The following talk was given at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California.

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So hello and welcome to this fourth talk on gratitude.

And coincidentally, it's also the gratitude day in the United States, Thanksgiving.

And so I love the idea that the word is thanksgiving,

with the word giving in it,

and it touches into this profound aspect of Buddhist spirituality

that involves generosity and to give.

And one of the most profound things we can give others is our appreciation of them.

And generosity, gratitude, I mean, begins with appreciation. And I want to underscore this.

I've said it this week already.

But there are three steps,

three aspects of generosity

that makes it robust and full.

One is taking time to appreciate,

really recognizing,

acknowledging what it is

that we've benefited, what we received,

what the goodness is we've seen. Really take time to appreciate. Don't be in a hurry,

don't overlook, stop. Maybe the bumper sticker can say, I stop for appreciation.

And then take in that, any of the goodness of that, the thankfulness of that,

as receive it deeply inside of you so that it opens you in some way or touches you in a deep

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