We talk so much about gratitude these days, in social media, television programmes and motivational events. But very few put gratitude into practice. The doctor and surgeon Jean Rafael Rodrigues (photo) speaks to us this week about this issue and this feeling, showing us how it can benefit our health and spirituality in our lives.

What is gratitude?

Gratitude comes from Latin, gratus, meaning literally grace. It can also be translated as pleasant, a feeling that does not bring about obligations or compulsory ties.

By talking about ‘real gratitude,’ are we implying that that feeling can be superficial or even false?

According to the great Roman orator, Cicero, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”. Imagine that we dream every day of getting a car as a present, to the point that we can already visualize its colour etc. When the day comes, you get a bicycle instead. You try to disguise your feelings, your red face, the fact that your hands are trembling and say: “Thank you very much”. But what feeling do you really have inside you? Do you really feel like saying “I’m happy. That is what I had been dreaming of for so long”. Of course not and gratitude is then based only on convention and duty. It is a conflicting state, which generates disturbance and pain. Joanna de Ângelis invites us to consider that those who are grateful understand the meaning of true gratitude, enjoy good physical, emotional and psychological health because they feel the joy of living and share everything. They are fully active members of the social organisation, creative and jubilant. When we look at the sun, the moon, the sea and the nature in general, we may be thankful for that or not, but those things will remain there reflecting the power of the Creator, awaiting only for us to connect to those beauties, which have been created to make us stronger and boost our spiritual development. In that state of grace we will be drinking from the fountain, with our feelings in perfect harmony, fulfilling the true purpose of gratitude, which is the connection between the creature and the creator.

How can you measure its positive effects on physical, emotional and psychological health?

There is extensive research work being carried out on the impact of gratitude. But it is worth mentioning that The Gospel According to Spiritism has recommended for a long time this method. It says: “If we were to register day by day the many benefits we receive, without even having asked for them, we would be greatly surprised to perceive there are so very many that we have swept from our minds and would feel ashamed of our ingratitude”. Each night, elevating our thoughts to God, we must remind ourselves of the favours He has granted us during the day and thank Him for them.

If did a search for gratitude on research engines such as Pubmed, we would have found in March 2017 a total of 916 articles, in various fields. A method widely used in scientific research is exactly that mentioned by the Gospel: a daily gratitude diary. The benefits reported range from a general feeling of well-being, better quality of life, to better social life and professional success. The levels of inflammation are reduced when people express their gratitude daily, while scans have shown that areas of the brain connected with better emotional control and decision-making are also stimulated.

Can the benefits of gratitude be felt by people of all ages?

Absolutely! I believe that we should develop gratitude in daily exercises from a very young age, as that is the period of life when we stimulate social relations. In adults, it helps control anxiety, depression and panic, as well as helping with professional achievements. In the elderly, it can help reduce illnesses and pain. Regardless of the age, it is important to develop the feeling of gratitude in a conscious and full manner.

How can we encourage gestures of gratitude?