A Season for Giving Thanks

A Season for Giving Thanks

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately about how much Christmas is taking over more and more time out of the year.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, in fact,  I’m one of those people who adores the holiday season…the songs, the food, the Hallmark movies, the decorations and lights, the time with family, the time off work, and so on...I am the anti-Grinch!  But, I think you’ll agree, it’s hard to ignore the bombardment of Black Friday sales and the growing trend toward Black Thursday (also known as Thanksgiving Day) sales.  With all the commotion about the “gift-giving” season…I feel like we increasingly lose our focus on that season right before the holiday madness ensues…the season for GIVING THANKS!

In our society, we are loosing Thanksgiving…so many people are overlooking the true spirit of setting aside time to Give Thanks—and even more, the immense benefits of doing so.  So today, I’d like to take a little time to reflect upon and discuss the concept of Giving Thanks, of Gratitude.  My hope is that through thought and discussion, we will each be able to enhance our own celebrations of Thanks-Giving.

I would like to begin by sharing some thoughts with you on four things that “Thanksgiving” is and is NOT. 

To start, I would like to cite a profound article I case across online a month ago as I began my research into the topic of Gratitude.  The article was titled “Thanksgiving:  Not Just a Day, But a Season” and was written by the Reverend Doctor Mark D. Roberts.  Dr. Roberts captured two very important issues that I’d like to discuss—two things that Thanksgiving is NOT.  First, Roberts argues that Thanksgiving deserves more than a once-per-year celebration…he propose a “Thanksgiving Season.”  Secondly, Roberts reminds the reader that Thanksgiving is not a day for gluttony, sloth and shopping—instead it is a day for family, friends and celebration of our blessings. 

Next, I would like to visit the idea that Giving Thanks is not a new or strictly American concept—the history of the universal concept of Gratitude goes back to ancient times and spans many cultures, religions, philosophies, and traditions around the world. 

To round out the discussion of what Thanksgiving is and is not, I will cite modern psychology with regard to gratitude.  I then I will leave you with two questions.  First, what can we each do to give this season of Giving Thanks a more meaningful place in our own individual lives and in the world at large?  Also, how can we make a place in our lives and hearts for growth in Gratitude the whole year through?

In Dr. Robert’s article, he asserts that he believes there is a danger in only setting aside one day each year for giving thanks because it could be mistakenly interpreted as something we only need in our lives on the fourth Sunday in November.  He proposes that Thanksgiving deserves more of a season—a consistent, prolonged period to examine our lives and all that we have to be thankful for.

So, Roberts is saying that there’s a lot more to Thanksgiving than a one day turkey and football game bonanza.  While we all love our traditions of roast turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, as the story I shared with the children reminds us, that is only part of our important yearly celebration of Thanksgiving.  Isn’t it? 

I love the Thanksgiving holiday traditions right down to the Macy’s parade.  But Roberts does make an interesting point about how the parade is also the traditional “kick-off to the holiday shopping season” with the prize at the end of the parade being the arrival of Santa.  Once again, I am no Ebenezer Scrooge, but maybe the holiday shopping stuff should come after the thanksgiving dinner and the thanks we give for the blessings we already have. 

Can’t we just slow down a little?  I love gift-giving as much as the next girl, but I also cherish a day off when I actually have the leisure time to spend with my very busy family members and enjoy their company…the chance to savor the moment and bask in the smell of the roasting turkey and the sweet mapley flavor of the candied yams…and the time to share stories of the old family memories we have together…to remember and honor the ancestors who raised us, provided for us, loved us and taught us and who in some way still live through us and with us in our family customs and remembrances.  For example, in our family we remember stories like that time that Pap got his harmonica out and started playing it in the fancy restaurant…everyone laughs and smiles and cherishes the love.  Personally, I prefer a day of that kind of warmth and appreciation over a cold crowd of strangers in a Wal-Mart or a mall--fighting over the newest trendy toy or technology gizmo that is on sale.

Sometimes our world gives us mixed messages and distracts us from the essence of giving thanks.  Just look at the controversy surrounded retail stores being open Thanksgiving Day.  Certain malls are actually fining stores that are choosing to stay closed that day.  Wal-Mart workers are planning to stage what they call the biggest strike of all time on Black Friday.  So what’s the fuss all about?  Do we really need those extra hours of shopping time?  I would assert that it would be more productive to have extra hours of family time.  What do we really need as an American society, more football and shopping or more family time and time to reflection on gratitude for what we already do have?

At this point, I stepped back and looked at the bigger picture…the universal, global, timeless idea of Gratitude.  You find a call for gratitude and giving thanks situated in most every world religion from Buddhism and Hinduism to the Judeo-Christian traditions and the Pagan practices.  For example, it is repeated throughout the old and new testament in phrases such as “This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad!”  Moses and Abraham gave thanks.  Jesus gave a lot of thanks—once at a dinner called the “Last Supper.” One of my favorite parts of the story of the thanksgiving-like Last Supper celebration was when Jesus humbly washed the feet of his apostles to show them his appreciation and deep respect for them. Muhammad gave thanks and praise to Allah over and over again in the Qur’an. Countries all across the world celebrate many different harvest and thanks-giving customs.  The idea dates back long before the ancient Greeks and Romans…long before Christ, Buddha or Muhammad ever walked this Earth. 

These sages taught many lessons about gratitude like this quote from Buddha:  “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.”  Maybe we, as Americans, can look beyond the Plymouth pilgrims and learn something from others, or so, I hoped.  What I found was a rich history of harvest festivals--of time set aside each year for people across the world and across time to give thanks.

The West African Prayer that I shared with you as the opening reading is a wonderful example to begin with.

Lord, we brought in the harvest. 

The rain watered the Earth, the sun drew cassava and corn out of the clay.  Your mercy showered blessings over our country.  Creeks grew into rivers; swamps became lakes.  Healthy fat cows gaze on the green sea of the savanna.  The rain smoothed out the clay walls, the mosquitoes drowned in the high waters.

