Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day occurs has occured on the second Monday in October since 1959, is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is also celebrated in a secular manner.
On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:
“ A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October"
On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:
“ A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October"
Canadian Thanksgiving is a celebration of the Harvest and an opportunity to
give thanks to God for the blessings of the year and the harvest. While I am
far from a farmer (I did grow tomato plants once). It is a very special day
for me because I have lived 2 lives, many years ago a door opened for me and
I was given a second chance an opportunity to make up for some really bad
choices that had led me to a time in my life in which I was very unhappy.
This door at first seemed like a life sentence to boredom. Slowly very
slowly I began to make better choices, make up for past mistakes and learn
to listen to that inner voice that always guides me gently and in the right
direction. Sometimes I felt nervous, I was sure who I would become without
all the old habits and crutches. It was during these times that I started to
find a faith in a God or a Cosmic Energy that I could call on for courage.
And trust me I needed a lot of courage, I was gripped with fear as a young
woman.
I remember one day that inner voice told me to study yoga, the voices in my
head went mad with laughter, they told me I was "too old", "too inflexible"
and just "too plain and fat" to ever become a yoga teacher. Teaching yoga
was for the young and very good looking. The inner voice was steady and
strong though and with the help of this amazing nun who at the time was my
spiritual director I began my yoga studies.
I never intended to teach, it began as a personal quest to learn more and
to deepen my spiritual life. One day another amazing Catholic nun who was my
good friend, asked me to sub a yoga class for the regular teacher who was
heading away for 3 weeks. My inner voice told me to say yes, so I did.
Immediately the monkeys in my mind started leaping about chattering "are you
crazy" "no one is going to like you" " you aren't ready to teach", again I
put the monkeys to bed long enough to get through those 3 first classes, I
was nervous as hell and almost ran out of poses I taught them sooo fast.
Shortly after that I began teaching part time, the first class no one showed
up, the second class one person showed up, the 3rd class no one showed up,
on the fourth class I sat there in this little cabin on the grounds of
Manresa, a Jesuit Renewal Centre, and looked up to the ceiling and said to
God, maybe I was wrong I wasn't meant to teach, I can't keep showing up, if
no one comes tonight, I will take it as a sign, sadly I blew out the candles
and locked up. As I pulled my car out of this long dark driveway a minivan
with 5 women in it pulled up and asked me where the yoga class was, they
were lost. I backed up, opened the door and relit the candles. These women
continued to be my students for a number or years and brought friends. I
became a yoga teacher.
Today as you all know I own a Yoga studio, I teach many classes, certify
teachers and continue to be a student of yoga. My trip to Thailand was
another "big change" for me, so big in fact that the monkeys in my mind were
still chattering at me while I was lined up to get on the plane. This trip
changed me so profoundly I can't even begin to explain. I will return to
Thailand for at least 2 more trips.
So what does this have to do with Thanksgiving ? Today I feel that I have a
full harvest in my life, I have really good friends, a great and very
supportive family, my parents are alive and we have good relationships, a
husband who loves me, kids and grandchildren. As well I have this amazing
business and a sense of community I have never felt before. Truly this
year's harvest has been plentiful and I thank God for giving me courage
throughout the years to create beautiful garden of people in my life.
My thanks to you for being a part of my Havest,
