A Prayer To The Earth.

The deeper I dive into the connection with my body, the deeper I find myself connecting to the land. There is healing that happens in this space of connection. In building, nurturing our relationship to the Earth.

The prayer of gratitude below is The Thanksgiving Address, a gift from the Haudenosaunee people to the World. A way of thanking the land, the elements, and all the beings that surround us each day.

The more we build this relationship of gratitude, of reciprocity, the more we can heal. Heal the Earth and heal each other. And while we heal the Earth, the Earth heals us.

I invite you to take a moment, slow down. Allow these words to wash over you. Taking a moment to appreciate the gifts all around us, each moment of each day. Treat this as a meditation, a prayer. If you prefer to listen, click here for a video recording of me guiding this prayer. Listen to it on a walk, or while you sit and watch the world go by, sipping on some tea.

Art by Jolanta Rieksta

Onondaga Thanksgiving Prayer.

When we look upon the faces around us, we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now let us bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.

We are thankful to our Mother Earth, for she gives us everything we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she still continues to care for us, just as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send thanksgiving, love and respect. Now our minds are one.

We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst, for providing strength and nurturing life for all beings. We know its power in many forms — waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans, snow and ice. We are grateful that the waters are still here and meeting their responsibility to the rest of Creation. Now our minds are one.

With one mind, we honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden, especially the Three Sisters [corn, beans and squash] who feed the people with such abundance. Since the beginning of time, grains, vegetables, beans and fruit have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them as well. We gather together in our minds all the plant foods and send them a greeting and thanks. Now our minds are one.

Now we turn to the Medicine Herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are so happy that there are still among us those special few who remember how to use the plants for healing. With one mind, we send thanksgiving, love, and respect to the Medicines and the keepers of the Medicines. Now our minds are one.

The Earth has many families of Trees who each have their own instructions and uses. Some provide shelter and shade, others fruit and beauty and many useful gifts. The Maple is the leader of the trees, to recognize its gift of sugar when the People need it most. Many peoples of the world recognize a Tree as a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind we greet and thank the Tree of life. Now our minds are one.

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them the gift of beautiful songs. Each morning they greet the day and with their songs remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader and to watch over the world. To all the Birds, from the smallest to the largest, we send our joyful greetings and thanks. Now our minds are one.

We are thankful for the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds. Now our minds are one.

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun. Now our minds are one.

We put our minds together and give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the nighttime sky. She is the leader of women all over the world and she governs the movement of ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them at night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing the dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered as one, we send greetings and thanks to all the Stars. Now our minds are one.

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring Teachers. Now our minds are one.

We now turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.

Art by Sergey Filimonov

“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”

- Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

The Power of Cyclical Living.

There is so much healing and power that comes from living in alignment with nature. Cyclical Living is a practice of living in tune with the natural cycles of your body, and nature. When you allow yourself to live in alignment with the cycles of nature and your body, you are able to cultivate better mental and physical health, more energy, happiness, productivity, and growth. Click here to read about the power of cyclical living, and how it allows you to connect more deeply to the land, and yourself.

Journaling Prompts.

- How can I live more in tune with the Earth?

- How can I create moments of gratitude for the land each day?

- What does the Earth gift me each day? How can I give back?

- How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of the land, and its history? How does this give me a deeper understanding of myself?

If this post resonated with you, share it with a friend, or pop me an email sharing your experiences connecting to, and honouring, the Earth. I would love to hear about the tools that help you cultivate a connection to the land, so please don’t feel shy to reach out, and share your thoughts on this post.

All love

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