Lord, the yam is fat like meat, the cassava melts on the tongue, oranges burst in their peels, dazzling and bright.

Lord, nature gives thanks,

Your creatures give thanks.  Your praise rises in us like the great river.

I was drawn to this prayer because of the deep sense of gratitude it evokes…and not just gratitude for our cars and our homes and our jobs and our stuff, but gratitude for the earth and the harvest, for nature, for life, for the weather and even for the yam!  The prayer is part of the Homowo Festival in Ghana—the yam festival.  Because the yam is such an essential part of their harvest, it is a symbol of the three day long festival. 

Homowo resembles many other harvest festivals around the world—Chu Suk in Korea, Trung Thu in Vietnam, the Harvest Moon Festival in China, the Rice Harvest in Bali, Sukkot in Israel, and the Pagan celebrations of Lamas, Mabon and Samhain worldwide.  Likewise, Muslims devote much of their focus during the month long observation and celebration of Ramadan toward giving thanks to Allah.  Homowo is a time in Ghana when African people celebrate the blessings of the harvest and honor family members who have died.  I liked this notion because as we enter this rush of the holiday season, we also tend to remember those we have lost—those who will no longer sit in their physical forms at our Thanksgiving tables.  So perhaps, during this time of year, we can embrace this concept of showing a special gratitude to our ancestors and our living and lost loved ones—for all that they gave us and taught us and shared with us.

Another cultural practice that offers the same opportunities to express gratitude for the harvest, for life, and for those we have lost comes from much closer to home.  My own personal experience this fall with the Mabon celebration here at ESUUC really touched me deeply.  Having never experienced a harvest celebration like Mabon, I didn’t know what to expect.  I must say that I was deeply struck by the beauty of the celebration of gratitude.  One of the focuses of Mabon was that we showed our appreciation for the harvest—but it was not just about the harvest of crops—there was a much deeper sense of gratitude present—a gratitude for our own growth in the past year.  As someone who has experienced tremendous personal growth over the past couple of years, I embraced the opportunity to express my gratitude for my blessings—even the painful lessons that I had learned the hard way.  I would like to share with you part of the poem that was read that night that moved me to tears:

The harvest is completed,
         The grain of the spring’s sowing gathered in.
         Behold the mystery.  In silence is the seed of wisdom gained.
         Let us reflect upon our own harvest.
         Have we reaped with gladness
         The ripened grain of our own setting?
         Did our ideas come to fruition?
         Were the tasks we set for ourselves completed?
         We reflect on the year’s successes,
         Not the material successes of money made or contracts won,
         But the inner tasks that only ourselves shall know.

The lessons learned,
         The knowledge gained,
         The fears over come,
         The attitude changed,
         The vista shifted,
         The bridges built,
         The small but startling steps toward self knowledge.
         All these are our summer’s harvest,
         The food for our spirituality.
         Every step forward,
         Every grain reaped,
         Brings us nearer to the God and Goddess within.

We now look once more at our own harvest.
         When the harvest is gathered in
         We keep the seed and throw away the stalks.
         We take the unwanted parts of our harvest
         And throw them away without guilt or regret.

Far winds, blow clean and clear, sweep free through the skies to be with us here. Bring us the fresh breath of Fall. Refresh us after the long Summer. May your winds clear our minds. Prepare us for the birth of a new season. 

Next, as my research and experience led me toward a deeper, new understanding of Gratitude, my logical and scientific mind needed took look one more place…toward scientific research.  I enjoy reading about sociology and psychology and modern therapies such as Positive Psychology.  I guess you could say that learning more in that field is a hobby of mine.  I use it to guide my own journey toward happiness and self-actualization.  I’m always looking for new ways to grow in love and light and to learn to be a more positive person. 

So, finally, I’d like to share with you a research study that I came across in two of my sources.  Dr. Roberts discussed the study in depth in his article, then just yesterday I came upon a description of the same exact study in a book that had just come in the mail that I ordered from Amazon—one minute mindfulness.  So now we come back to the reading I shared moments ago from Thich Nhat Hahn…where gratitude fits in to living mindfully in peace with ourselves and with our world.

“Our true home in in the present moment.  To live in the present moment is a miracle.  The miracle is not to walk on water.  The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beatuty that are available now.  Peace is all around us—in the world and in nature—and within us—in our bodies and our spirits.  Once we learn to touch this peace we will be healed and transformed.  It is not a matter of faith; it is a matter of practice.”  ~Thich Nhat Hahn (As quoted on page 34 of Wisdom Walk by Sage Bennet)

All five articles and my new book that I read, including Dr. Roberts’ discussion of the gratitude research study, pointed to a few clear ideas about gratitude.  First, Gratitude is the opposite of negative energy.  You physically cannot be positive and negative at the same moment in time.  Gratitude is the counter to negative energy, to depression, to anxiety, to many of the things that hold us back in life. 

It seems gratitude is the miracle cure we have all be looking for…and the best part is…it’s free and it’s natural!  Likewise, we can grow in gratitude the more we practice it.  Finally, there are many of ways we can incorporate more gratitude into our lives everyday of the year.

The Universities of Miami and California Davis study that Dr. Roberts cited--that I also found in my new book “One minute Mindfulness” by Donald Altman--set about to find correlations between gratitude and one’s mental and physical health.  The study’s statement of purpose reads: 

In the spirit of understanding the link between gratitude and happiness, the purpose of this research is to experimentally investigate the effects of a “grateful outlook” on psychological and physical well-being.  More specifically, we address whether relative to focusing on complaints or on neutral life events, a focus on “counting one’s blessings” leads to enhanced psychological and physical functioning.”   

Roberts explains that the study involved three groups of participants.  Each group would journal daily for several months about their assigned topic.  Altman further explains that:

The first group was instructed to pay attention and keep track of daily hassles, annoyances, and irritants.  The second group was instructed notice experiences of gratitude as they were happening and to make a list of these.  The third group was the control group; this group noted neutral life events.  All participants also tracked their moods, time spent sleeping, and time spent exercising.

