Practical spirituality for a complicated world.
***image1***HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I send everyone thoughts and affirmations of your highest good and greatest joy. One of the most powerful energetics is that of gratitude. Being grateful for all our blessings is a spiritually beneficial way of life. Remaining consciously in gratitude for what we already have is an effective defence against the incessant chatter of the ego. The ego demands more possessions and instant gratification of all its ever-changing and expanding desires. This philosophy is often called "materialism" or "capitalism." Entire economies are built around constant consumption. If people actually started living in the energetic frequency of gratitude, the economy of this country would drastically change. After all, the current system is predicated upon people believing they don't have enough. It is actually quite insane, and is destructive of people's lives as well as the natural environment.
For me, personally, Thanksgiving has always been a special holiday. I don't necessarily care for the idea of over-eating or sitting on the couch in a semi-coma, watching the ball game. I enjoy the quietness of the shutting-down of everyday life, and the smell of mince pies and fresh baked rolls. My grandmother Odom baked the most delicious mince pies you could ever imagine. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, she also baked bread and rolls. That smell alone, made the holiday seem extra special. Mama didn't care for turkey, so she'd ask Aunt Vera to bring one. (Truth be told, she didn't care too much for Aunt Vera, either.) My mother's forte was candies, so she'd bring pralines and fudge. The meals were always banquets, fit for a king…or a queen. The problem was that most of the people there didn't really like each other, and there was quite a bit of tension and stress. We were all gathered together because we were related, not because we would have chosen each other as friends. I literally worshipped Grandmother and Grandfather Odom, and I loved my little sister and was very protective of her, however personally, I could've done without the rest of the crowd. Today, in our home we always have peaceful Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, even if the mince pies come frozen from the store.
Nowadays, some people have the mistaken notion that Thanksgiving is a holiday that celebrates oppression and genocide. This is, of course, not true. The main reason for this misconception is that the myth of Pilgrims or Puritans has taken over the original holiday. Most people seem to think that these Puritans held the first Thanksgiving. It is a shame, really, for the Puritans were some of the most unlikable people in the history of the country, and didn't celebrate holidays. Furthermore, cultures around the world have held celebrations of thanksgiving for thousands of years.
So, who were the Puritans/Pilgrims? Both names refer to the same people. The term "Pilgrim" refers to someone making a pilgrimage, or a spiritual journey, which they saw their voyage across the ocean to be. The term "Puritan" refers to a fundamentalist Protestant sect that broke away from the Church of England. Actually, they didn't break away, but rather were expelled. They believed the Church of England had not reformed enough, and still contained pagan and Catholic elements, such as vestments and religious holidays like Christmas and Easter. Henry VIII began the process that removed the Church of England from the Catholic Church, not just in matters of ecclesiastical governance, but in terms of basic theology. The separation was total. It was no longer the Church in England, but rather the Church of England. The Church of England substituted "ministers" for priests, "holy tables" for altars, "communion services" for the Mass, discarded five of the seven sacraments, dropped books from the Bible, and created worship services that would have been unrecognizable to Christians before the reign of Henry IV. Even these radical changes were not enough for the more fundamentalist reformers. These fundamentalists flourished under Elizabeth I as well as her cousin and successor, James I, so that by the end of the reign of James I, the Church of England had lost the Apostolic Succession and most certainly placed itself outside the continuous flow of mainstream Christianity. This was confirmed by Pope Leo XIII in 1896, after an exhaustive study.
The Puritans were so named because they wished to "purify" the Church of England of such superstitions as Christmas. They dressed in somber black, and discouraged laughter, jokes, dancing, birthdays, etc. Their descendants live on today as Quakers, Baptists, Methodists, and other fundamentalists. They eventually became so bothersome to the English government, that they were expelled to Holland, and later to Massachusetts…hence, the cultural myth of Pilgrims and Puritans, turkeys, and friendly Indians. So, if you don't feel like celebrating in this particular way, don't worry. You still have the option of celebrating a day of thanks for all your blessings. Oh, by the way, before you accuse me of being too hard on the fundamentalist Protestants, remember that I'm a redneck Hindu, not a Christian of any persuasion. When I discuss Church history, it is as an impartial observer. I'm just reporting on historical happenings. Then again, I did learn my Church history in a Catholic school. To end this particular discussion of Puritans on a lighter note, here is a little joke: Why won't Baptists make love standing up? They're afraid someone will think they're dancing.
In the mid 1990s, I was asked to contribute an essay for a book on the subject of gratitude. All the profits were to go to charity, and I was happy to be a part of the project. I was also honored to have my work included with the likes of Shakti Gawain, Stuart Wilde, Sri Daya Mata, Bernie Siegel, Gerald Jampolsky, and other talented authors. The book is
Gratitude, A Way of Life
and is written by Louise Hay and Friends. The various essays in this book are useful reminders of how vital giving thanks is to our lives. In 12-step programs, they often speak of "an attitude of gratitude," recognizing that the energetics of gratitude are an indispensable component of a life in recovery.
As a country, we are facing some difficult challenges. As individuals, we are being called to take a stand for what we believe in. It is important that we give our time and attention to our material world responsibilities. Yet, it is also crucial that we recognise what we already have, and be thankful for those blessings. All in all, we live lives of comfort and abundance. Even the poorest amongst us are far more abundant than most people in Africa or Asia. Yet, I assure you that the day is coming when we will look back with amazement upon the lavish lifestyles we take for granted today.
This Thanksgiving, spend some time sitting quietly and giving thanks to the Creator for all your blessings.
OM
To ask Robert a question, visit his website at www.RobertOdom.com, email desertrj@msn.com or send mail to PO Box 33, Santa Fe NM 87504.
