Gratitude

A man who is ungrateful is not worthy of spiritual knowledge. If such a man desires to be diverted towards spirituality, he ought to give up the habit of ingratitude.

—Lalaji

If at all there is any sin, it is that of ingratitude.

—Babuji 
 

The odyssey of the soul commences when it emerges from the Source as an individual unit—a divine particle cast out from the Center,

as a droplet from the sea, or a spark from fire. Inheriting a creative urge from the original thought-force, the individual soul seeks to strengthen its individual existence. Consequently, the soul then begins its journey towards individuality and materiality, gradually becoming estranged from its Source. Yoga aims to dissolve the soul’s individual creation and reconcile the soul with its Source, restoring its original purity and unity. Through the yogic journey, the soul reaches the culmination of its odyssey, retracing its initial descent, thereby commencing the path of return to unite with the Source, the Center.

The journey homeward begins when a master of caliber introduces an initial spark of divinely awakened consciousness into an abhyasi during the introductory sittings. This unique consciousness kindles a new inner motivation, fostering within the abhyasi’s heart a longing for the original Home. As this yearning intensifies, the external pulls of the world gradually lose their hold. In these initial sittings, the seed of a new spiritual destiny takes root within the abhyasi.

Once the seed of spirituality has been sown within the heart, it may lie dormant for a considerable period if deprived of suitable nourishment in an environment conducive to growth. For that seed to flourish, the

For that seed to flourish, the descent of divine grace is critical, as well as Yogic Transmission from a master of caliber, which acts as spiritual sunlight, illuminating the individual mind and facilitating meditative states.

descent of divine grace is critical, as well as Yogic Transmission from a master of caliber, which acts as spiritual sunlight, illuminating the individual mind and facilitating meditative states. Divine support alone cannot ensure growth. For the seed of spirituality to flourish, it necessitates the nurturing waters of the abhyasi’s love and devotion and the fertile soil of akhlaq—good moral character. To cultivate

one’s inner kshetra—field—is the duty of each abhyasi. Without such attentive care, no further growth can occur.

Gratitude fosters the growth of the akhlaq-oriented qualities of unselfishness, humility, and submission to the Almighty.

Love, devotion, and akhlaq all arise from our vrittis—our attitudes, which tend to be conditioned by our tendencies. Our vrittis, in turn, govern our actions, pravrittis, encompassing not just physical acts but also our mental conduct. Our vrittis and pravrittis shape our nature, or prakriti—the fusion of our tendencies, attitudes, and activities.

Our nature is the field where our seed must flourish and grow.

Based on our vrittis and the consequent pravrittis, our nature can embody akhlaq, good moral character, reflecting virtuous qualities, or it can manifest as something less noble. In either case, our nature, encompassing tendencies, attitudes, and actions, wields the power to design our destiny, or prarabdha.

Our spiritual destiny, sown as a seed and nurtured by grace and the Master’s transmission, flourishes when we cultivate a nature which embodies akhlaq and fosters conducive attitudes. This begs an important question: Which attitude should we prioritize to cultivate? The answer is gratitude.

Gratitude fosters the growth of the akhlaq-oriented qualities of unselfishness, humility, and submission to the Almighty. When gratitude is present, these virtues naturally emerge, while ingratitude encourages the opposite qualities of selfishness, egotism, and insistence.

Gratitude and ingratitude play a significant role in our spiritual journey. Gratitude arises when what one has received surpasses expectations (or if one has no expectations at all), while ingratitude emerges when one feels that what has been given falls short of one’s expectations, creating a feeling of insufficiency. This ungrateful mindset leads to perpetual dissatisfaction and an unquenchable desire for more. Ingratitude breeds misery, fueling complaints and resentment towards God and life, diverting us from our intended path.

Ingratitude is not merely an absence of gratitude. It is an attitude of entitlement. An ungrateful person may acknowledge the value of what they receive but believes it was owed to them and deserved. This entitled mindset reflects arrogance, since it convinces the individual that they are entitled to receive service. When spiritual benefits are lacking, such a heart places blame, complains, and feels unjustly deprived. This attitude hinders the formation of a genuine bond with the Giver, causing the person to perceive the Master as a mere instrument or a means to fulfill personal desires.

