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by Maria Ede-Weaving<\/em><\/p>\r\n If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you;<\/em><\/strong> Today has been glorious. Here in Scotland the spring has come late \u2013 the winter relentlessly long. I sat with a coffee in the garden, the sun\u2019s heat upon my back; the Ash trees\u2019 buds unfurling in the warmth; abundant pussy willow and blossom signalling that perhaps at last the season has shifted. The greening of the trees in my street and garden has been swift; the last few days has seen that vibrant spring green cut through the grey, and now the sun intensifies its vividness\u2013 it is hard not to be filled with joy and hope.<\/p>\r\n The garden is surrounded by mature trees and feels grove-like. I am always struck by the beauty of sunlight through a canopy of trees; it is a sight that can guarantee to raise the hairs upon my neck. For me, it speaks so readily of those moments when the Divine breaks through the veil of our clouded, distracted thinking, shining a spotlight on the magic of this world, reminding us of our blessings. In Druidry, the three-rayed symbol of the Awen expresses that very moment when the veil of our dulled vision is pierced by those shafts of inspiration. We are rent open and the light pours in; what a moment before had seemed merely two-dimensional is animated with a shining that renews and gives depth to the world. There is a Pagan Northern Tradition blessing that seems apt in this regard: Flags, Flax, Fodder and Frig. These four small words stand for some mightily important essentials that each of us needs to remain happy and healthy. In modern understanding \u2018Flags\u2019 refers to the hearth and home, to the roof over our heads; \u2018Flax\u2019, to the clothes upon our backs; \u2018Fodder\u2019, to the food on our plates and in our bellies and \u2018frig\u2019 to our relationships, sex and human connection. The balance of these in our lives leads to another Northern Tradition concept of \u2018Frith\u2019. Frith is more complex a notion than I can\u2019t do justice to here, but it usually translates as \u2018peace and prosperity\u2019. When we have our basic human essentials met, it creates a balance that brings peace \u2013 this being equally true within the individual as well as wider society, and is therefore something that should be sought after in both.<\/p>\r\n Tragically, many in this world do not have their basic human needs met. Not only does their wellbeing suffer but they are also denied the right to discover what gift \u2013 unique to them \u2013 that they possess to offer the world. This is a tragedy not only for the individual but for wider society too. How often has poverty and war robbed us of so much potential, gifts that given the right environment and nurture might have transformed our world for the better? For those of us whose basics are met \u2013 even if at times our security might feel a little shaky \u2013 it can be good to remind ourselves of all we possess that supports and enriches us.<\/p>\r\n When we engage with and acknowledge the blessings of our home, having warm clothing and enough food; when we celebrate our relationships and the many sensual pleasures that each day brings, we can find ourselves a little closer to the reality of Frith. Frith is connected to the God Freyr, himself a bringer of the sweet things in life \u2013 he is the life-giving sun and rain that makes the earth fruitful; he is joy and pleasure; love, sex, abundance and joy \u2013 the many things in our lives that sustain and enrich us. I have seen him written about as a light-bringer in the sense that he can break through, just like those shafts of sunlight through forest canopies, enlightening our dark spaces. For me, his connection to gratitude is an important one. When we express our thankfulness for what we have \u2013 regardless of how humble \u2013 he blesses us with that joy, peace and sense of well-being that gratitude brings. I don\u2019t do it nearly enough but I think a regular practice of consciously giving thanks is a simple but powerfully effective spiritual practice that anyone can do, regardless of religious belief or lack of, and it would seem, regardless of where we might find ourselves.
it will be enough.<\/em><\/strong>
~ Meister Eckhart ~<\/p>\r\n![\",](\"https:\/\/druidry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rays-leaves.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Watching the sunlight break through the branches of the trees in my garden, I felt an enormous sense of peace and gratitude, and it occurred to me that there is an intimate link between this sense of thankfulness and our sense of wellbeing. It true to say that no matter what struggles befall us, gratitude can go a long way to easing the stresses and burdens of that struggle. I have noticed many times when I have been wrestling with limited finances and the worries that these bring, that focusing on the lack only serves to deepen the discomfort. When we consciously choose to count our blessings, the difficulties seem easier to bear.<\/p>\r\n![\",](\"https:\/\/druidry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Maslows-Hierachy-of-Needs-600x502.png\" "\\"\\"")
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It can be so easy to lose touch with gratitude when we feel challenged by life. We can become distracted by the everyday minor irritations that we each deal with or \u2013 at those moments when major changes overwhelm us \u2013 we can feel in some way exiled from life\u2019s sweetness, from the many blessings that we are touched by. When we look a little deeper, even at the most painful times, we can find that we are surrounded by a million unspoken kindnesses; within touching distance of beauty and joy; never far from a gift \u2013 be it a word, an act, a sight, that has the potential to open and bless us.<\/p>\r\n![\",](\"https:\/\/druidry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Gratitude-Muscle-1-600x400.png\" "\\"\\"")
Perception is everything \u2013 how we choose to see and interpret our lives is ultimately the deciding factor in how our lives are shaped. We might not draw the outline \u2013 plenty of external stuff impacts on us too \u2013 but we select the colours that fill those lines; the tone and the texture are ours to create. The wonderful thing about gratitude is that it transforms the world into a magical place, full of meaning and depth. It is that shaft of sunlight breaking through the leaves, the world turned golden and precious by its touch.<\/p>\r\n
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