My Spontaneous Gratitude Prayer

    This Thanksgiving I would like to share with you one of my favorite prayers.  It just burst out of me one day while I was dancing in a large golden room, with my women friends, during a Thanksgiving Holiday, some many years ago.  I call it My Spontaneous Gratitude Prayer.  

    I most like to do this prayer while dancing, allowing my body to engage in free form interpretive movement.  I let myself twirl and swoop and rise to my toes with the words, before sliding down onto or toward the floor and then reaching up again, to frolic or slow down and sway and then romp about some more. 

         This prayer is a sort of free association experience.  I let myself drift into a slightly altered state of consciousness, and then I just begin to think of this and that and say whatever pops into my mind that I am grateful for, which is pretty much everything.  

    So this month, I'm inviting you to play with this idea, even while sitting or standing or lying down.  But if you are feeling frisky enough, try it while moving.  And in either case, set yourself free.  Let your mind drift and open your voice to express your feelings about the many, wonderful aspects of being alive on earth.

    Here is an example to get you started.

    "I am grateful for roses and kisses and bright sun shine.  I am grateful for the moon and the wind and still winter nights.  Oh how I love horses and birds and bees and trees and my beloved husband and all the children of the world and all the people and animals and plants of the world.  Thank you for each and everyone of them.  

    I'm grateful for barns and cats and fine wine, even though I rarely drink any, but I'm glad for those who enjoy it so.  And I'm grateful for the food that finds it's way to our table and for all who helped to bring it there.

    I'm grateful for soil and mulch and the good green and blue earth.  I'm grateful for the strength in my body that allows me to plant my garden and dig my fingers into the dirt and pull out potatoes and carrots and beautiful shiny bright earth worms.  I do love the worms and I'm grateful for my horse, who is in spirit now, and for all of the joy she brought to me, and all of the fun we had together, and how she helps me to laugh out loud, even to this day.  I am grateful for laughter.  Oh, how I am grateful for laughter and dancing and swimming and sleeping and eating and all of the lovely pleasures the world has to offer.

    I'm grateful to everything and everyone, who has helped me to form my life.  I'm so very grateful for the moments that have helped me to grow, even if they seemed difficult, they helped me to know better who I am and what I need and to better know my love for life.

    I'm grateful for grasses and the wild herds that feed themselves on the great plains.  I'm grateful for forests and rivers and all of the fishes and the great families of animals and herbs.  I'm grateful for volcanos and the fire of spirit that burns in us all.  

    I'm grateful for the cells and tissues of my body and the great inner wisdom that resides there and guides me through my days, with skill and expertise, all innate and free.  I'm grateful for health care providers and their assistance, so lovingly given and compassionate.  I'm grateful for compassion and love and for every human emotion and for all of the emotions of all sentient beings.  

    I'm grateful for rocks and pathways into the woods.  I'm grateful for dogs and for cats and bumble bees, antelope and whales.  I'm grateful for leaves on the trees blowing in the breeze.  

    Moving in my mind into the prayer position, I'll stop here.  But, let me just finish with how grateful I am for you.
    Happy Thanksgiving.  With love.