Thursday, November 24, 2022

How did Vegan Thanksgiving 2022 go?

Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Jen Bradford, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly
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Vegan game changers
It was an excellent post-pandemic turnout with lots of delicious vegan treats, a table overflowing with desserts and multiple tables full of dishes -- exotic and mundane, from mashed potatoes au grated vegan cheese to every permutation of kale to scrumptious main dishes with enough for everyone to fill up.

There was a special Vietnamese Buddhist temple table offering rice and curry, acai sorbet, chocolate pie with coconut vanilla topping and an invitation to share the love with a beautiful emissary.

Free the mind, and the diet will follow.
Dr. Will Tuttle, Ph.D. honored us with a Buddhist prayer -- after years spent as a Zen Buddhist monk and vegan of 42 years, a compassionate savior of animals (two footed, four footed, many footed, and no footed).

The event launched with a Buddhist Native American opening, welcoming, and Sanskrit/Pali blessing by Wisdom Quarterly's own Dhr. Seven, Native flute in hand. Speaking in the Tongva (Gabrielino/Kizh) language, he welcomed the crowd of hundreds with these words: 'Aweeshkone xaa 'ekwaa'a xaa ("I'm happy you're here!")

The heart of wisdom heals all maladies.
The highlight of the day -- apart from the free massage chair, live music, and open mic -- had to be the Kindness Tunnel [of Altruistic Love]. Two parallel lines are formed. Dave smudges each entrant with white sage and sends her/him through with eyes closed.

Everyone in the line reaches out with kind contact and beautiful words and compliments of encouragement, love, uplift, and hope. Tears come to the eyes. Many thank yous are exchanged, and the person is pulled inexorably through the tunnel until that person is part of it at the end of the line, welcoming the next lucky entrant coming through. It's a moving and awesome experience of receiving and giving back metta ("loving kindness").
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