of teachers. I also feel gratitude for the person I've just worked on, that they were open to receiving the work and the work itself.

But I feel like this has a greater application also.

I was sitting in class and thought, "What if I ended everything in a state of grace and gratitude?"

For example, maybe when I get to my destination in my car, I take a moment to feel gratitude that I got there safely, that I have a mode of transportation. Or perhaps, after I finish the dishes, I feel gratitude for the dishes I have, the food I used them to eat, the water I have to wash them. What would happen if I ended everyday feeling gratitude for what I experienced that day?

Whatever you're doing, consider how you can end in a state of grace and gratitude.

What is the next opportunity where you can apply this to your life? What gratitude can you find right now? Tell me about it in the comments below.