Crafting Gratitude

In Crafting Gratitude, Rev. Maggie Oman Shannon believes that crafting for us and those we love can be used as a meditative practice to appreciate the incredible, overflowing richness of life. Each meditative craft, from novice to expert, is infused with stories like how Gratitude Bundles can represent prosperity and physical health, Spirit Houses from Southeast Asia can be a symbol of a happy home, a Values Bracelet can help you reinforce your best professional traits, or Flower Mandalas can be an affirmation of nature.

With other crafts involving aromatherapy, journaling, dream catchers, and a variety of household items, anyone can invigorate their own lives with Crafting Gratitude for family, health, prosperity, the Divine, and much more. Accompanied by a carefully curated list of recommended reading, helpful websites, and how-to guides, these forty practices will resonate with and prompt you to begin, or continue, exploring gratitude.

About the Author

Maggie Oman Shannon is an interfaith minister, spiritual director, workshop and retreat facilitator, and author of five books: Prayers for Healing (Conari Press, 1997); The Way We Pray: Prayer Practices from Around the World (Conari Press, 2001); A String and a Prayer: How to Make and Use Prayer Beads (coauthor; Red Wheel/Weiser, 2002); One God, Shared Hope (Red Wheel/Weiser, 2003); and her latest, Prayers for Hope and Comfort (Conari Press, 2008).

In 2000 Oman Shannon founded The New Story, a coaching and consulting business focused on helping people create deeper meaning in their lives. The former editor of three national magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post, Oman Shannon also served as the director of marketing for the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Her writing has appeared in publications including Utne Reader and Beliefnet, and her work has been featured in publications ranging from the Miami Herald to Spirituality & Health.

She has taught workshops at venues including California Pacific Medical Center's Institute for Health and Healing and Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY. In addition to being a certified life coach, Oman Shannon completed the three-year training program of the Spiritual Directors Institute at Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA. A graduate of Smith College, Oman Shannon also holds an M.A. degree in culture and spirituality from Holy Names University. She is an ordained interfaith minister who graduated from Manhattan's One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in 2010.

Oman Shannon currently has the honor of serving as Spiritual Director of Unity Spiritual Center of San Francisco. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.