Gratitude is one of the 37 key spiritual practices featured on this website. On the homepage introducing our section on gratitude, we call it a "grammar," an underlying structure that helps us construct and make sense of our lives. Its syntax reveals a system of relationships linking us to the Divine and to every other part of the Creation. How do we learn the grammer of gratitude? By saying "thank you" in a thousand different ways every day.

The American celebration of the holiday of Thanksgiving comes in November, so this is a perfect month to practice gratitude. In previous years, we've posted 22 Ways to Practice Thanks-giving on the homepage; it's a daily calender of simple ways to express your gratitude starting with things close at hand and extending it to your community.

This year we are creating a Gratitude Month Map using video clips we've found at YouTube. These days we are only reviewing a few music CDs but in the 1970s and 1980s we covered pop, rock, soul, and folk music in our publication Cultural Information Service. We've discovered music videos of some of our favorites from that era and, with a little help from our friends, we've found some newer gratitude songs and video meditations. Special thanks to Leigh Rogers from Union Theological Seminary for her contributions to this project!

We'll be posting one of the Gratitude Videos at the top of the "Updates" column on the homepage every day in November, and we'll also add the link to this page. We live in a visual culture, and these video gems stimulate our senses so that we can more deeply appreciate the ample and diverse wonders of our world. Join us for a month of what our dear friend Brother David Steindl-Rast calls the "great fullness." Gratitude enables us to experience the sheer joy of being alive!

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

P.S. Joy will be our theme in December, Transformation in January, and Love in February. Send us your song suggestions! And if you know of YouTube videos perfect for these Maps, please share the links.

Gratitude Videos

• Brother David Steindl-Rast: A Good Day
• David Campbell: Thanksgiving Song
• Bon Jovi: Thank You for Loving Me
• The Gratitude Dance
• Karen Drucker: I Am So Blessed
• Gratitude Tai Chi
• Hymn: Now Thank We All Our God
• Katie Melua: Thank You, Stars
• The Gratitude Diet
• The Redwalls: Thank You
• Earth Wind & Fire: Gratitude
• Showing Gratitude
• Andre Francis: Grateful by John Bucchino
• Alanis Morrissette: Thank You
• Byzantine Chant: O Give Thanks (Psalm 106)
• M. J. Ryan: Giving Thanks
• Sinead O'Connor: Thank You for Hearing Me
• Corroboree
• Brother David Steindl-Rast: Giver of All Good Gifts
• Rebecca St. James: I Thank You
• Abba: Thank You for the Music

Gratitude Music
• Watch/Hear a Playlist of Gratitude Songs