For gratitude to flood your heart, total emptiness is required.

Nothing less will do.

A person with immense gratitude tends to feel, “I have nothing against this existence; I have no complaints whatsoever.” Such a person finds contentment and is devoid of complaints or a hankering for more.

For gratitude to flood your heart, total emptiness is required. Nothing less will do. In such a person, there is more and more of less and less. To seek more and more of more and more means that you are still hankering; you are hungry all the time. How can gratitude arise when seeking more and more?

An absence of gratitude means an absence of grace. An ungrateful or arrogant heart cannot receive blessings or grace and is nobody’s friend. An ungrateful heart is equivalent to a repulsive heart. It repels rather than attracts. The incremental development of gratitude means an incremental shower of grace and blessings.

Once, the great sage Narada wandered through a lush forest. As he walked, he came across an older man who had been meditating for so long that a gigantic anthill had formed around him.

The old man noticed Narada’s presence and asked, “O Narada, where are you headed?”

Narada replied, “I am going to visit Heaven.”

The man then requested, “Please ask a question on my behalf when you reach there. I have spent countless lives striving for liberation. Kindly inquire when God will show me mercy and grant me freedom.”

Narada agreed and resumed his journey. However, he soon came across another man happily dancing under a tree. Narada felt compelled to ask this man if he had any message for God. But the dancing man was so absorbed in his ecstatic dance that he didn’t respond.

After a few days, when Narada finished visiting Heaven, he returned to the first man with God’s answer.

The man asked eagerly, “O Narada, did you inquire about my liberation?”

Narada replied, “Yes, I did. The Lord has revealed that you will attain liberation after three more births.”

The man reacted with anger, exclaiming, “Three more lives? But I have meditated for such a long time already! Look at this anthill around me. Isn’t this enough?”

Narada then approached the second man, still lost in his dance of ecstasy.

“I took the liberty of asking the Lord about you,” Narada said. “The Lord conveys that your liberation will come, but only after as many lives as there are countless leaves on this tree under which you are dancing.”

Upon hearing this, the dancer leaped for joy. He exclaimed, “Only that many leaves? So few births until I am free?” With gratitude towards the heavens, he said, “Oh, thank you, my dear Lord!”

Suddenly, a voice resonated from the sky, declaring, “My son, you are now liberated.”

The story of Narada beautifully illustrates the interplay between gratitude and grace. It teaches us that gratitude attracts grace while ingratitude repels it. Consider the contrasting examples of the dancing man and the man meditating in the anthill. Both had the potential

for immediate liberation, but their attitudes made all the difference. The dancing man exuded gratitude and invited grace, which led to his instant freedom. In contrast, the man in the anthill, driven by ungratefulness and a sense of entitlement, repelled the grace that could have liberated him. Just imagine if he had embraced gratitude like the dancing man—he too could have partaken in liberation right then and there. Grace possesses the power to accomplish miracles. It descends when the great Personalities of the Brighter World are joyful and subtly present with us. However, if the recipient lacks gratitude

Grace possesses the power to accomplish miracles. It descends when the great Personalities of the Brighter World are joyful and subtly present with us.

(which inherently encompasses a sense of joyfulness), the descent of grace will be blocked. The recipient’s disposition of gratitude is of utmost importance as it establishes the conditions for grace to manifest. In other words, to fully benefit from the rain, we must adequately prepare our field.

The speech of a disciple filled with gratitude is unique. There will be music with the words or the silences. Your eyes, your gestures, whether you choose to sit or stand, your breathing, your heartbeats—all will have a unique rhythm. With gratitude, whatever one has received is

far superior to one’s expectation. With ingratitude, whatever has been received is far inferior to one’s expectation. In a state of ingratitude, nothing ever seems to be enough.

