Recent studies laud the transformative power of gratitude. How it improves our physical, emotional, and social well-being. How it builds greater optimism, happiness and self-esteem. How it strengthens our bonds and feelings of connection. How it enhances our health, heart and immune system. How it decreases stress, anxiety, depression, and headaches. The list goes on.
Many trace this newly discovered value of gratitude to the Positive Psychology movement launched three decades ago by Martin Seligman and his colleagues. Around ten years ago Robert Emmons, Professor of Psychology at UC Davis and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology, began researching the psychological benefits of gratitude, and became a pre-eminent authority on the topic with his book, Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier.
But is the appreciation of gratitude really only 30 years old?! Thanksgiving — which was first celebrated in 1621, and became a federal holiday in 1863 — is a clear testimony to the value of gratitude long before our modern era. And does it stop there? What are the roots of Thanksgiving? How far back in human history does gratitude go? And what really lies behind its power? By tracing its earliest roots can we uncover new elements in the dynamics of gratitude? Can we find its secret, and learn how to tap into its full potency?
Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this Thanksgiving workshop as he unearths the earliest roots of gratitude and discover the inner “soul” of gratitude, what “makes it tick,” and how it can reveal your deepest resources and transform your life.
I used to listen to the Rabbi on my computer which has no sot fo n mp3 Now I don’t now how I access the Rabbi’s classes. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you for your inspirational insights! It’s really a blessing.