Gratitude Offering
Thanksgiving is an expression of gratitude for harvest blessings - a
celebration of peace and plenty. It is a coming together to share a
gratitude feast with family and friends. Setting the energy of the home,
the day and your mood will do wonders to the environment and the
experience that others will have while sharing this day with you.
There are many simple things you can do to bring in the sacred to make
this day a special one for you and your family. Here are a few
suggestions. Hopefully you will find one or more of these ideas to
inspire you.
1. Gift to Mother Earth: Make a gratitude gift for
Mother Earth as a thanks for the countless ways She supports us. The
photo above depicts such a gift. Take a 30x30 natural paper source and
lay it flat on your counter. Then, creatively place various grains,
seeds, herbs, berries, sweets, and any other foods that come from the
earth as part of your gratitude gift. Place two incense sticks as a
cross in the center to demarcate the four cardinal directions which
represent the guardians of the land. Add any other biodegradable objects
to your gift. Once you are finished with your design, fold in the
corners to the center and tie your gift with string. As a final touch,
lay a few leaves under the string bow. Take your gift outdoors and
present it to Mother Earth. Then, place your gift into a fire pit as
your offering. The smoke that rises represents your intention and
prayers ascending to the heavenly realm.
2. Gratitude Circle: Right before eating dinner, go
around the table and ask each person to share what they are grateful
for. You can start the gratitude circle and then the person next to you
continue the sharing. You may experience resistance, but forge ahead
anyway.
3. Sacred Space: Create your environment with a sense
of sacred space. Put candles everywhere, even if it is daytime. Float
some fresh flowers in bowls of water. Feel free to add some feathers as
part of your décor. Feathers represent the element of air, or the wind
that picks up its energy this time of the year. Air corresponds to the
words we choose as we communicate. Choose wisely and notice the quality
of your conversations as the day unfolds.
4. Give Thanks to God: This is a powerful way to show
gratitude for family, friends, the roof over your head, clothes on your
back, and the food you will eat. There is nothing that can match an
attitude of gratitude.
5. Gratitude Walk: Taking a walk with your family can
be a wonderful experience and a perfect way to digest your food. Walk
through the neighborhood and notice all the beauty that surrounds you
from the colorful leaves to the wonderful smell of pumpkin pie wafting
through the air.
6. Giving Thanks to Your Guest: Albeit you will be busy
hosting, make a point of spending time with your guests and let them
know how much you appreciate them.
7. Listen to Your Own Heart: Remember to be present and
embrace mindfulness gratitude. When you do, it will lead to a direct
experience of being connected to life and the realization that there is a
larger context in your personal story unfolding. Cultivating
thankfulness is part of life blossoms into a felling of being blessed.
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