The studies findings were quite promising.

According to Altman, “The study found that those who paid attention to gratitude were 25% happier than those who paid attention to daily annoyances.”

Additionally, Roberts goes on to cite the finding of the study to include that:

1.     There do appear to exist benefits to regularly focusing on one’s blessings.

2.     A weekly benefit listing was associated with more positive and optimistic appraisals of one’s life, more time spent exercising, and fewer reported physical symptoms

3.     People led to focus on their blessings were also more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or offered emotional support to another, suggesting prosocial motivation as a consequence of gratitude induction.

4.     The gratitude group experienced greater levels of positive affect, more sleep, better sleep, and a sense of connectedness to others.

5.     Gratitude intervention led to reductions in negative affect for those suffering with neuromuscular disease.

In summary, much like Thich Nhat Hahn, Roberts reminds us that:

Gratitude magnifies our experience of the good things in life, enabling us to enjoy them more thoroughly.  Gratitude also helps us to endure the hard things in life with more dignity, perhaps even with humor.  Gratitude is like savoring a fine meal, enjoy every bite, rather than racing through a meal as if it’s some sort of race.

This is the kind of thanksgiving that I wish for you and your families…a time to savor our blessings, and time to reflect in appreciation, a time to slow down, and a day, not to shop, but to celebrate life and love.  I hope that in some way, I have encouraged you each to embrace thanksgiving as a season and not just the fourth Thursday in November. 

In the words of the great Dr. Maya Angelou, “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.  And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” 

In closing, I would like to challenge you to reflect for a few moments on your own inner sense of gratitude and the presence of gratitude in your own daily lives.  Thus, before we move on to a group discussion, I would like to give you a quick quiz.  Don’t worry it’s not for a grade and you won’t have to turn it in.  But this “How Grateful are You?” quiz is a great way to begin the self-reflective process of growing in gratitude. 

How Grateful Are You? (adapted from:  “How Negative Energy Affects Your Life and How to Clear It”  in Buddhist Vision)

1.     Do you complain?  All the time or just sometimes?

2.     Do you often discuss what’s wrong in the world more than what’s right?  This includes terrible weather, horrible traffic, idiotic government, lousy economy, stupid in-laws, etc.

3.     Do you criticize?  All the time or just certain people?

4.     Do you blame?  All the time or just certain situations?

5.     Do you feel like a victim?  Do you talk about people doing things to you?

6.     Are you grateful for what is or will you be grateful when things start going right?

7.     Do you feel like things are happening to you?  Or do you feel like they are happening through you?

These last two points are important:  If you’re not grateful except when things go right, you are negative.  Gratitude is positive.  If you are grateful for what is (including the unpleasant school of life lessons), then you can invite more and more positive energy in your life.

Following the mini-quiz, I would like to open the floor to group discussion of the following two questions…

1.     What can we do to make this a season of giving thanks and to make room in our lives for more gratitude the whole year through?

2.     How can we develop gratitude practices in our daily lives?  For example: Writing a gratitude journal or creating gratitude mandalas to display prominently in our homes.

Thank you!

America: Not Exactly a Melting Pot

America:  Not Exactly a Melting Pot

In a well-known quote by Carl N. Degler, an American historian, he aptly explained:  “The metaphor of the melting pot is unfortunate and misleading. A more accurate analogy would be a salad bowl, for, though the salad is an entity, the lettuce can still be distinguished from the chicory, the tomatoes from the cabbage.”  The idea of a melting pot seems to imply that all of the components will combine together to form a new substance and retain none of the original properties of the individual components.  While American is often referred to as a melting pot, in reality, the ethnic, racial, and religious groups that make up American do retain some of their cultural identities in many cases.  Moreover, America tends to embrace the multicultural citizens that make up the diverse and dynamic social fabric of the nation.  As more of a pluralistic society, America allows its citizens more freedom in individual choices and does not suppress minority groups’ diverse beliefs and customs (Smith, 1978).  In fact, the composition of diversity in America allows individuals to be a part of their own ethnic, religious and cultural groups while still maintaining a sense of nationality as an American citizen.  Unlike most other nations in the world, the United States exhibits a uniquely dynamic relationship between ethnicity, race, and religion which results in its own unique set of social issues and benefits. 

Since America was created with its own values and ideologies, this country experiences social issues and the benefits of diversity in ways that are unlike most other nations.  In “A Tradition of Choice:  What It Means to Be American,” Garvey states that “there are no readymade identities in America” (1999).  Complex factors such as the freedom of religion and the immigration of people from cultures all around the globe contribute to a uniquely American version of ethnic and religious understanding.  For instance, as Smith explains in “Religion and Ethnicity in America,” Europeans do not have two separate words for ethnicity and nationality as we do in America (1978).  However, in America many citizens consider themselves Americans by birth, but they regard their ethnicity in terms of their ancestry.  Additionally, they have the ability to make their own religious choices.  Oftentimes, American citizens have diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds even though they identify with a singular American nationality.  Contrastingly, Americans consider an Italian living in Italy as Italian in both his ethnicity and nationality.   Thus, unlike the majority of other nations in the world, considering one’s nationality to be American does not mean the person identifies with any one particular ethnic group. 

Similarly, unlike many other countries across the globe, America does not have one established national religion.  Being American does not necessarily mean you are a Christian or a Jew.  In fact, Americans represent numerous sects and denominations of a variety of religious traditions ranging from the more traditional religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism to a variety of lesser-know or newly-emerging religions such as Wiccan, Voodoo, or Unitarian-Universalism.  The plurality of religions and the Constitutional right to choose one’s religion in America create a separate religious identity and nationality for Americans.  However, in numerous countries around the world, one’s nationality defines one’s religion. For example, if one is from the United Arab Emirates, one is most definitely considered Muslim.  If one is Serbian, one is Orthodox (Garvey, 1999).  However, if one is American, he is permitted to choose his religious affiliation.  America was founded on principles of religious freedom by many diverse settlers who had moved to the new land for the freedom to worship how they chose without persecution.  Since the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” United States citizens are given the freedom to choose what religion they practice and how they interpret and express those beliefs. 

