November 2009 Archives

Quite simply, Thanksgiving Day is a time of appreciation for a bountiful harvest.

First celebrated at the Plymouth Plantation in 1621 (debatable) by the Pilgrims and the Native American Wampanoag tribe in North America, it was a meal shared by all.  Traditionally, this meal of appreciation is made from what each person has brought to the table.  In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October.  In the United States, the festival is held the fourth Thursday of November.

These days, whether we're farmers, natives, or not, Thanksgiving is often a time for family, friends and neighbors to join together in harmonious praise.  Grace, a blessing or a prayer of thanks to God is often said before the meal begins.

Tell us, please, what you and yours are thankful for this Thanksgiving.  Write a comment below and share the bounty.

I am Thankful for my family, friends, people I work with, and the great grace that God gives me beyond my needs and dreams. I thank God for good health and the ability to help others be healthy.  I am thankful for you, my readers and the Beliefnet community.

What are YOU thankful for?  Please comment below.

Don't wait until next Thanksgiving Day! Let every day be a day of thanksgiving!

Appreciate the bounty that you receive from God. A roof over your head. Food in abundance. Your career, or mission in life. Your family. Friends. Interests. People who love and care for you. Your ancestors who worked hard to give you what you have today... be thankful for all the amazing blessings you've got. We all have a lot to be thankful for. It's often really easy to forget. It's really easy to complain, instead of praise! A recent study on happiness found that people who write daily "gratitude lists" were happier than others. Instead of dwelling on problems, these happy people dwell on what's good and positive in their lives.

What does it mean?  It means to be sympathetic or empathic of another's condition, be it pain and suffering, deep emotions, problems - and to do something about it.

This week, author Karen Armstrong ("A History of God" and other books) made her compassion for others come alive.  She gave a talk, answering the challenge of the TED Award (Technology, Entertainment, Design) describing her dream of a "Charter for Compassion," a website and collective that assists others in affirming their compassion for others.  She won the 2008 prize with her talk, and her dream.

Just this week, the dream went online in the form of The Charter for Compassion, funder by the Fetzer Institute.  Here's how they describe it:

The Charter of Compassion is a cooperative effort to restore not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life. Compassion is the principled determination to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, and lies at the heart of all religious and ethical systems. One of the most urgent tasks of our generation is to build a global community where men and women of all races, nations and ideologies can live together in peace. In our globalized world, everybody has become our neighbor, and the Golden Rule has become an urgent necessity.

The Charter, crafted by people all over the world and drafted by a multi-fath, multi-national council of thinkers and leaders, seeks to change the conversation so that compassion becomes a key word in public and private discourse, making it clear that any ideology that breeds hatred or contempt ~ be it religious or secular ~ has failed the test of our time. It is not simply a statement of principle; it is above all a summons to creative, practical and sustained action to meet the political, moral, religious, social and cultural problems of our time.

Affirm your desire to be compassionate of others, and to take action.  Join the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winners, government leaders, artists, actors, writers, mothers and fathers, and people of all kids.  Visit http://charterforcompassion.org/ and share the dream.

While a lot of us are having a hard time keeping food OFF the table, 1 in 7 Americans are finding it hard to put food ON the table this year.  So reports a study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In this nation, and era of abundance, it's hard to imagine that there are those who cannot afford food and go hungry.  Sadly, it's true.

Here's a report from the RNS, the Religion News Service, via Beliefnet news.

Let's say prayers for those who cannot find enough food.  Let's take action and contribute money to hunger programs, help stock food pantries and soup kitchens.  You may even have the desire to volunteer, putting your love and compassion for others into action.

Beliefnet is the place for everything Thanksgiving.  We have recipes, turkey recipes, stuffing recipes, crafts, prayers, inspiration, videos, e-cards - everything!  This American holiday is a special one, filled with family, friends, food, and gratitude.