The feeling of gratitude relaxes the entire system. What can we, as devotees of the great Master, offer? What can be a fitting gift to him for all we have received except heartfelt gratitude? The arising of thankfulness, laughter, appreciation, gratefulness, and prayerfulness nourishes us at different levels and at different intensities. On the other hand, anger, dislike, irritation, and jealousy all deplete us from within at different levels and at different intensities. Ingratitude is a “never enough” type of attitude. It makes one feel miserable. The mind remains preoccupied with constant complaining. It takes attention away from the Divine. Anything that keeps one away from Divinity

is the very definition of sin. How long can the subtle fragrance of gratitude survive, surrounded by the odor of jealousy, anger, and a vengefulness?

Misunderstandings often arise when we lack a comprehensive view of a situation, leading to false assumptions and perceptions, and our inclination to constantly evaluate everything that comes our way in life often destroys our gratitude. For example, suppose a close friend cancels their plan with you at the last minute. We may make false assumptions without knowing the full context, speculating that they don’t value our time or friendship. This misunderstanding occurs when we are unaware of the reasons behind their decision. It can inadvertently foster a sense of dissatisfaction, fueling a desire for things to be better aligned with our expectations.

However, upon further discussion, we may learn that our friend canceled due to a family emergency. This realization allows us to correct our false assumptions and understand that their absence had nothing to do with us but was caused by an unforeseen circumstance. It would have been better to understand initially that we may not always have the complete picture of what others are experiencing.

By giving them the benefit of the doubt and acknowledging the possibility of hidden factors at play, we can develop sufficient understanding to avoid jumping to false conclusions by evaluating circumstances based on our limited knowledge. Trust is the biggest gift that one can shower in a relationship. It is this trust for which we remain ever grateful.

Gratitude starts with appreciation. In a fascinating study involving nearly 300 adults seeking mental health counseling, participants were divided into three groups—one that wrote gratitude letters, one that wrote about negative experiences, and a control group. The study 

found that those who wrote gratitude letters experienced significantly better mental health outcomes than the other groups, suggesting the benefits of gratitude practice. Additionally, brain scans revealed that individuals who engaged in gratitude letter writing exhibited greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex—a brain region associated with decision-making and emotional reasoning functions, suggesting that practicing gratitude may have a significant impact on both cognitive processes and emotional well-being.

Gratitude is like the fragrance of a flower, which does not have a specific destination. It does not matter whether you believe in God; what truly matters is your ability to feel thankful.

Interestingly, even those participants who did not send their gratitude letters to the intended recipients still enjoyed the mental health benefits of the exercise. The act of writing the letters itself, even if they were not shared, positively impacted the well-being of the participants.

You need not make hue and cry about expressing gratitude. You will start to feel obligated. A Sanskrit word, aabhar, means “I am thankful to you.” However, its literal meaning is “this burden.” It acknowledges the weight of gratitude, which can create a sense of obligation and heaviness. However, gratitude does not require a specific target or recipient. It does not need to be directed toward any person or entity. Gratitude is like the fragrance of a flower, which does not have a specific destination. It does not matter whether you believe in God; what truly matters is your ability to feel thankful. If you believe in God but lack gratitude, the belief loses its purpose. The unspoken prayer that arises from a genuine sense of gratitude will always reach its intended destination, even though it may be unaddressed.

Simple appreciation arises when someone fulfills a conscious or unconscious desire or serves us in some way. However, this kind of gratitude is often conditional and dependent on receiving things we appreciate. But what happens to our gratitude when we encounter something we do not enjoy?

Let’s consider the example of ordering food at a restaurant. Suppose the taste or presentation doesn’t meet our standards. In that case, we become disappointed and lose our gratitude for being nourished and sustained. Our expectations act as a barrier, causing us to forget Babuji’s eighth maxim: “Be happy to eat in constant Divine thought whatever you get, with due regard to honest and pious earnings.” Instead of embodying unconditional gratitude at that moment, our gratitude could only emerge if what we received aligned with our personal standards.

