The Sacred Gift of Gratitude

In our traditions, gratitude is not simply a feeling or a polite word we speak — it is a living prayer. It is an ancient medicine that our ancestors carried, nourished, & passed down so that we may continue to walk in harmony with the Earth & all her relations. When we practice gratitude, we open a doorway in the heart. Through that doorway, the elements, the spirits, the ancestors, & the living world can communicate with us more clearly.

Every morning, I thank Mother Earth for holding me through the night. I thank the sacred waters for flowing through my body. I thank the fire in my soul that gives me strength to rise again. I thank the breath of the winds that carry the prayers of all living beings. As I stand there, giving thanks, I remember those who came before me … Gratitude is a thread that ties us back to them.

When we live in gratitude, we remember that nothing we have is separate from the natural world. Our food is earth. Our breath is wind. Our warmth is fire. Our blood is water. Even the gifts we cannot see — intuition, visions, dreams, blessings — come through the pathways the ancestors cleared for us. Gratitude keeps these pathways open. It keeps our relationships strong.

The Earth listens when we give thanks. She recognizes gratitude as nourishment. Just as the plants reach for the sunlight, the Earth responds to our appreciation with guidance, softness, & teachings. In return, we feel more grounded, more protected, & more connected to our spiritual purpose.

The elements, too, speak differently when we honor them.The fire burns brighter in our ceremonies.The water becomes a teacher of clarity.The wind carries whispers of direction.The Earth cradles us with a mother’s love.

Gratitude is how we communicate with all of this. Our ancestors hear gratitude like a familiar song. It helps them draw close. It helps them guide us with gentle hands. When we give thanks, we acknowledge the sacrifices & the prayers they made so that we could be born with our gifts. We honor their journey by choosing to live with open hearts.

The Heart of Gratitude

Gratitude does not ask us to ignore hardship. It invites us to carry light even when the path is uneven.

Every sunrise says: You made it to this moment. Here is a new beginning.

Every breath reminds us: There is still beauty here. There is still hope.

Gratitude expands our capacity to love, to forgive, to heal, & to stay connected to Spirit & community.

Mixed History

As we gather around this season of gratitude, many of us feel a mixture of warmth, reflection, & responsibility. Thanksgiving, as it is commonly known today, carries a complicated history — one interwoven with celebration, family, & harvest, yet also with the painful truths of colonization, loss, & the lived realities of Indigenous Peoples.

For many Native communities, this day is not simply a holiday — it is also a day of mourning, remembrance, & honoring survivors & ancestors. To hold all of this at once — the gratitude & the grief, the love & the truth — is sacred work. It is necessary work.

To honor Indigenous Peoples while celebrating gratitude:

• Acknowledge the truth - Thanksgiving as told in textbooks is incomplete. Many Indigenous communities experienced deep harm after those early encounters. We honor that history; not to dwell in pain, but to stand in truth.
  

• Center Indigenous voices -Support Native organizations, artists, storytellers, Elders, & traditions. Listen to the living descendants of the lands where we reside.
  

• Practice reciprocity - Gratitude is incomplete without giving back. Ask: How can I be a good relative to the land & to the people whose histories I am connected to?
  

• Remember that Indigenous people are not in the past - They are here. Alive, vibrant, resilient, & carrying ancestral wisdom into the future.

A Prayer of Gratitude & Truth

Beloved Creator, Grandmothers, & Ancestors,

On this day of reflection,

We give thanks for the breath in our lungs,

The food that comes from Mother Earth,

The water that sustains us,

& the fire that warms our bodies & spirits.

We honor the Indigenous Peoples of this land —

Their stories, their resilience,

Their songs & ceremonies that continue to guide us.

May we walk gently.

May we speak truth.

May we practice gratitude as a living prayer,

& reciprocity as a way of life.

Bless our families, near & far,

& bless the path ahead —

That it may be grounded in love, hope, & community.

May our hearts become instruments of healing.

May our gratitude ripple outward in service.

May we remember that we are all related.

Aho, Amen, & So It Is.

Reflection

As we move through this season, may we remember: Gratitude is more than saying “thank you.” 

It is a way of living, a way of seeing, a way of becoming. Let this be a reminder that gratitude & truth can live in the same heart, & that healing begins when we honor both.

At times, life brings challenges or moments of uncertainty. These, too, are opportunities for gratitude — to thank the lesson, the growth, the unseen protection that comes even in difficult times. Gratitude is the light that helps us walk through the shadows with humility & faith.

I invite you to take a moment & offer a simple prayer of thanks. Do not worry about the words. Gratitude speaks its own language. Just place your hand over your heart, breathe deeply, & whisper your appreciation to whoever or whatever has guided you.

Feel how your energy softens. Feel how your spirit expands. Feel how the connection awakens.

This is the sacred gift of gratitude. It returns us to ourselves to the Earth, to the elements, & to the ancestors who walk with us always.

May your days be filled with the sweetness of appreciation, & may your gratitude become a blessing that ripples out into the world.

~ Blessings!