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On the Universal Power of Gratitude
Every wisdom tradition in the world sings its praises
On planet Earth, there are hundreds (maybe thousands) of wisdom traditions — religious, philosophical, mystical, indigenous, and shamanic. Some of them are well-known and others aren’t. And while most of them differ in various ways, one thing they all have in common is their recognition of the power of gratitude.
Below is a sampling of what 20 different wisdom traditions have to say about this most important topic.
1. Buddhism
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” — Buddha
2. Christianity
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18
3. Islam
“And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” — Qur’an 16:18
4. Judaism
“Who is rich? He who rejoices in his portion.” — Pirkei Avot 4:1
