The Magic of Maketai!

Why the name Maketai? Well, let me tell you a little story.

Years ago I was REALLY struggling.  A friend of mine then shared this quote from Meister Eckhart with me:  “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”  I retorted: “Yea, that’s easy for YOU to say. I was just dumped, I am broke and I am sick, while you have a great boyfriend, a career you love, and you are healthy!” I was doing my best to convince her I was a victim, but she would have none of it.  After a thoughtful moment, she asked me: “Well, were you grateful for the good things before the bad things started to happen?”  This question took me off guard and more than a moment to digest. I had to be honest. No. I could not remember the last time I uttered a prayer of gratitude or said thank you to anyone. I was too bogged down in my depressing, soul-sucking, pathetic, pity party.

My girlfriend continued to dispense her tidbits of wisdom: “Perhaps that’s why things went off track. Maybe it’s time to start being grateful, and maybe that will get you back on track.” Boy this was annoying, but maybe I should listen. Her life was clearly going  a LOT better than mine. I thought for a moment and then said: “This going to be TOUGH!”  So, she gave me a few gratitude prompts.  “Well, are you breathing?” Um, yes. “And do you have enough food to eat.” Well, yea. I was broke but I could eat.  “You have a roof over your head?”  Yes, I have a crappy little apartment, but I AM warm, safe and dry. She continued "And transportation?" OK, so I have my ancient, yet dependable Jeep.  "Alrighty then,"  she said in her irritating, uplifting and chipper way "We are off to a great start!"

I purchased a journal at her suggestion and wrote Meister Eckharts quote in the front. Then I started and ended each day considering what I was grateful for. And the more I looked, the more I found. I did have a couple of good friends. I appreciated my relationship with my sisters and my mom. I loved the flowers that were growing outside of my apartment. I was grateful for the park across the street. The weather was often nice. And a funny thing started to happen. As I kept thinking about what I was grateful for, my list started to grow quite large.Then some good things started to happen!  As I thanked God for my creativity I sold a piece of art, and then some jewelry. As I was grateful for my massage clients, they referred other clients to me AND my tips started to get bigger. Gratitude seems to be shifting my life from the downward spiral to more of an upward ascent. 

I started saying "Thank you" anytime someone opened a door for me, or gave me a compliment, or offered to pick up the check for lunch. It was hard at first, but I practiced and breathed through my discomfort, and it eventually got easier. Living a life of THANK YOU was NOT natural for me. I was more comfortable giving than receiving.  Being open and gracious made me feel exposed, vulnerable and out of control.  But I knew this is what I needed to do.  And so I kept saying thank you to anyone and everyone who offered a kindness of any size or kind. 

Gratitude was not only healing my broken heart, it was helping me live with a more open, receptive and gracious heart. 

Then there were times my prayers were simply "Thank You" as Meister Eckhart suggested. Not for anything in particular, just sitting in the energy and experience of gratitude directed towards the Universe. This was my meditation.  And I know it helped me start to feel more comfortable in my skin and more at home within myself.  I noticed on the days I did my thank you prayer meditation,  I felt happy. Not because of anything in particular, just often happy for no reason (which I believe is the best kind of happy of all!).

I knew I was getting good at this thank you thing, when challenging or "bad" things happened and I would look for the soul level learnings, the opportunities, or for ANYTHING to be grateful for.  I was no longer indulging endlessly in my pity parties....I was becoming empowered through gratitude!  

Years later, I met a wonderful man, he told me he loved my energy, how I was often happy for no reason and how I was naturally gracious. (I may or may not have mentioned this was not necessarily natural, but a "muscle" I had been working on for a while). When people ask how and why this relationship works, I say; “Because I lead with gratitude every day.” 

My finances also started to uplevel and today I make good money doing what I love. People who “knew me when” talk about how much I have changed and ask me how I made this shift from poverty to prosperity and from sadness to success.  I credit meditating, following my joy, and yes, GRATITUDE! 

The bottom line is this, your life will expand or contract in direct proportion to your gratitude - or lack thereof. 

Additionally my physical self has experienced a radical transformation. My chronic fatigue and debilitating health challenges have been healed. And rather than struggling with dieting and working out 2-3 hours a day, I easily maintain my ideal weight and feel incredibility healthy. I sleep well, eat well, and appreciate my body immensely. 

