A Place Called Gratitude Les Visible http://www.visibleorigami.com/200 /!2/place"called"gratitude.html Possibl# the emotio$ % e&perie$ce most o'te$ is gratitude.

. (ometimes it goes o$ 'or a le$gth o' time a$d % discover ma$# other thi$gs i$ the process. %t is as i' Gratitude is a room) diml# lit. As #ou sta$d there #our prese$ce begi$s to emit more a$d more light a$d to reveal more a$d more o' the co$te$ts o' the room. Gratitude has atte$da$ts a$d ha$dmaide$s* +o#) sere$it#) a 'eeli$g o' awesome protectio$. % do$,t $otice these thi$gs i$itiall#. %' m# gratitude goes awa# too soo$ % do $ot see to the 'urther reaches o' the room. %t ta-es a while 'or the d#$amo to wi$d up a$d bri$g o$ the 'ull orchestra o' sights a$d sou$ds. %,ve bee$ i$ the prese$ce o' reali.ed masters a$d it is evide$t to me) as it is to most people i$ the room) that there is somethi$g di''ere$t about them. Probabl# o$e o' the 'i$est tale$ts a perso$ ca$ ac/uire is to become a 0trai$ed observer,. %$ order to be a trai$ed observer o$e $eeds to reli$/uish pre" co$ceived assumptio$s a$d $atural pre+udice because the# tai$t the /ualit# o' #our research. %t could be said that whe$ the gravit# o' our assumptio$s begi$s to outweigh our capacit# to lear$) the$ we $o lo$ger grow. (i$ce growth is a$ imperative) pai$ e$ters the picture to o''set that gravit#. %t,s appare$t to me that ma$# people have a higher pai$ threshold tha$ % do. % ca$,t ta-e it. 1h# should %2 1h# should %) whe$ there are so ma$# more re'i$ed statio$s o' bei$g tha$ that o' bei$g whipped alo$g the wa#2 (o i$ watchi$g masters a$d i$ re'lecti$g a'terwards* where real lear$i$g ta-es place ...because #ou ca$,t alwa#s remai$ ob+ective i$ overwhelmi$g prese$ce. % have come to a co$clusio$ about the wa# the# breathe. 3he state o' our mi$ds a$d our emotio$s a''ect the regularit# a$d depth o' our breath. Alter$ativel#) the wa# we breathe a''ects the /ualit# o' our mi$d a$d emotio$s. (o % thi$- about gratitude whe$ % am breathi$g i$ a$d out. % am grate'ul whe$ % eat a$d % imagi$e the 'ood as bei$g divi$e substa$ce. % have to do this. %t is a matter o' sel' de'e$se. %' % am $ot eati$g a$d breathi$g co$sciousl# the$ some other age$c# ma# be doi$g it 'or me. 3houghts li-e this appear delusio$al to some a$d the e&ample o' $ew age ma$dari$s also wor- agai$st credibilit# o$ the part o' those who have see$ the $a-ed emperor. 3hese masters did$,t get where the# are i$ a$ a'ter$oo$ or at a wee-e$d semi$ar. 4' course these thi$gs are advertised* li-e the 3highmaster a$d those rou$d cages that do #our sit"ups 'or #ou. 5# 'avorites are the patches with the electrodes that stimulate the muscles a$d tur$ #ou i$to Ado$is while #ou are watchi$g 3V. 3he sle$deri.er creams are prett# $eat a$d so are the space suits that eve$tuall# retur$ #ou to $eedi$g o$l# o$e airli$e seat. % have$,t see$ (hamoo,s magic cr#stal a$d wealth amulets but % -$ow the# are arou$d eve$ i' (hamoo is goi$g b# a$other $ame $ow. %t comes dow$ to wor- a$d there is where problem 6! gives birth to a lot o' other problems a$d the discouragi$g catcalls 'rom the pea$ut galler# o'

