Picture from PD Photo.org
To the native peoples of North America, Wild Turkey was a sacred animal, symbolic of abundance and the generosity of “give away” or “potlatch.” This seems an apt symbol for our culture during the holiday season. Over time, a shadow side evolved to the symbolism of Wild Turkey. As a result of unrestricted hunting, Wild Turkey became scarce and thus a reminder that abundance is renewable only if nurtured. It is a reminder of limits, boundaries, and the wisdom of not letting “things” gobble up our lives. This shadow side seems an apt symbol for a culture with Black Friday, marked as it is with acquisition and incivility on the day immediately following our day of Thanksgiving. Plenty and prosperity are only nurtured in a spirit of generosity and the ability to recognize when enough is enough.
I was thinking of these things when by pleasant synchronicity my friend, Robert Rossel, happened to email me his Thanksgiving Medition, which is his view of Turkey in our times. Rob’s meditation is reprinted here with his permission:
“Living More like Turkey: A Thanksgiving Mediation”
by Robert Rossel, Ph.D., Life Coach
rosselrob@aol.com
One of my coaching clients called me with some questions about how she gets used and abused in relationships and does not have good “boundaries.” When talking with her over the phone I flashed on “Turkey”. I am not exactly sure why I thought this, but I briefly shared with her that I thought both of us had a fair amount of “Turkey” in our consciousness or being. Later, after hanging up, I read about “Turkey” in my book on medicine cards. I think I now have a little clearer understand why I said this to her.
The recent election of Obama has been a major event in our country— a wake up call to a very new way of thinking and acting as a people. It is a major call to think and act more like Turkey. Turkey is actually thought to be the Give-Away Eagle or South Eagle in may native peoples. The practice of “give away” ( or Pot Latch) is celebrated in many native peoples. Simply stated, it is a deep and abiding recognition of the sacrifices of both self and others. A tribal member may gladly give away all that he or she owns, and do without in order to help others. This contrasts with present day urban life where we are taught to acquire and get ahead. A person who claims more than his or her share is looked upon as selfish or crazy or both. The poor, the aged, the sick and feeble have honor. The person who gives away the most and carries the burdens of the People is most respected. The text goes on to read, “Turkey was the medicine of many saints and mystics. Celebrate if you have Turkey medicine. Your virtues are many. You have transcended self.” Your goodness or compassion does not come out of some sense of self-righteous moralism or religious guilt. Help and sustenance is given by Turkey out of the realization that all life is sacred.
Now Turkey also has its “shadow.” Turkey is very lost and misplaced in a cultural context of greed and addictive consumption. Turkey is easily used and taken for granted. Turkey struggles over boundaries and often does not recognize when he or she is being used. Turkey struggles to know how to live in a context where others are out for themselves and do not know how to share.
What is interesting in this context is the election of Obama. He is inviting us as a nation to think in a radically different way about ourselves as a nation and imagine how we can live together not addicted to consumption and riddled with a sense of fear, difference, and scarcity. I think he is inviting us to be more like “Turkey”. . . to see ourselves as more alike than we ever have. He is also saying that the only way we are going to get through the current economic and ecological crisis is to be to think of ourselves in a radically different way and to have a lot more “Turkey” consciousness.
Interpersonally, Turkey has a hard time finding herself and feeling comfortable in a context where are out for themselves, don’t know how to share, or are caught up in various “egoic” preoccupations. How to recognize how and when it is necessary to fight for the self and how to be effective in fighting so that the relationship is not lost or destroyed..that is the question. The Obama campaign gave some helpful images of how this can be done. I think one thing Obama has already shown is that it is possible to find common ground, cooperate and build bridges across differences while we attempt to get things done. How else could he have won the election. Just look at how effective his campaign was! I hope someone on his team who is a good historian documents what they did to win this election. Even more important, I hope he somehow manages to import many of the same qualities and skills into his current administration. I am hopeful that he will be able to do this. If so, we have a rare historical opportunity to create new models of relationship where generosity, trust, and effective collaborative action can replace greed, addictive consumerism, fear, and mutual mistrust in solving the serious problems that we face socially and politically across the globe.
May this Thanksgiving holiday remind us of the promise that lies in the midst of the uncertainty we share at the present moment. May each bite we take at our Thanksgiving meal be a reminder to live more like a Turkey—to find common ground, cooperate and build bridges across differences while we attempt to get things done.