Therefore, unlike citizens of many other countries, Americans have a unique “fluidity” when it comes to religion (Garvey, 1991).  Not only is there no national religion in America, we are also not necessarily defined by the religion of our ancestors or the traditions of our geographic region.  The absence of violent religious persecution on a large-scale in America allows Americans to find a religion that works for them as individuals (Garvey, 1991).  Thus, Americans are given the choice to keep the traditions of their ancestors, to reinterpret those traditional beliefs, or to convert to an entirely different religious faith. 

The freedom to choose one’s religion has also created another uniquely American phenomenon—what Rousseau referred to as a civil religion. As Schaefer explains in Racial and Ethnic Groups, America’s tendency to join the secular and the sacred—the public with the religious—creates a pluralistic society in which no religion is considered greater or more privileged than another.  Instead, a set of moral beliefs is outlined based on the fundamental principles of various religions, but is not associated with any one denomination.  Thus, while Americans don’t have an official national religion, the separation of church and state is not always a simple issue in America.  For instance, the Pledge of Allegiance uses the words “one nation under God” but does not specify one particular religion’s concept of God.  Likewise, a variety of religious symbols such as crosses and stars of David adorn many of the tombstones in our national or secular public cemeteries (Schaefer, 2012).  Thus, while the separation of church and state are guaranteed in America, the influence of religious communities undeniably plays an active part in the secular aspects of the lives of American citizens.

Specifically, the influence of religion on the politics of the United States creates another uniquely American set of circumstances.  As Brown argues in “Religion, Political Discourse and Activism among Varying Racial/Ethnic Groups in America,” religious communities and clergy play an influential part in the establishment of the political beliefs and social values of their congregations.  On page 301, Brown explains that the “co-mingling of religion and politics in the U.S. is an outgrowth of a religious-civic culture grounded in principles of religious freedom and guaranteed in the First Amendment” (2011).  Since Americans have a freedom to choose not only their religion, but how they practice, express and interpret that religion, they will vary accordingly in their political beliefs.  Since religious ideologies range from Liberal to Fundamentalist, so, too, do the political beliefs that various congregations hold (Schaefer 2012).

For example, in “America’s ‘Culture Wars’ Tradition, Barone points out that people tend to vote for candidates that practice their own faith (1992).  Likewise, people tend to choose their religious affiliations with some consideration of their own individual political beliefs.  People often feel more comfortable around similarly minded people who share common beliefs and customs (Brown, 2011).  Thus, an individual who is a Tea-Party Republican is not likely to join a liberal religious community such as a Unitarian Universalist church.  Moreover, because people in a religious community tend to have similar mindsets and share common ideologies both in religion and politics, religious centers and houses of worships often become avenues for political advancement as well.

United under a common religion, Americans can not only find others with whom they identify, they can come together in a public forum to discuss politics.  A shared set of symbols, songs, stories, beliefs, and rituals allows members of a religious community to form their own identities as Americans.  Religious communities offer followers moral guidance and a public forum for the sharing of information. Not only does this affect the way Americans think politically, it also shapes their political actions and behaviors (Brown, 2011). 

For instance, in many religious communities, the clergy encourage a certain set of political beliefs and practices that correspond with their religious understanding of the world and their particular religious doctrines.  The leader of the religious community shares a common set of beliefs with his members, and he has the trust and respect of the members.  Typically the religious clergy will encourage a certain political beliefs and endorse political candidates who share common cultural and spiritual beliefs and values (Barone, 1992).  For example, more conservative denominations such as Catholicism or Orthodoxy endorse candidates and political groups who are typical pro-life (Brown, 2011).  Recently, the Catholic Church also has openly opposed the Democratic plans for health care reform since the church does not believe it should have to provide any money for employees’ birth control since the church traditionally opposes pre-marital sex and the use of birth control.  On the other hand, more liberal religious groups such as Episcopalians openly endorse gay marriage, while more conservative religious groups hold on to a belief that marriage is a holy sacrament between a man and woman.  Other religious groups take political positions on issues such as stem cell research, human rights, and war.  Thus, while church and state are technically two separate entities in America, many social issues in our country are viewed through a moral lens and promoted, rejected and debated in American religious communities (Brown, 2011).

The influence of these religious communities holds the power to endorse a political candidate, make financial contributions to causes they favor, and to influence the members of the religious community.  For example, the leader of the religious community often has a captive audience on a regular basis (Brown, 2011).  Members of the congregation respect and identify with their religious leaders, and thus the pulpit becomes a forum for politics.  Thus, within the social network of the religious community, certain political ideologies and candidates will be discussed and endorsed (Smith, 1978).

Another uniquely American function that religious identification serves citizens is the social networks that are created by the various religious communities.  From colonial times, through the various periods of immigration, and still today, religious communities provide people a place where they can congregate with likeminded people who share a similar set of traditions, beliefs, stories, symbols.  Congregation members were and still are often of similar socioeconomic status and ethnic background.  The shared interests, backgrounds, beliefs, and values allow members to for friendships and a sense of belonging.  Common values concerning family arrangements and sexual standards create a common sense of understanding among members of a religious community (Barone, 1992).  This not only has psychological benefits for the church members, it also allows them to have an increase in opportunities and channels of support.  For example, church members often have access to counseling, prisoner rehabilitation and assistance, addiction recovery, assistance during financial crisis, and even job training and opportunities (Brown, 2011).  Churches, synagogues, and other religious communities promote the education and upward mobility of its members (Smith, 1978). Historically, churches have even offered various racial and ethnic groups assistance in achieving civil rights (Brown, 2011).  

One example of a churches becoming involved actively in a social and political movement historically was when it united African Americans during periods of slavery and segregation.  Churches fueled the civil rights movements led by religious leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy.  Likewise, churches played a crucial role in helping African Americans get involved voting for political candidates (Brown, 2011). 

