cohanOct 14, 2024
I'm not that excited about mainstream holidays, but Thanksgiving
is not a bad concept- daily gratitude
has been shown to be very beneficial. This altar( https://cohanmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/09/autumn-equinox-apjumibas-altar-to.html ) was prepared for the Equinox but works now too! Giving thanks for all the bounty of #Nature #GreatMother
A Beautiful Season to All!
#Thanksgiving #pagan #gratitude #SeasonalRhythms
Autumn Equinox Apjumības: an Altar to Bounty, Colour, Remembrance of Loss and a Twin God

  I mentioned in my previous post that Autumn Equinox is a significant time for me. Firstly, the season itself- living in a northerly climat...

Show threadWillow (she/her)Oct 14, 2024

@cohanf Thanksgiving is one I have wrestled with. Because I loathe the whole colonial thing, settlers are bad, it's uncomfortable.

And yet a harvest festival to pause and spend time with loved ones and focus on what is bringing joy is SO up my ally as a hearth witch. And ppl usually have extra time off this weekend, so it makes it easier to gather.

Show threadcohanOct 15, 2024
@MsHearthWitch Yeah, I'm not sure if has as much association with the earliest settlers in Canada as it does in the U.S.? ( I should look up the full history of the occasion in Canada..). I slightly look at the harvest part of it (though really I'm more focussed on the Equinox, and the ancient harvest celebrations etc as I mentioned in my posts a few days ago). Mostly Thanksgiving I take at its name- a moment to pause and be grateful.--cont
Show threadWillow (she/her)

@cohanf Yeah, I think it sharing a date with Columbus day (former) and Indigenous People's Day (current) makes it harder to avoid the association, even tangentially.

I too like to just take Thanksgiving at its game, although I have generally adopted the "Friendsgiving" as a way to distance my intentions for the day from the settler holiday. I think taking that time to pause, reflect, be grateful and intentional about doing so is an important thing.

Oct 15, 2024 at 4:55amWeb
Show threadcohanOct 15, 2024
@MsHearthWitch Some (relatively recent Canadians, non-Christian background) co-workers were asking about Thanksgiving the other day. Someone had already given them some basics (not sure what). I gave some additional points on the original religious intentions, but also said it is when the great Turkey Spirit comes down from the sky for the pumpkin harvest... I did tell them I was joking but that most people just care about eating and maybe seeing family...lol
Show threadcohanOct 15, 2024
@MsHearthWitch When I was a kid, it was a family thing but also a special occasion for the church I went to with my grandparents-- nothing flashy, but an extra day of services, readings and really focussed on the gratitude thing!