e$tropic recidivism. 3here must be a$ easier wa#. A$d this is where gratitude comes i$. Gratitude ta-es the i$ertia a$d resista$ce out o' the ride. Gratitude promotes a$ eager willi$g$ess. Gratitude ma-es it 'eel good. 1e,ve $o problem e$gagi$g i$ the thi$gs we love to do. %' we do$,t love it the$ it becomes wor-. % wor- all da# lo$g ever# da#) a lot more tha$ eight hours. % do$,t get paid 'or m# wor- i$ the wa# most people do but % do get paid. % get paid i$ gratitude* i$ the i$creased capacit# to 'eel gratitude. Gratitude cha$ges #ou. %t cha$ges the cells i$ #our bod# a$d ma-es #ou 'le&ible a$d #ou$g. %t $eutrali.es a$ger. 5ost people are$,t aware that depressio$ is the result o' tur$i$g #our a$ger i$ward* tur$i$g it upo$ #oursel'. 5ost people also do$,t reali.e that much o' their a$ger comes 'rom their se$se o' bei$g de$ied somethi$g the# i$sist upo$ havi$g* whether that is a$ ob+ect) a world view) someo$e,s atte$tio$ or their right o' wa# o$ the wa# to whatever it is that the# wa$t or wherever it is the# wish to be. Gratitude ma-es all o' that u$$ecessar#. 3he more grate'ul #ou are the more reaso$s #ou are goi$g to have to 'eel that wa#. 3his 'ollows observable laws o' ph#sics. As above) so below* what #ou observe ta-i$g place here ta-es place ever#where) whether #ou ca$ see it or $ot. 3his is o$e o' the scie$ti'ic truths about 'aith. 1e ta-e thi$gs that are o$l# mathematical theor# as ever#da# 'act. 1e are probabl# u$aware o' this but we do. 5a$# people would be /uite surprised to 'i$d that the# regularl# practice thi$gs that the# 'irml# attest the# do $ot believe i$. %' #ou would simpl# practice 'eeli$g gratitude) breathi$g it i$ a$d out) #ou would rather /uic-l# become e$lighte$ed* or) i' #ou pre'er) more e$lighte$ed. As good as it 'eels) wh# would #ou wa$t it all at o$ce2 (hould$,t the i$crease i$ the i$creme$ts o' bliss ta-e 'orever2 Gratitude is a pair o' rose colored glasses a$d a certai$ biblical coat. 3hat,s what % call haute couture. 1h# wear su$glasses i$ a dar- room2 7ecause whe$ #ou are cool the su$ is alwa#s shi$i$g. % do$,t -$ow it be#o$d a 0shadow, o' a doubt but % stro$gl# suspect that this is what masters do whe$ the# breathe i$ a$d out. 4' course it ma# be Love a$d it ma# be Peace or Compassio$ but the origi$ o' ever# virtue is i$ the i$e''able) +ust as the colors) pre"prism) are i$ the white light. 3here is$,t a$# spiritual thi$g that ca$,t be u$derstood i$ a practical) scie$ti'ic wa# ...i' #ou are so i$cli$ed. Gratitude greases the wheels o' moveme$t i$to a better state o' bei$g. %t is a sort o' cosmic three"i$"o$e oil. %$ this time o' spiritual crisis #ou $eed all the help #ou ca$ get. % do a$#wa#. 7ut $o$e o' this is releva$t to m# 'eeli$gs o' gratitude* merel# atte$da$t to them. % 'eel grate'ul because % am grate'ul. 4' all the thi$gs that % could be e$gaged i$) o' all the people % could have bee$* see) eve$ $ow parts o' me are departi$g a$d % spea- o' m#sel' as i' % were i$ the past. 4' all the thi$gs % could have) to have gratitude) well... that ma-es me a hu$dred times more grate'ul +ust thi$-i$g about it. % 'eel held. % 'eel somethi$g i$e&pressible a$d the ver# best part is that % -$ow % am $ot $earl# grate'ul e$ough. 8o) %,m +ust pla#i$g at the margi$s o'

gratitude. 9urther o$) the room cha$ges i$to a world o' music* the sou$ds o' pla$ets rubbi$g together) the li/uid radia$ce o' stars pouri$g i$to a$ empt# cup a$d over"spilli$g be#o$d bou$daries a$d limits. A$d this is o$l# what % ca$ imagi$e 'rom the margi$s. 3his is o$l# what % ca$ see i$ the le$s o' imagi$atio$. 4$ce agai$) scie$ce tells me that it moves be#o$d that. 1e -$ow a great ma$# thi$gs about the u$iverse that we ca$$ot see. :ow did we come to -$ow these thi$gs2 (cie$ti'ic i$/uir# a$d tools adapted to the pursuit made it possible. 3hi$-i$g about this has had the result o' ma-i$g me eve$ more grate'ul tha$ % was a$d so the room has gotte$ larger. 3hat,s good) because m# gratitude ma-es me wa$t to da$ce a$d si$g a$d % $eed the e&tra room 'or that. ;ver# breath o' gratitude alters m# cells some i$'i$itesimal amou$t so that critical mass gets closer. 3his seems to tell me that) <%t,s getti$g better all the time.= 1ill shadows 'all2 (ure... +ust as dar-$ess will tur$ i$to light whe$ dar-$ess 'alls. 7e grate'ul.

>esiderata Go placidl# amid the $oise a$d haste) a$d remember what peace there ma# be i$ sile$ce. As 'ar as possible without surre$der be o$ good terms with all perso$s. (pea- #our truth /uietl# a$d clearl#* a$d liste$ to others) eve$ the dull a$d the ig$ora$t* the# too have their stor#. Avoid loud a$d aggressive perso$s) the# are ve&atio$s to the spirit. %' #ou compare #oursel' with others) #ou ma# become vai$ a$d bitter* 'or alwa#s there will be greater a$d lesser perso$s tha$ #oursel'. ;$+o# #our achieveme$ts as well as #our pla$s. ?eep i$terested i$ #our ow$ career) however humble* it is a real possessio$ i$ the cha$gi$g 'ortu$es o' time. ;&ercise cautio$ i$ #our busi$ess a''airs* 'or the world is 'ull o' tric-er#. 7ut let this $ot bli$d #ou to what virtue there is* ma$# perso$s strive 'or high ideals* a$d ever#where li'e is 'ull o' heroism. 7e #oursel'. ;speciall#) do $ot 'eig$ a''ectio$. 8either be c#$ical about love* 'or i$ the 'ace o' all aridit# a$d dise$cha$tme$t it is as pere$$ial as the grass. 3a-e -i$dl# the cou$sel o' the #ears) grace'ull# surre$deri$g the thi$gs o' #outh. 8urture stre$gth o' spirit to shield #ou i$ sudde$ mis'ortu$e. 7ut do $ot distress #oursel' with dar- imagi$i$gs. 5a$# 'ears are bor$ o' 'atigue a$d lo$eli$ess. 7e#o$d a wholesome discipli$e) be ge$tle with #oursel'. @ou are a child o' the u$iverse) $o less tha$ the trees a$d the stars* #ou have a right to be here. A$d whether or $ot it is clear to #ou) $o doubt the u$iverse is u$'oldi$g as it should. 3here'ore be at peace with God) whatever #ou co$ceive :im to be) a$d whatever #our labors a$d aspiratio$s) i$ the $ois# co$'usio$ o' li'e -eep peace with #our soul. 1ith all its sham) drudger#) a$d bro-e$ dreams) it is still a beauti'ul world. 7e cheer'ul. (trive to be happ#. 5a& ;hrma$$) A>esiderataA