There is a higher level of evaluating gifts that goes beyond their quality and focuses on the intention behind them. For example, when your child gives you a simple drawing, you are not concerned about the artistic skill displayed. Instead, you are filled with joy by the love and innocence conveyed through their gesture. In this case, you evaluate the gift based on the intention rather than quality. However, it’s

The unspoken prayer that arises from a genuine sense of gratitude will always

reach its intended destination, even though it may be unaddressed.

crucial to go deeper and acknowledge that all experience exists for an evolutionary purpose. Therefore, our evaluation should extend beyond considerations of quality and intentions and encompass the broader evolutionary purpose of life’s varied experiences.

In ancient times, the Sankhya philosophy emphasized that there was a purpose behind the experiences offered to us by nature. These experiences, whether positive or negative, were recognized as a platform for us to evolve out of the material realm. The teachings of Beloved Chariji, who often compared life to a school where invaluable lessons are imparted, resonate with this understanding. Through this lens, we can comprehend the significance of every experience we encounter and cultivate gratitude, knowing that each experience can contribute to our spiritual growth and eventual journey toward liberation and beyond.

Life’s experiences can be valuable lessons on our journey, regardless of their nature. Bitter experiences, in particular, serve as potent tools for our development. Sweeter experiences, on the other hand, can divert our attention and allure us into the engrossment of the material

Our evaluation should extend beyond considerations of quality and intentions and encompass the broader evolutionary purpose of life’s varied experiences. 
 

We can comprehend the significance of every experience we encounter and cultivate gratitude, knowing that each experience that comes our way can contribute to the evolution

of our consciousness.

world. So, which experiences should we be more thankful for, the pleasant or the challenging? In the context of this question, Babuji’s fifth maxim carries deep significance when it reminds us to “accept miseries as Divine Blessings for your own good and be thankful.” This maxim encourages us to recognize that even in challenging moments, a greater purpose is unfolding, guiding us toward our spiritual destiny. Through this lens, we can comprehend the significance of every experience we encounter and cultivate gratitude, knowing that each experience that comes our way can contribute to the evolution of our consciousness. When we become disheartened by life’s bitter flavors, we have lost sight of life’s purpose to some extent. This realization allows us to reflect on our purpose and goal.

However, even the acknowledgment that all experiences hold evolutionary potential and are deserving of gratitude indicates a conditional form of gratitude. Feeling grateful for hardships still relies on evaluating them as divine blessings for our personal growth. Beyond this is a subsequent stage where evaluation dissipates entirely. At this stage, everything that comes to us is perceived as a

True gratitude emerges from a heart that resonates with the Ultimate Being and depends neither on external events nor spiritual blessings. Only when all desires are relinquished can we enter this sacred state.

gift from the Beloved, which becomes the sole focus. Ramakrishna Paramahansa exemplified this state of gratitude, where judgment and evaluation vanished, leaving only a profound and joyful recognition of the presence of the Divine. In this advanced stage of gratitude, the emphasis shifts from the gift itself to the Giver, the Beloved. Here, even the process of evolution becomes insignificant to the devotee.

True gratitude emerges from a heart that resonates with the Ultimate Being and depends neither on external events nor spiritual blessings. Only when all desires are relinquished can we enter this sacred state.

The cultivation of gratitude unfolds through various stages, progressing from momentary appreciation, thankfulness, and gratitude to an enduring state of gratefulness. Eventually, gratitude becomes integral to your being, permeating your very nature. At this stage, the pilgrim has gone beyond the mere expression of gratitude and now willingly and joyfully shares their life force with deserving candidates. This transformation marks a shift from being a receiver to becoming a giver, embodying the essence of gratitude’s evolution.

How can you stop gratitude? And when the gratitude in the life flow of your heart must come out through your eyes–we call it ashrudhara in Sanskrit. You see, the flow of tears is likened to the twin rivers of the Ganges and the Yamuna, holy rivers, you see. Such tears are holy; they are blessed. And they relieve you of the enormous burdens of guilt which are buried in your heart, and allow the gratitude that lies in your heart, dammed up in your heart, to be expressed. And when that dam breaks, we sob, we weep. And it’s a good thing that it happens. Please permit it to happen when it happens in an abhyasi. —Chariji