Here are a few wonderful Thanksgiving treats for you and your family:

A Comprehensive "Thanksgiving 2009" guide, with all the trimmings.

A Gallery of Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Not Necessarily Healthy, but Beloved Thanksgiving Recipes

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Some Multifaith Prayers for Thanksgiving


I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, filled with love, happiness and thanks.

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THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR MY UPCOMING RETREAT, "THE DIVINE EXPERIENCE" AT KRIPALU IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.  PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A PRAYERFUL, RESTFUL WEEKEND.  Kripalu is a natural, whole-life spiritual resort with homemade foods, massage, aroma and Ayruveda therapies, meditation, yoga, entertainment - a total indulgence for the body, mind and heart.

This is a high-protein, low fat, no sugar recipe for a smoothie drink that will knock your socks off!  It's a great meal replacer, as it packs a bunch of nutrients and vitamins in it, naturally and makes you feel...

Mark C. Taylor, noted philosopher, scholar, professor of religion and Chair of the Columbia University Department of Religion, has published a glowing, often super-real and sometimes surreal collection of essays on the human condition.  "Field Notes From Elsewhere: Reflections on...

Q: I wonder that God doesn't have enough to do without hearing about my weight problem. So many crises, so much death and turmoil in the world, so many real problems to deal with. How can I possibly ask for...

Be careful of how much fruit juice you drink. It has a lot of calories in it. A serving size (USDA Food Pyramid) is only a 1/2 cup.Fruit juice is concentrated and powerful. An 8 oz. glass of apple juice...

This is a really special treat: full of vegetables, but no fat, with intense delicious flavor.  It requires no advance preparation, no soaking of beans overnight, and takes about 5 minutes to put together.  Hard to beat this soup on...

Beliefnet's Holly Rossi (Fresh Living) has just written a new gallery of ideas and great photos.  It's called 21 Simple Ways to Be Healthy.  This is a good list, of easy, simple, free ways to either get healthy or stay...

While on a car trip the other day, we stopped at a gas station and my friend went into the adjacent convenience store and bought a small bag of nuts and yogurt-covered raisins.  It looked really good.  I wanted some...

For years I thought it took will power to make major changes in my life, such as getting healthy, finding a job or losing weight.  In the middle of doing it, though, and falling flat on my face a bunch...

Last week, I wrote about a radio station losing a lawsuit over their water drinking contest.  A lot of you were very interested in how much water to drink, and to make sure there's no danger in too much water. ...

Meet Helene, a woman who has lost 50 pounds and kept it off over 23 years. See if you can relate to her words..."I was out on my own the first time (in my early 20's) and started to meet...

Remember how you felt the last time you ate a lot of sugary foods? You probably got a quick burst of energy, and then it let you down, way down. Maybe you felt "hung over" later with a headache. Maybe...

A wake up call, that's what suffering offers us, according to the poet and writer, Scott Cairns.  Suffering is not about the pain and hardship, per se - we need to look past suffering to what is beyond.  "The End...

I can't believe how great this hot (or cold) drink is!  Sweet, tasty, no calories, no caffeine, and helps me curb hunger and lose weight.Ever been at a bar and heard someone say to the bartender, "make it a double?" ...

I'm always encouraging everyone to drink a lot of water.  Water is important and when you're losing weight, it's essential.  Is it possible to drink too much water?  Yes.We heard the news that a jury awarded $16.5 million dollars in...

We know why we're fat: too much food in general, especially fats and sugar-laden food.  Now, "This is Why You're Fat" is a book and website of a collection of recipes and photos of really crazy fatty, sugary food.  This...

What if doing something you dread could really be fun and pleasurable?  What would happen if you did not have a lot of fear, anxiety and trepidation?If you simply don't believe the old mental programming that losing weight, becoming healthier,...

Today, All Saint's Day, I'm thankful for the wind, today. I love how it blows life into everything - especially me! I love how the wind moves the clouds, and the leaves on the trees, and how the birds ride...