Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Prayer

[Guest guest]

I am of the Haudensauness Native American Wolf Tribe. My Mom sent

this to me and I thought you would appreciate it.

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Thanksgiving Address

GREETINGS TO THE NATURAL WORLD!

The People

Today we have gathered and 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, we bring our minds together as

one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all

that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon

her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has

from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings and

thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our

thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its

power in many forms - waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers

and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit

of water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to all the Fish life in the water. They were

instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves

to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So,

we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye

can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many

life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look

forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we

harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains,

vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many

other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the

Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all 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 happy there are still

among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for

healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines

and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Animals

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the

Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as

people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are

glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one.

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families of

Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with

shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty and other useful things.

Many peoples of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace and

strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and

fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each

day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen

to be their leader. To all the Birds - from the smallest to the

largest - we send our joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to 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.

The Thunderers

Now we turn to the west where our Grandfathers, the Thunder Beings,

live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the

water that renews life. We bring our minds together as one to send

greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

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.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together and give thanks to our oldest grandmother,

the Moon, who lights the night-time sky. She is the leader of women

all over the world, and she governs the movement of the 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.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like

jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the

darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we

travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together

as one, we send greetings and thanks to all the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The Enlightened Teachers

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.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send

greetings and thanks for the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to

live a good life is here on this 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.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the

things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out.

If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send

such greetings and thanks in their own way.

Now our minds are one