Did all of this happen overnight? No. But I know my healthy, wealthy, love-based life could have NEVER have happened at all, without my friend sharing her knowledge AND without me taking responsibility for my consistent practice of appreciation. 

I have literally gone from living hell on earth, to living heaven on earth. And gratitude was the ladder and bridge that ushered me to this more empowered and magical way of being.

As I continue to live in grace, graciousness and gratitude, life keeps showing up in more expanded, glorious and wonderful ways!  There are days I need to pinch myself, ground myself, and remind myself to breathe as the synchronicity can, at times, become almost overwhelming. Then I ask myself, "How good can I stand things to get?"  We cannot attract and have more than we can handle to receive. So I stretch, breath, say thank you and receive! 

Gratitude helped me shift from self loathing to self love. And self love is the solid foundation we all need to manifest the life of our dreams, which we all deserve and desire.  

Today I live in my dream house, with the most amazing man I have ever known, I enjoy vibrant health, and I even have HORSES! The most magnificent and fabulous fantasy of my childhood self!

Recently when my friend Candice's horse Lena had her foal, which was both of ours, we were considering names for the little guy.  Was it Raja? Blaze? (He has an adorable marking of a crescent on his forehead.) Maybe Lunar? Eclipse? Shooting Star?  Hmmmm, maybe. But we were not clear.  Candice said, I’m not sure, but I have to say I am so grateful for him and that he is so adorable and healthy! Yes I said! ME TOO!  Because I was abundantly clear, I am living my dreams and I have this little horse because of gratitude! And I am not going to stop being grateful now, or ever!

We both decided to pray, listen, and allow the Universe to help us find the “perfect name” for our miracle baby. Then we both said thank you in advance.   That night I was reading a book called "Sister Jaguars Journey"  for an interview I was doing the next day.  The author, Sister Judy Bisignana, is a Dominican nun who spent time with an Indigenous tribe in the Amazon Rain forest.  She was sharing some of their language, and then I read the word “Maketai.” Which means “thank you” in language of the Achuar.  I stopped breathing, and I had goosebumps EVERYWHERE! I thought to myself  THAT'S IT! Excitedly I called Candice.  When I shared the story and this word, Maketai, she said: “OH my goodness this is amazing! I have goosebumps everywhere! THAT'S IT!” 

The next day I did my interview with Sister Judy and my producer Remy, I asked Sister Judy about this word Maketai, she said it is a very powerful and beautiful world in the Achuar culture. She said when they say it they often put their hands together as if in prayer and bow in reverence as they say it. I told them they story about maybe naming our baby Maketai. Then they both said at the same time: “I have goosebumps!” It was abundantly clear, our beautiful baby boy is THANK YOU AKA Maketai!

Thank you Universe for being so gracious, generous, loving, lovely and clear!

Miracles are an everyday occurrence and I am guided with grace. My life is filled with magical, astonishing, synchronistic  blessings.  And of course I attribute this to expressing appreciation, saying thank you, uttering prayers of gratitude, and living the mantra of Maketai!   

We all manifest what we can hold for. And we all have an inner container. We cannot manifest the contents of a swimming pool if our inner container is a thimble. And we expand our inner container as we open our hearts in gratitude.  As we can hold for more, we manifesting more. And as we expand in gratitude, not only do we attract miracles and blessings of the body, mind, the physical world and spirit, we become miracle workers and way showers for others. Just like my friend did for me all those years ago. And just as I want to for anyone who wants a more beautiful, blessed, bountiful and empowered life. 

So when people come to me, bogged down in the throes of a painful pity party, I share with them the words of Meister Eckhart and the wisdom that changed my life: “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”  And if they say, yea that's easy for you to say, look at your life!"  I say, let me tell you a little story.......

And so I am grateful for this healing journey and my human adventure, I am grateful for the Universe, it's love, patience and gifts of grace.

 And I am so very grateful for YOU!  If you would like to recieve my "Expanding in Graititude"  meditation, please be in touch with me at tammibphd@gmail.com and I will send you the MP3 as a gift from my heart to yours.

Maketai, Maketai, Maketai

And so it is.

Tammi Baliszewski, Ph.D
www.tammibhd.com
tammibphd@gmail.com