Importantly, religion is only one aspect of American life that can create social change, spread political ideals, and build a sense of unity based on shared interests.  The ethnic diversity from the various groups of immigrants historically in American wove a complex, every evolving dynamic between embracing the traditions and customs of the old-world with exploring the new freedoms, ideas, and that were offered in America.  Americans were uniquely able to choose to observe some of their ethnic customs while assimilating to American norms in other aspects of their lives (Smith, 1978). 

For immigrants to a new world, it was a benefit for them to have a support group made up of people with similar ethnicities who often shared similar languages, customs, backgrounds, and religions (Smith, 1978).  Ethnic organizations were created to protect and advance its members’ economic, social, and religious interests.  Common bonds such as shared national origin, ancestry, religion, language, and culture helped immigrants adjust to life in a foreign land.  These commonalities created a sense of unity and oneness among the various ethnic groups of immigrants (Smith, 1978).  This sense of brotherhood created an ethnic paradox that allowed immigrants to maintain some of their values and traditions while trying to assimilate to life in America (Schaefer, 2012.) 

As the heterogeneous make-up of Americans became more complex, through intermarriages, diverse public schools, urbanization, changing ethnic make-up of neighborhoods, and the continued redefinition ethnic and racial groups, America’s ethnic paradox continued to play a role in the preservation of diverse ethnic groups and customs.  In modern times, ethnic identification still allows many groups of American financial, social, and psychological benefits.  Ethnic pride that became popular in the sixties continues to show itself in American in a variety of ways including ethnic festivals, grocery stores, and restaurants (Schaefer, 2012). 

In addition to the sense of self-identity that Americans get from their various ethnic associations, we have also adopted many aspects of the variety of cultures that are present in our country.  On a symbolic level, one finds traditional ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Italy or Chinatown.  Likewise, Americans have popularized many ethnic foods, forms of entertainment, and holiday traditions such as the Christmas tree and Saint Patrick’s Day.  Quite often, America celebrates its diverse population and embraces many of the different aspects of a variety of cultures (Schaefer, 2012).

However, the complex ethnic make-up of American society also leads to several uniquely American issues such as the widely-debated need for bi-lingual education.  In addition, after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Americans have faced the emergence of Islamaphobia in the U.S.  Bias against certain ethnic groups is an ongoing problem in American society and leads to problems such as discrimination and racial profiling.  America also has its own unique version of racism that does not exist in many other cultures.  For example, Jamaica immigrants are often quite surprised at the existence of racial tension and racial tension between blacks and whites in America because it virtually does not exist in Jamaica.

Concluding, the effects of religion and ethnicity produce both benefits and issues that are unique to the diverse country that America is.  As a country comprised of immigrants from around the world who uphold the Constitutional right to the freedom of religious choice, America is very different from many of the other countries in the world.  In America, affiliations such as nationality, race, religion, and ethnicity are not one in the same.  To be American can mean one identifies as American citizen, but he still makes his own religious choices and maintains his own ethnicity.  Ethnicity and religion create common bonds between subgroups of Americans, but it also creates a diverse and uniquely American culture.  The effects of religion and ethnicity on social attitudes and behaviors in America are as diverse as the people that comprise the population of the country itself.

Works Cited

Barone, Micheal. "America's 'Culture Wars' Tradition." U.S. News and World Report 1992: 24-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 June 2014.

Brown, R. K. "Religion, Political Discourse, and Activism Among Varying Racial/Ethnic Groups in America." Thesis. Wayne State University, 2011. Review of Religious Research 53.3 (2011): 301-22. Print.

Garvey, John. "A Tradition of Choice." Commonweal 1999: 7-8. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 June 2014.

Schaffer, Richard T. "Ethnicity and Religion." Racial and Ethnic Groups. 13th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2012. 114-45. Print.

Smith, Timothy L. "Religion and Ethnicity in America." American Historical Review 83.5 (1978): 1155-185. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 June 2014.

The 30 Minute Meditation Challenge

I challenge you ;)

The 30 Minute Meditation Challenge
My spin on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge...and a new challenge!

I am joyful that so much money has been raised for such an important, well-deserving cause.  However, if we are going to raise awareness and help change the world there are plenty of ways and even more outlets for our charity and our energy...spread the love folks!  <3 <3 <3 I am so happy about the ice bucket challenge because it is getting people involved and less apathetic.  I hope it is the beginning of a whole movement of viral social media charity/awareness movements.  I try to live by Gandhi's teaching, "BE the change you wish to see in the world."  That is what I hope people in our society take away from the ice bucket challenge.  Plus, at least its not stupidity for the sake of being stupid and ignorant...at least the silliness has a positive message of compassion behind it.  I really would like to see a lot more "challenges" go viral :)  I would love to see COMPASSION go viral!!! <3 <3 <3

But I also have to be critical for a moment...questioning in my nature, I suppose.  If you stop and think and think about it, there are some logical questions that arise.  For example, is this just a fad?  Do people really give a hoot about ALS or are they just trying to fit in?  After all of this, does anyone even know what ALS stands for?  What the disease does to people?  Also, once the Ice Bucket Challenge fad had passed, then what happens to ALS research?  What happens to the spirit of generosity and compassion that this movement has sparked?  Besides, the naysayers do have some valid points…we are being a little wasteful considering that so many people in our world  have such a desperate need for clean drinking water.  Likewise, so many areas—California for example—are currently experiencing terrible drought conditions.  Maybe any future challenges could aim higher when it comes to social responsibility.

So to my point…I propose a new challenge!  I challenge everyone who reads this to spread the love and compassion sparked by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.  I challenge each and everyone of us to let this be a lesson for us that teaches us how to grow as more united human beings—“ONE human family.”  I challenge every reader to continue the movement of charity, generosity, compassion, awareness, knowledge, understanding, and kindness from this day forward.  Keep the spark lit!  Donate $5 or $10 dollars—or whatever you can afford—to a noble and honorable cause of your choice at least once per month.

