Thanksgiving

“We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send our greetings and our thanks.”

“Now our minds are one.”

This is a stanza from the inspiring Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address, which gives thanks, in turn, to each of the life-sustaining elements of the natural world.

We were introduced to this beautiful expression of gratitude through the book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Dr. Kimmerer explains that schoolchildren are taught the address as a morning greeting. The Haudenosaunee people also recite it before every ceremonial or civic gathering.  The Haudenosaunee consider these words to be a gift to the world, and welcome the sharing of them.

To read the full address:  Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World

Wishing you the joy of thanksgiving and the gift of gratitude today … and every day!