To those in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving! That is said knowing the history of the First Peoples of this land, being ashamed of it as a person of mostly European stock, and doing what I can -as a person with some Native heritage and blood- to redress the wrongs.

I live short miles from Ute Mountain, a commanding presence in this valley. It was held as sacred ground, only and rarely trodden for ceremony by the Ute People. Where I live is their land. I honor that with the garden and my heart. I’m dreaming up a sign for the garden that honors this land and its First People.

There are various “giving ceremonies” in the world’s spiritual traditions; ones that are truly heart-full, heart-created, and invoke the heart-wisdom innate in all beings. The “give-away” ceremony of the American First People is one. One never gives a throw-away item, something one doesn’t want or no longer can use. The ceremony is not a thrift store thing. If things no longer needed are to be distributed, they just are. The “give-away” is based on valuing the person who is the recipient; valuing them greatly. That can be a moment of heartfelt appreciation or a longstanding honoring being acknowledged. Humility, respect and gratitude generate the giving and respect is received by the recipient.

Tonglen is a Tibetan Buddhist practice that has two equal roots: a) the fact that all manner of suffering is happening right now for all manner of beings, and b) recognition and appreciation that anyone can energetically and wholeheartedly visualize the remediation of any form of suffering. This can be done for individuals, for populations, for the oceans or the air, for anything and anyone.

We give in this meditation session.