Finally, so this can be a “fun” challenge, too…I challenge every one of you to the 30 MINUTE MEDITATION CHALLENGE.  I dare you to try it in fact!  Find a quiet spot, put on some peaceful music, light a candle or some incense, set a timer—AND try to sit still and be quiet for 30 minutes!  Believe me, it’s A LOT harder than it sounds…ice water is nothing compared to this.  Even more importantly, try and let your thoughts fade away and let your mind become still and peaceful…stop the internal commotion.  This challenge will not only benefit you, it will benefit everyone around you…it will even benefit the world!

I challenge YOU to cultivate compassion, peace, love, humanity, kindness, generosity, mindfulness, personal growth…and everything positive that can be ignited from the Ice Bucket Challenge.  Let it grow!  Let it spread!  Be the change you wish to see in the world!  Namaste <3

The Changing Role of Women and Its Effects on the Modern Family

            In her 1963 book Fascinating Womanhood, Helen Andelin provided her readers with a list of dos and don’ts for women who want to be an ideal, loving wife including the advice:  “Do be a Domestic Goddess.  Don’t let the outside world crowd you for time to do your homemaking tasks well” (“How to Be a Good Wife”, 2013).  Fortunately, Andelin’s advice went out of style in the last 50 years due to several important advances in the role of the modern woman.  Now, a woman’s place in our society is no longer restricted to the domestic sphere.   American women have experienced growing roles in both politics and the work place that allow modern women to participate both in the family and domestic realm and in the broader society in which we live.  Through their involvement in politics, education, social reform, and the economy, women are redefining their role in both the family and the world at large.  While many conservatives argue that the women’s movement has destroyed family values, in reality, many of the changes in women’s lives are actually leading to better conditions in both societies and families.  Now, being a wife and a mother are only one part of being a modern woman.

            Historically, women were not treated as equals to men.  Early religious doctrines frequently portrayed women as intellectually and physically inferior to men.  For example, many Christian Bibles still dictate that a woman should obey and serve her husband.  Women were considered to be less developed intellectually than men.  Physically demanding jobs were only filled by men.   In fact, according to the author of the article “Women’s History in America”:  “During the early history of the United States, a man virtually owned his wife and children as he did his material possessions” (1995).  Women were traditionally denied many rights in our country including the right to own property, the right to vote, the right to pursue an education, and even the right to make decisions regarding her own body.  Thus, historically, a woman’s role was limited to being a wife and having children (“Women’s History”, 1995).

            The conservative, historic role of women met its first organized challenge from the Progressivism of the 1920’s when women started to form suffrage groups.   As Dumenil explains in “The New Woman and the Politics of the 1920’s,” America experienced “changes in the family and sexual mores, women’s participation in the work force, and the political activism of these newly enfranchised citizens” (2007).   In the late 1800’s women increasingly began to take jobs outside of their homes in factories, textile mills, garment shops, and domestic servant positions (Dumenil 2007).  As the economy worsened leading up to the Depression, more and more women and children were forced into the workplace to help support their struggling families.  Then, in the 1920’s, women began to organize and fight for workplace rights and labor laws both for themselves and their children.  They adopted the causes of social reform movements such as the end of the Jim Crow Law and the beginning of many social welfare programs that would not only benefit individual families; many of these reform movements also made progress toward a more equal American society for all Americans where all human beings experienced the same access to the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (Dumenil, 2007). 

As they jostled for an equal position in society, early female activists met many challenges and setbacks, but the early stages of organization did start to open the door for women who wanted to step beyond the roles of mother and wife and become active in the worlds of work, politics and education.  For instance, women were very restricted as to what types of jobs they were allowed to fill in the past.  Women typically served in domestic positions or in nurturing roles like elementary school teachers.  Positions in the professions such as law, medicine, and business were still dominated by men (“Women’s History”, 1995).  Additionally, as time passed, women’s growth in political influence and representation met with challenges such as lack of unity between women’s groups, lack support from men in power, and ideological opposition during the Red Scare (Dumenil, 2007).  However, women’s influence began to slowly grow in the political realm as they fought for social reforms such as prohibition, the end of WWI, voting rights, and working rights (Dumenil, 2007).

            Despite early setbacks, the spirit of social activism in the 1960’s revitalized the women’s movement.  The civil rights era fostered a sense of new activism among many Americans.  Federal legislation such as The Equal Pay Act of 1963, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and a Presidential Executive Order in 1967 started to level the playing field for many minority groups—including women.  With additional voting rights and equal working rights, a woman’s role in both society and the family began to change again.  During the early 20^th century:  “More young women than ever were going to school, working both in blue and white collar jobs, and living by themselves in city apartments” (“Women’s History”, 1995).  More women were pursuing secondary educations.  Even so, women during this time still carried the majority of the responsibility for taking care of the house and children.  Still, during the civil rights era, the feminist movement brought new hope and new opportunities to many women despite the conservative fears that this would lead to the demise of the family and home.

As time progressed, conservative fears about the decay of family values were heightened by the sexual revolution that accompanied the social revolution of the 1960’s.  When the FDA approved the oral contraceptive known as the Pill, women’s liberation took on a whole new meaning.  For many women, they found a new control over their bodies and sexuality.  While opponents of the Pill argued that the Pill would it would lead to promiscuity and adultery, advocates stressed that the Pill had the potential to strengthen the family by helping them limit the number of children that they had and thus, lessen the financial burden of having a large family.  Still, many religious groups such as Catholics argued that:  “Sex, even within marriage, was immoral unless aimed at having a baby” (Gibbs et. al., 2010).  However, as women redefined their role in both the home and the world at large, they also re-envisioned their sexuality.   Sexual relationships, particularly between married couples, actually strengthened many bonds between men and women because couples found sexual expression as a way to communicate their love and caring for one another (Gibbs et. al., 2010).  Thus, the controversy surrounding birth control became part of the movement for women to have a changing role in America both in the family and outside of the home.

