“During this ceremony several of the tribal elders take all of their most treasured items and lay them on a blanket. Then the people walk by and take anything they may need. I could hardly believe this was happening. These people don’t have very much and it seemed like all they had was on their blankets. I asked if the elders kept anything at their home. "Nothing of value" I was told. By the end of the line, most of the items were gone and there was a silence as the elders sat by their empty blankets.
Then a new line formed and began to walk by the blankets. This time the people gave anything the elder would need - blankets, sacred items, clothing, food, and money. Not only did most of the items return, but the elder’s blankets would be overflowing. Afterwards there was a big party with lots to eat, great music and dancing. I was astonished at the simplicity and the powerful lesson of giving and receiving, of letting go of what is valued in this world and trusting that all needs will be met.”
In the busyness of this holiday season it’s so easy to get frustrated and distracted which makes it the perfect time to practice mindfulness. It’s also a good time to remember that giving and receiving are sacred events to be experienced with JOY! The Spirit of the giving and receiving is more important than the actual gifts, because what we are really giving is ourselves..
Grateful Blessings, Rev. Angelica
Many thanks to those who have continued to send in tithes to our TGIR program – our total year to date is $947.00!!
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