Cultivating Quiet Joy: Gratitude and Yoga

As the year winds toward winter, November invites reflection. In a season often dominated by rushing, buying, and doing, slowing down to notice what’s here and to give thanks for it can feel radical.

At Yoga Baum, gratitude is more than a seasonal buzzword. It’s woven into the practice itself. From the way we pause at the beginning of class, to the way students greet each other before rolling up their mats, gratitude is the quiet joy that threads our community together.



Why Gratitude Matters

Modern research has caught up with what contemplative traditions have taught for centuries: practicing gratitude changes how we feel and how we function.

  • Improved Mental Health: Regular gratitude practices reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
    📖 A systematic review found that gratitude interventions consistently improved mental well-being and resilience.

  • Better Sleep and Lower Stress: Keeping a gratitude journal or intentionally reflecting on positives improves sleep quality and lowers stress hormones.
    📖 Research from Harvard Health Publishing highlights that gratitude enhances sleep and emotional balance.

  • Physical Health Benefits: Grateful people report fewer aches and pains and are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors.
    📖 A study in Personality and Individual Differences linked gratitude with better self-care and overall health.



Gratitude and Yoga

Yoga naturally cultivates gratitude not by demanding positivity, but by inviting presence.

  • On the Mat: Noticing breath, appreciating strength and limitations, and honoring the body as it is today.

  • In Community: Sharing space with others reminds us that gratitude can be collective, not just individual.

  • Through Ritual: Whether it’s pausing in savasana, attending a Moon Meeting, or journaling after Book Baum, these small rituals anchor thankfulness in action.


Simple Practices for Gratitude This Season

Begin Class with Thanks: Before your first posture, silently thank your body for showing up.

Try a Gratitude Journal: Write down 3 things you’re thankful for before bed to support better sleep.

Share it Out Loud: Tell a friend, family member, or teacher one thing you appreciate about them.

Attend a Gentle Class with Intention: Choose a class like Candlelight Yoga, Sunday Rest + Reset, or Meditation and dedicate it to gratitude.


Gratitude at Yoga Baum

Our community thrives on small, intentional practices of thanks. This month, join us for classes that emphasize slowing down and noticing:

  • Candlelight Yoga on Mondays, 7:30-8:30pm

  • Restorative Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:45-7:30pm

  • Meditation on Saturdays, 8:15-8:45am

Or join us for our special Restore + Reiki event on Saturday, December 6th, 4:00-6:00pm.

Gratitude doesn’t have to be loud or elaborate. Sometimes it’s a breath, a moment, or a hand on your heart.


However you practice it, gratitude has the power to change how you move through your day.

→ View our full schedule and join us in the studio <3

Laurie LeCompteComment