The Buddhist proverb, "'Enough' is a feast," encapsulates a profound perspective on contentment and satisfaction, offering us a door into recognition and giving thanks. At its core, this wisdom suggests that enough can be a source of abundance, even in the face of adversity or challenging circumstances.
This week officially welcomes us to the holiday season here in the United States. For many of us, this means the beginning of seasonal gatherings, travel, gift-giving, and an engagement in creating new or timeless traditions. As we attempt to balance invitations to connect with people and places in varying ways, it can be easy to get swept away in wishes that something had gone differently and find our attention honing in on this.
In a world often driven by the pursuit of more—more wealth, more possessions, more success—the notion of satisfaction is a powerful counterpoint. Enough implies a state of satisfaction and encourages a shift in focus from the externally driven quest for more to an internally driven appreciation of what is already here.
In facing life's difficulties, the proverb becomes a guiding principle for resilience and inner strength. It suggests that even amid life's challenges or disappointments, we have a well spring of internal resources available, which, when accessed, may allow us to experience a deep sense of fulfillment in this life. Viktor Frankl teaches us about this in his book, "Man's Search for Meaning," which we read with the book club last year. His experience demonstrates, in a profound way, how this perspective is available to us, offering the doorway to a powerful practice of giving thanks.
Admittedly, at times, this isn't easy to see. Understandably, the difficulty can be intensified by experiences such as the Global Conflicts of our time that have escalated significantly. It is crucial in the midst of these moments to hold steady in our stance, recognizing that honoring the enoughness in the face of difficult times is not about complacency or resignation; instead, it's an acknowledgment of the resources, seen and unseen, that are available to us all the time.
True abundance does not reside in the having of more but in recognizing and appreciating the sufficiency of what already exists. By embracing the feast of enough, even in hardship, we increase our capacity to cultivate resilience, satisfaction, and fulfillment, transcending our external conditions.
This Thanksgiving, as we turn toward the blessings in our homes, hearts, and on our tables while holding space for the things we feel could be different, better, or changed, may we invite the wisdom of enoughness to light our path as a guiding star, inviting us to be a little more present with the fullness of our truth.
Perhaps an active engagement with enoughness is just one of the hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. As we cultivate this practice, it can help to have some concrete places for our attention to land...
Here are some practices to support us this holiday in honoring enoughness and giving thanks. May they support our cultivation of gratitude, appreciation and deeply feeling into the recognition of enough:
Spending quality time with nature, self and those we love
Taking note of that which we’re thankful for (quite literally, on a sticky note or in a journal)
Giving freely without the hope or expectation of receiving anything in return
Offering genuine words of praise or affirmation
Making donations of time, money, food to those in need
Taking moments to bask under cozy blankets, in the sun, snow or gentle rain…
Sharing handwritten letters and thank you notes
Mindfully engaging kindness and patience when interacting with others
Slowing down – intentionally engaging the practice of "living slow"
Reflecting on the history of the land on which we reside
Simply saying "Thank you!"
Turning our attention away from Social Media and our phones
Holding space for the question, what is here for me?
In the spirit of giving thanks and nurturing our communities, we would like to share the resources that have been provided by Rasa Healing and other collaborators for the Interfaith Prayer event we had the honor of supporting in November 2023:
Resource Bank - additional links and resources
I'd love to hear from you, please comment below and share with us your favorite ways of giving thanks and cultivating enough!
With Kindness,
Becca
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