I don’t know about you, but I really hate shopping.
Continuing the tradition of food and family togetherness that we celebrate here in the US on the third Thursday in November, when the fridge is stocked with delicious leftovers and the weather outside is chilly, the last thing I would want to do is fight crowds and traffic. No thank you!
Speaking of Thanksgiving, it’s a good idea to think of the indigenous folk who lived in your area prior to the invasion and colonization of Europeans. In our case, that’s Occaneechi and Monacan peoples. Where I was born and where we celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday in a small town near the Virginia/NC border, the Saura people lived in Upper Sauratown near the Dan River. Their numbers were drastically decreased in the Tuscarora and Yemassee Wars, which were partially perpetuated by the settlers, before dying out entirely due to disease brought by traders.
The Monacan Indian Nation, another Algonquian tribe here in Central-Southwest Virginia, has survived over 400 years since European settlers came to Jamestown. After an interminably long battle, in 2018 the Monacans won federal recognition. These people are one of the few indigenous American nations that have continuously occupied ancestral lands.
Some people have long recognized that the connection that indigenous people have with natural rhythms and seasons reflects ancient wisdom that should be respected, even emulated. Native people have much to teach others about how to live lightly and in harmony with ourselves the earth around us. Some Native societies have a tradition of storytelling during the cold weather months. It is also seen as a time to reconnect with the deeper self, to reflect on the past year, and to channel one’s creative energy into making things both useful and decorative.
As we move through the winter holidays, I am looking forward to more time to slow down, settle in, and catch up on some of the things we had to put off during busier times. The waning light and cooler temperatures cause our bodies to shift into protective mode, as our metabolism slows, and we crave more rest. The wintertime, for me, has always been a time of quiet, a time to reflect and feel grateful for the life we have. And to share our bounty with others, as best we can.
2020 and 2021 have been challenging, but good to us as a Press. We’ve been able to bring nearly two dozen new books to readers in the past two years or so. Please share our good fortune with the coupon below, which offers an additional 15% off the already low discounted prices in our bookstore. The code is good from November 26 through November 30, 2021. Remember, free shipping always to continental US addresses, and low international shipping to everywhere else.
All from the comfort of your own home – no need to brave crowds or traffic. So reconnect with yourself, pick a new story, or share with someone you love. Peace and blessings to you all.
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