Thanksgiving Inquiry Practice

Try something new at holiday gatherings. You can use this practice as an expression of your gratitude towards others.Inquiry Practice: Commit for the entirety of the gathering to make nothing about you. In this commitment you will:

• Take nothing personally, you can know that whatever is being said or done is about the person who is saying it, not about you.
• Let go of the need to explain or defend anything.
• In whatever capacity you are in at the event see yourself as in service to joy, well-being, gratitude, and the feeling of community.
• Be curious about others.  As they share themselves look for their best qualities and openly acknowledge them; blow wind in their sails.
• Before you even engage with others create an intent to open your heart.
• Set aside any need for recognition or acknowledgment, try just showing up with your contribution whatever it is.  Don’t judge your contribution (that makes it about you again).
• See yourself as an active observer not a judge, everyone thinks they are doing what is right.  Just notice what is happening and allow it to.  You don’t need to take responsibility for what is happening.
• Don’t get attached to the attention or connection with any one person, try to connect with everyone at the event.

Just try this practice for one event, afterwards review how you did, what your experience was and how it was different from other gatherings you’ve attended.You can see this practice as an expression of gratitude and as a recognition that you really already have everything you really need.  When our needs are met we can begin to give the gifts of our engagement, contribution, and support to “us” instead of me.  Isn’t that what the spirit of the holidays is really about?  The rewards of being with people in this way are even more abundant than what we receive by focusing on “me” alone.