Nov 22

Happy Thanksgiving Rituals

The Thanksgiving holiday is steeped in ritual and meaning. We gather family and friends in a single location to remember we are part of a nurturing community. We tell each other stories about what is happening in our lives. Stories are a uniquely human way to communicate. Long before to-do lists there were stories that instructed us where to find food, guided us about community norms and values and warned us of dangers to avoid.

The Thanksgiving dinner is highly ritualistic. Beyond the settlers and Indians story, sharing food is a way of spreading abundance among the people in our inner circles. Feeding each other at the start of the darkest season harkens back to needing nourishment to face certain struggle during the cold and fruitless winter.

We watch games and use them to foster communication. Football games mimic the battle between good (the team we root for) and evil (the team we want them to beat.) We learn by watching, like reading pictographs or watching the tribal leader perform a gratitude dance. And, for those among us who find it hard to talk with our family members, we can at least talk about the game.

We hug and high five, modern ways of meeting the need for physical touch, thereby affirming our bonds to one another.

As we enter this holiday weekend, let’s remember the meaning in every little ritual. That is one surefire way to feel not only full in the belly, but fulfilled in your heart come Sunday night.

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