Thanksgiving Ritual
Let us become aware of the beauty in our lives,
of the gifts we have been given,
of the time we have had together.
If we reflect on our struggles
and how they enabled us to grow,
if we close our eyes and see the blessings
of this world and this life,
if we feel a sense of gratitude,
we become aware of the beauty.
Whenever a ceremony begins, when the hearts of the people join in solemn and sacred prayer, or a council convenes to deliberate and decide on issues of the people, all those who assemble begin by expressing gratitude.
The etiquette of such occasions when individuals gather together involves a formal acknowledgment of the presence of all who have come, and a moment to remember our ancestors and relatives who have departed this existence in physical form but who remain with us in memory and in the spirit of All That Is.
An opening ritual echoes the collective voice of generations when we express our heartfelt gratitude to the Earth, our Mother, who sustains us and gives us the home where we dwell and experience the journey of our lives.
We acknowledge this wonderful gift of love by saying,
Thank you!
To the oceans and bays, to the currents and streams,
to the quiet pools and lakes,
To the fish, big and small,
who have given of themselves that others may live,
To the whales, our cetacean relatives,
for their wisdom and the lessons of family
they have taught us, for the gift of life they have given us,
and to their cousins and our relatives, the dolphins,
for the joy they have brought us,
and the sense of Purpose they have shown us.
To the Corn Mother and the yellow maize,
to the fruits and the berries,
to the medicinal plants and trees,
to the forests and the Standing Nations
for the shelter they provide and the air we breathe.
To the animals, great and small,
who have served for food
and given unselfishly of themselves
that we may live, and who have shared
with us their power and their wisdom.
To the birds, great and small,
whose feathers adorn us
and serve as intercessors of our prayers,
lifting our words to the heavens,
to the eagle whose bold flight inspires.
To the tiny insects who help keep the balance,
To our Father, the Sky,
who protects us and our Mother Earth,
To our elder relative, the mighty Sun,
who sustains us with light and warmth,
To the sacred Moon,
who influences the movement of the waters,
and the cycles of women and men and harvest.
To the great winds that sweep away
the illusions of our world
and of our self-importance,
and to the gentle breezes that caress our senses.
To the Thunder Beings,
To our relatives and messengers
who dwell among the Stars,
And to the Great Holy Mystery
who exists within all things
and is the life in all things,
whose abundance provides all that is useful
and who is forever the source and ruler
of health and life . . .
Thank you!
— Gabriel Horn in The Book of Ceremonies