Despite the controversy, increasing numbers of women found the birth control pill as a way for them to stay in school longer, further their careers, and to have lives outside of the domestic sphere.  They felt a sense of freedom from being constantly expected to be home raising one child after another.     In the article “Love, Sex, Freedom, and the Paradox of the Pill,” Gibbs et. al explain that:  “By the 1970’s, the true impact of the Pill could begin to be measured, and it was not on the sexual behavior of American women; it was on how they envisioned their lives, their choices, and their obligations.”  Contrary to what the critics expected, women were still very family focused; however, family structures did change.  For example, women were starting to marry later and have smaller families.  A woman’s role was no longer limited to that of a wife and mother, and women began to envision a more well-rounded and fulfilling life that included an education, a career, and family.  The “sexual anarchy” that conservatives feared actually promoted stronger family relationships.  The Pill turned out to be a way for women to advance themselves in their education and profession and to help provide for their families.  Moreover, by waiting until they were slightly older and more matures, many mothers felt more confident bringing a new child into their marriage.  Likewise, in many ways, the additional income and shared financial responsibility actually strengthened marriages and families (Gibbs et. al, 2010).

The benefits of women receiving an education and marrying into an equal partnership have only grown through the decades.  Modern women no longer mark “passage into adulthood” with marriage and childbirth (McCardle, 2013).  Instead, women in their 20’s are increasingly seeking post-secondary educations and looking for ways to establish themselves before they settle down and get married.  In her article “What Are You Waiting For,” author Megan McCardle explains:  “Marriage used to be…the cornerstone of an adult life.  Now it’s the capstone, the last thing you do after all the other foundations are in place” (2013).  By building stable foundations for their families, middle-class American families have benefited enormously from later marriages.  Harvard’s Kathy Edin calls this the development of what she calls “superrelationships” Edin explains that spouses who wait longer to marry and financially establish themselves not only have greater combined incomes, they also experience “high levels of rapport and satisfaction.”  These couples can share the financial burdens and pool their resources.  Together, they can build their assets more quickly, plan for long-term expenses, and save for large purchases.  In a time when our economy is experiencing high levels of unemployment, having two partners with stable incomes provides more financial security in the event of a job loss or layoff.  Married couples in stable committed relationships also experience better physical and mental health.  Studies even show that they live longer.  Moreover, people in marriages that are based on an equal partnerships experience lower divorce rates.  Likewise, studies show that “a long-term stable relationship…is the best environment to raise children in” (McCardle, 2013).  Today, families thrive when they consist of two working parents. 

However, women still face discrimination when they are not married or are single parents.  Oftentimes, women are at a financial disadvantage despite legislation like the Equal Pay Act of 1963.  On average, women today experience proportionally lower salaries than their male counterparts and also receive fewer promotions and high-ranking positions.  New Republic writer Rebecca Traister explains that “women now graduate from colleges and universities at higher rates than their male peers, but are far less likely to make it to the upper ranks of their professions.”  Moreover, many women are still pushed into more traditional women’s fields such as clerical work, retail sales, and service jobs (“Women’s History”, 1995).  Cases of sexual discrimination continue to become headline news, despite the Title IX protections that were created to ensure workplace equality.  Thus, woman are at a disadvantage if they are not married and do not have anyone to share their financial burden with (McCardle, 2013).  For example, many single and divorced women find it difficult to secure credit, and therefore, have increased difficulties buying a car or house (“Women’s History”, 1995).  Thus, despite the advances women have made since the early 1900’s, women today still are tied to the role of wife and mother.

For single mothers the problems compound because, as McCardle explains, “Single parents report higher levels of stress, in part because of the financial hardship, but also because they get no relief from the pressures of parenting.”  With less resources available to single women, single mothers often struggle as the single source of income for their family.  The demands of individually earning the income, raising the children, and running the household put additional stress and strain on the woman.  Unfortunately, studies show that the children of single parents are more often held back academically and socially than children who are raised by both biological parents.  However, if women are treated as second class citizens if they are not married, it will be harder for them to successfully raise their children (McCardle, 2013).  Thus, our society still has room for improvement when it comes to the dual-role that single mothers must play everyday. 

Still, progress is being made in building an American society that observes more egalitarian gender roles.  No longer are women treated as legally inferior.  No longer are they expected to be subordinates to their husband.  Their roles in both society and the family have increased respect for women in both spheres.  Since women’s roles in the family are changing, so too are men’s roles.  Families have the potential to be more balanced and more rewarding for both parents and their children, too.  Men are now becoming more involved in parenting which is strengthening the American family.  It is becoming more common to hear of a stay-at-home dad or a single father who is raising his children alone.  Being nurturing and being caregivers are no longer reserved for women only.  Now, instead of only girls taking home economics class and learning to sew and cook, boys and girls together are enrolling in family and consumer science classes.  In her article, “Kitchen Controversial,” Traister asserts that:  “Making men central to the economic and emotional well-being of their families would provide them a sense of self-worth” (2014).  Thus the changing role of women in families has the potential to offer men a new role as a parent, too. While women still carry the burden of the majority of the household responsibilities in American families, attitudes toward the more traditional role of women are changing (Traister, 2014).

American women have come a long way in the past 150 years toward establishing themselves as equal citizens.  Women are no longer viewed as being required to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.  Instead a woman’s role in both her family and society has evolved into more of a balance between the requirements of work and family life.  Through persistent efforts, women have been able to gain influence in the political and professional worlds.  Our society and our family structures have grown and evolved alongside this changing role that the woman underwent.  Contrary to the fears and expectations of critics, the women’s rights movement and the woman’s new role in society have not destroyed family values.  Instead, the evolution of women into equal citizens whose voices are heard, whose opinions are represented politically, who are educated, and who can earn a living outside of the home has only strengthened our families and our society.  Social reforms for women have led to women having a more respected role in politics, the work-place, and the family.

