“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”~ Meister Eckhart

Meditation is a great tool. It has a major downside, though: Typically, you have to take time away from your daily activities to do it. Since most people don’t think they have an abundance of time, very few people spend much time meditating each day.

But what if you could meditate while you write emails, clean your house, or talk on the phone?

If you could meditate during your daily activities, you’d be able to meditate a lot—without taking time out of your normal day. Even better, you’d be able to infuse a sense of deep peace amidst the ups and downs of a stressful day. 

Many years ago, I realized I had managed to find deep peace during my daily meditation sessions, but that peace was not extending into my day-to-day life. Yet, if you’ve been meditating on a cushion for a while, bringing the peace of meditation into your life is a natural evolution.

Having interviewed over 60 spiritual teachers, ranging from Deepak Chopra to the Dalai Lama, I’ve learned simple ways to meditate while doing the “stuff” of daily life. I’ve learned that, by saying certain phrases throughout my day, my life is filled with more peace and greater fulfilment. 

When interviewing renowned spiritual teachers such as Ram Dass, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and Adyashanti, I was surprised at how often my interviewees mentioned the value of gratitude in connecting with higher consciousness. I took this information and tucked it away in my mind until a friend of mine, named Fred, returned from India.

The moment I saw Fred, I knew something in him had changed. He looked intensely happy and loving. I asked him, “What changed for you in India?” He mentioned that his guru had given him a magical mantra for feeling overwhelming gratitude. Of course, I asked him what this mantra was, but Fred told me I’d have to go to India to get it directly from his guru. 

Well, I always like to know cutting edge methods, so I flew all the way to India to ask this guru about his amazing mantra. After a couple of days of flying, taking rickshaws, and waiting to see the guru, I finally got a chance to talk to this man in a white flowing robe.

When I asked him about his mantra for helping people feel gratitude, the holy man said, “Ah yes, my mantra is the most powerful mantra on Earth!” He leaned in to whisper it to me. I was very excited. He said, “Whenever possible, repeat the following words. The mantra I give you are the words…thank you.“

Thank You

“As long as you say “thank you” from your heart many times a day for the little things in life, this technique actually works. You can feel grateful for things like access to clean water, the Internet, or a friend or pet that you love.”~ Jonathan Robinson

I figured the holy man was joking, but he seemed totally serious when I looked at him. I couldn’t believe I had traveled all that way for such a stupid, simple mantra. I looked at the guru and practically shouted, “That’s it?!”

The guru said, “No, ‘That’s it’ is the mantra you have been using, and that makes you feel like you never have enough. My mantra is ‘thank you,’ not that’s it.  Thinking ‘that’s it’ will take you nowhere!”

Well, I was pissed off, so I gave the guru a sneer and, in my most sarcastic voice possible, said, “Well, thanks for nothing!” 

Thank You: How this Underrated Mantra Gives Life to Heightened Levels of Bliss

The guru smiled and said, “You must say it from your heart many times a day— so when you eat good food, say, ‘thank you’ from your heart. When you see your child or a sunset or your pet, say it from your heart, and soon you will be filled with overwhelming gratitude.” 

I was still pissed off and highly disappointed, but since I had traveled all that way, I figured I’d give it a try. As I left the ashram, I got a taxi, and to my delight, it had air-conditioning that actually worked.

I felt into my heart, then in gratitude for this comfort, said, “Thank you” to the Universe. Then, I got to my hotel room. In my bathroom was a bottle of purified drinking water. As I quickly drank it down, I felt my heart again and repeated the mantra.

Next, I opened my computer to Skype with my wife. As my computer came to life, I said another “thank you” for this marvellous machine. Next, my wife appeared on the screen. At that point, it hit me how amazing this was. I was talking instantly to my wife from across the globe—for free! I felt incredible gratitude for Skype, my wife, for technology.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Tears started to flow down my face. My wife looked at me and said, “That must be a really magical mantra.” 

I replied, “You have no idea…”

Express Your Gratitude for All

As long as you say it from your heart many times a day for the little things in life, this technique actually works. You can feel grateful for things like access to clean water, the Internet, or a friend or pet that you love.

Try it for yourself, and you’ll see its power. Of course, “thank you” is just one phrase you can say throughout your daily activities that can change how you relate to daily life.  Other phrases I’ve used include:

1. There’s only this moment
2. It’s all unfolding perfectly
3. The Stillness is Dancing
4. Let everything be as it is

If none of these phrases “click” for you, feel free to make up your own.  Once you have a phrase you connect with, simply say it to yourself throughout your day.  Then, as best you can, allow your consciousness to embody the feeling or experience the phrase points to.  After a while, you may notice that you are clearly living in a higher state of consciousness while engaged in your life. Nothing is more important than that. 

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