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Ceremony in it's broadest sense is any thought or action that we take to honor that which is in our lives. The month of November int he United States marks a time of national Thanksgiving - a time when we remember our ancestors, the choices that they made in making the move from the old world, a safe an known commodity, to the new world - one which offered many opportunities, but was totally dependent on their own efforts as to how their lives take form.
I came across a very interesting site when searching for the "right words" for this article. Annual Cycle Of Life Ceremonies is a page set up by the Sadhana Society - a non profit group set up to honor the divine in all of us. One of the three major ceremonies that they perform on a yearly basis is performed in November, and is a ceremony of Thanksgiving.
The Sadhana Society begins preparing for the ceremony itself in a very interesting fashion. They work with what they call a "Time Of Questioning". This is a time of introspection, where they review their actions of the previous year, adn their goals, to make sure that they are in harmony with their environment.
One week before the Ceremony Of Thanksgiving, they honor a time of "Silence And Separation". This is a time of inner reflection, a time of honoring both self and the past. Very specifically, they refrain from social activities in general.
The Thanksgiving Ceremony does more than give thanks for and honor the harvest and the abundance that will tide us over the winter months, for teh Sadhana it is a time of remembering the ancient ones, remembering what all peoples have experienced fromt he beginning of time.
The Sadhana Thanksgiving Ceremony itself is based on Native American (Hopi) mythology. It recalls the actions of the Four Worlds of Hopi mythology, and honors the potential of the Fifth World - the Infinite Potential Of Humanity. The ceremony is an affirmation of the connection between Great Spirit and each Human Being. In remembering the essence of Great Spirit within us, it reminds us to make the effort to take actions that reflect the Divine within.
Following the ceremony there is a feast for all, honoring the abundance that Great Spirit has gifted us all with. How like our own Thanksgivikng celebration is this! :)
Each year that I prepare for Thanksgiving, I honor the harvest and the abundance around me. I feel connected and centered with Mother Earth and All Of Her Relations. As we prepare for the family meal, we need to center our thoughts on the love and peace surrounding us. We need to consciously send those thoughts into the meals that we are creating. If we are feeling stressed out, we need to take a time out and give back to oursleves. What we feel when we prepare the food is what goes into the meal - we need to remember that, and honor the food and its original source.
Through the candles and other tokens that we use to decorate our homes, we need to express our connection with the earth, and with All Of Our Relations. Our personal celebration of Thanksgiving is remembering to focus on each action as it is performed, and to surround it with unconditional love. Each action that we take - shopping for food, cleanign and decorating our homes, cooking and baking our meals, is part of our individual celebration.
May this Thanksgiving find you all walking in Peace, Harmony and Beauty.
Thank you for visiting my Ceremony pages. May your day be Blessed.
Bonnie Cehovet
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