[Oe List ...] Gratitude NS LOVE

[Janice Ulangca]

Nancy - Your description of your Songaia celebration, and the link to the awesome Iroquois Address, is wonderful.  I just passed both on to local folks who are exploring establishing an intentional community to serve in a poor neighborhood.  

I remember visiting Songaia with Abe maybe 15? years ago.  Such a neat place.  The gifts of community are specially important for holidays without the physical presence of loved ones who are part of ourselves.

Love to all of you - special thoughts for you and Carol Crow.
Janice Ulangca

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Nancy Lanphear 
  To: Order Ecumenical Community 
  Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2010 12:57 AM
  Subject: [Oe List ...] Gratitude NS LOVE


  Dear Ones, 
  Over the pat several years we here at Songaia have used a MODIFIED version of the Iroquois Thanksgiving address.  It is a beautiful connective piece beween the human being and all other species.  40 of us sat surrounding the large alter in the center of the living room that was covered with bright scarves and symbols of the web of life, such as toy animals, shells plants, flowers,rocks, water, trees, etc.  

   4-5 years ago we celebrated with this ritual for the first time using a written statement that was read followed by a spontaneous witness after which we spoke in one voice, "all our minds are one". We expected that the adults would do the spontaneous witnesses and the children( 7-12 years old) would read the written statements.  WRONG!  The children decided they would speak spontaneously on behalf of the other life forms on our planet, their relations - and they did just that!  We were amazed at the words they spoke - thoughtful, heartfelt, poetic and full of compassion for "all our relations". It was a beautiful reminder of the power of community and of the availability of the natural world outside of our doors.  We are grateful!

  This year as we celebrate Thanksgiving as our dining room doors and walls nearly burst open with 70 people present, we remember our beloved Stan and Fred who moved on from us this past  year.  We miss then greatly but continue to feel their presence as new (2-77 years) leadership continues to emerge.  We imagine that they will watch over our lives and occasionally send signs of possibility for us as we expand the edges of our community, perhaps to Songaia Neighborhood!. 

  Below is one version of the thanksgiving address

  With a life full of gratitude

  http://www.nativevillage.org/Inspiration-/iroquois_thanksgiving_address.htm




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