Monday, November 21, 2016

Thanks for Giving Gracious Offerings


Life offers us the opportunity to love deeply. To laugh loudly. To dance wildly.
Let us offer life something in return.
Let us give back.
Let us give gracious offerings.

What are gracious offerings?


To offer something in return for a blessing expresses a grateful heart. It expresses the ancient ebb and flow of the ocean; the yin and yang of life and; the full moon cycle.

You will find offerings of many kinds in different cultures. For example, offerings of money are used in religious ceremonies. Some Native Americans offer tobacco to the land. They offer when taking something from the Great Spirit. While co-leading a VisionQuest to Peru, I participated in offerings made before eating every meal. We splashed water from our glasses into the air and left a small bite of food on the plate.Why? To acknowledge the Pachamama or Mother Earth--the Source of this abundance.

Gracious offerings are a way of life in Bali. "Walk down any street on Bali, and the first things you'll see by your feet are the daily (offerings) canang-"chanang', or small, square woven baskets made from cut coconut leaves and filled with flowers..."

On yet another VisionQuest, I learned how to make these gracious offerings from the Balinese women in our tour guide's village. Once completed, the colorful, fragrant offerings were placed in the family's temple compound.

Isn't it interesting that only Balinese women, not men, make these offerings?

Why make gracious offerings?

The conscious action of mindfully returning what you've received shows that you appreciate the unwrapped gift of a blessing--perhaps a smile, kind word or thoughtful card. Perhaps it's a wrapped or tangible gift. Your actions acknowledge something Greater than yourself...whatever word you choose to call that greatness.

Remember...
You don't own the land. You borrow it.

You don't own food.You borrow it to sustain and nurture.


You don't own your body temple.

You borrow it for a time to enjoy, express and be in service.

You don't own animals. You borrow them for a time for help or companionship.

You don't own spiritual teachings. You borrow them to learn, grow and share.



How can you make gracious offerings?
Here are five ways you and yours might adopt this new gratitude practice that begins this Thanksgiving season and could continue all year long!
1) Stop and pause before you take something away from its natural spot. Ask if it wants to leave and if you are to have it or not. If the answer is "Yes and OK" make a brief ritual to leave something in its place.

2) Surround yourself with beauty, speak beautiful words, and act beautifully.

3) Celebrate Divine places in your home like your Writer's or Angel's Altar; leave a token flower, rock, photo, or found treasure.

4) Research the ways your ancestors and culture made gracious offerings.

5) Brainstorm creative ways you and yours might do this as a couple, family, or community.


Remember, like a grateful heart, gracious offerings are often quiet and private.

They are not intended to be showy events to attract attention and applause.
They are not sacrifices that cost a lot of your time, talent or treasure.
Instead, they are your gratitude notes to Source just to say, 
"Thank you."


What might you and yours do in the spirit of 
Thanks for Giving Gracious Offerings?

34 comments:

  1. I love the idea of gracious offerings. Especially your suggestion of surrounding yourself with beauty, speaking beautiful words, and acting beautifully. That's something I can do every day with intent. Thank you Lore

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    1. Thank you, Caren, for your kind words. And I am happy it OFFERED you a new idea. I am grateful for you, I AM. All best wishes for a healthy, happy, and pain free delivery! xo L

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  2. Gracious offerings - how beautiful that sounds and how you can't help but lift the corners of your mouth to your ears. My favorite gracious offering in the wee hours of the morning is to turn on my diffuser and allow the essential oil scents of bergamont and lemon grass fill the air.

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    1. Smelling this...and adding a diffuser to my leap list of things I'd like. I use incense in my morning practice. Grateful for you, Peggy.

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  3. I love love love the Balinese offerings that I first saw when i went to Bali as a 22 yearold Kuta was magic then and I love those daily offerings- i go through phases here wher I pick flowers and burn insense at the front door= so specia xxl

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    1. So fun to read about your times in Bali, Suzie! What is "kuta"?

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  4. Thank you for sharing your wonderful & appreciative love. Many blessings for all. Xoxo

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  5. What a lovely post. I have followed Native teachings on giving back and sharing the earth for some time and I get as much out of it as I give. It is a beautiful experience.

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    1. Thank you, Barb, for your kind words. And I appreciate how you are always connected to Nature. I am grateful for you, I AM.

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  6. Love this post on gracious offerings and your suggestions for making them Lore! Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

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  7. I am Grateful for your awesome thoughts. Thank you for sharing your wisdom 💕

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  8. Gracious offerings are so beautiful. My constant daily ritual is that everything I do starts and ends with gratitude. I love how gracious offerings fits comfortably and nicely with my approach to life! Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Indee, they are beautiful though many don't think or act this way...as you know. Happy to hear that these rituals compliment your already graceful approach to life, dear one. xo Namaste

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  9. I LOVE this post. I really don't have much to add except so beautifully done. Thank you for sharing Lore. Namaste

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    1. Thank YOU, Laura, for your kind words. Happy to read that it touched you. Namaste~

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  10. Thank you for sharing Lore. I love the idea of gracious offerings.

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    1. You're welcome. And yes, I, too, love the idea of gracious offerings; I know you'er a "Gratitude Gal" for sure after erading many of your posts, Leila.

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  11. I love the idea and process of gracious offerings Lore! May you continue to be blessed to be a blessing and I am excited to weave this vision of more gracious gratitude offerings into my days. Currently I am engaged in the practice of writing thank you notes each day to a different person through the end of November. I so enjoy spreading love and gratitude in the world with these simple gracious offerings!

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    1. Thank you, Kelley! I'm enjoying writing my thank you notes each day--another way as you said of generous offerings. xo Hugs

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  12. A great post. I always find myself hesitating when taking something from nature, I like your suggestion of how to approach that!

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    1. Happy to hear that these ieas from Peru might help you the next time you're in nature and seek to take something with you, Sherry. Namaste~

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  13. Such inspiration, Lore. I'm inspired to step outside and take a moment to enjoy nature and my lovely fur babies.

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    1. Ahhh, yes...outside is always a course for generous offerings, Sheila. xo Namaste

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  14. We can never give back enough for all of the blessings that the earth bestows on us. It is always good to be reminded of how we can give back even if all we have to give is a smile or a blessings.

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    1. Thank you again, Barb, for commenting! I appeciate how connected you are to Mother Earth. Hope this finds you well and warm up north. Namaste~

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  15. Wonderful insight, Lore. Thank you for sharing your pearls of wisdom.

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  16. Thank you for writing your beautiful post. Sustainability and Service struck a cord with me. I also know that if we treat everything as it should be treated, that will be thanks enough. Blessings to you .

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  17. This is a lovely reminder that we can create sacred moments in our lives with these "gracious offerings". Thank you Lore!

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