“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.”   ~Brigham Young

Works Cited

Dumenil, Lynn. "The New Woman and the Politics of the 1920's." Organization of American Historians Magazine of History July 2007: 22-26. Organization of American History. Web. 15 July 2014.

Gibbs, Nancy, Deirdre VanDyk, and Kathleen Adams. "Love, Sex, Freedom, and the Paradox of the Pill." Time 2010: 40-47. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 July 2014.

"How to Be a Good Wife." Snopes. Urban Legend Reference Pages, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 July 2014.

McCardle, Megan. ""What Are You Waiting For?"" Newsweek Global 2013: n. pag. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 July 2014.

Traister, Rebecca. "Kitchen Controversial: Why Feminists Should Embrace Home Econcomics." New Republic 2014: 5-7. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 July 2014.

"Women's History in America." Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. Women's International Center, 1995. Web. 16 July 2014. <www.wic.org/misc/history.htm>.

Ramadan Fasting: A Unique Cultural Practice

“Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you.” ~Qur’an 2:183

While Islam is the second largest religion in the world, many of its practices have been misunderstood by Christians and Western thinkers since the time of the Crusades (Jost, 2006).  One such practice is the observation of the month long celebration and fasting associated with Ramadan.  Each year, in the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar, followers of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad celebrate the month of Ramadan.   Contrary to what many non-Muslims perceive, Ramadan and its strict fasting rules were not created solely as a means of deprivation for the atonement for ones sins (Romig, 2012).  In fact, the celebration of Ramadan is a much more complex and spiritually invigorating cultural practice that combines rich traditions, opportunities for personal growth, deep devotion to God, and brotherhood in communities.  The many benefits of fasting during Ramadan extend not only to the individual, but also to the Ummah, or spiritual community.

            The tradition of fasting during Ramadan has been dutiful carried out by Muslims around the world since the Prophet Muhammad started the Ramadan fast in the second year after he moved his people to Medina from Mecca (Baig, 2014).  To Muslims, this culturally significant historical migration in 622 C.E. is known as Hijrah.  After learning of an assassination plot against him, Muhammad moved his people to Medina.  This event was so important that it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.  The first year of Hijrah was a difficult time for Muhammad and his followers because the move to the new land was in the face of persecution, political unrest, and importantly, hunger.  In addition, Muslims believe that during this holy month Allah opened the gates to heaven and closed the gates to hell (“Ramadan,” 2011).   Thus, each year during Ramadan, Muslims use the month to reflect in gratitude on the blessings that they receive from Allah and for Allah’s “mercy, forgiveness, and protection” (Baig, 2014). 

            The importance of the month of Ramadan carries additional historical significance to Muslims.  First, Ramadan marks the time when the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book, was delivered to Muhammad directly from Allah.  Taken as the word of God, Muslims look to the Qur’an to guide them in every aspect of their lives (Sultan 2014).  Muhammad filled the pages of the Qur’an with inspirational messages describing a loving and merciful God and moral guidelines for a righteous way of life.  As Sultan, the Imam of Princeton University explains in his recent blog post “The 30 Days of Ramadan, Day Two:  Approaching the Qur’an,” the revelation of the Qur’an: 

reflect[s] what the Prophet and his early community were going through… the Qur’an preaches a message of God’s absolute Oneness, finding nobility through righteous conduct and deeds, enduring patiently through difficult times, and being certain that there will be accountability and an afterlife – reflecting the humble origins and struggles of the early movement as well as the foundational teachings of the new religion. [It also] moves toward a more social message with communal laws and concerns addressed such as marriage, business transactions, war and interfaith relations – reflecting the Prophet and his community’s shifting fortunes as an emerging faith civilization (2014).

Thus, the significance of the Qur’an in Muslim Ummahs and the reception of it by Muhammad are focal points for Muslims during Ramadan.  Like many of the customs associated with Ramadan, this emphasis on studying and reciting the Qur’an during Ramadan is believed to help Muslims better follow the Qur’anic message during the rest of the year.

            Similarly, the practice of fasting during Ramadan carries significant weight in the Muslim community.  The celebration of Ramadan and the practice of fasting hold such high value in Islam that fasting during the holy month is actually one of Five Pillars of Islam (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  These five pillars, or basic tenets of Islam, provide five guidelines that every Muslim must abide by.  The primary pillar dictates the fundamental belief that Allah is the one God and Muhammad is his prophet; this is the first and most important tenant of Islam.  What many non-Muslims do not know is that the first pillar of Islam refers to the same God as the religions of Judaism and Christianity.  In fact, in his teachings, Muhammad often refers the lessons of many of the prophets of the Old Testament and Torah and also to the New Testament.  He often cites the stories and valuable lessons of biblical figures such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  The other pillars of Islam mandate almsgiving, praying salat prayers five times each day, and making a pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca at least once in the practitioner’s life (Jost, 2006). The final practice, sawm, is outlined in the five pillars and requires Muslims (with a few exceptions) to fast during Ramadan (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  Thus, fasting holds a great purpose in the hearts and minds of Muslims.  It marks an important spiritual time each year in the Muslim calendar.

            The timing of this spiritual month each year is dictated by the phases of the moon that define the Islamic lunar calendar.  The natural cycle of the phases of the moon during the ninth month of Ramadan mark the start and end of the period of fasting for Muslims.  The month long celebration and fasting begins at the sighting of the new moon.  The first waning crescent moon of the ninth month symbolizes this important date.  Likewise, the period ends with the sighting of the next waning crescent moon which marks the end of the calendar month (Wrynn, 1995). 

Within the Muslim faith, customs vary on how and when the moon sighting is taken into account.  Some Muslims around the world follow the belief that the individual mufti (religious leader) of each individual country should set the time of the beginning of Ramadan.  Different muftis’ varying opinions and different geographic locations may influence the date decided to be the first day of fasting for Ramadan, and it may not be the same day in every country (Wrynn, 1995).  However, other Muslim followers believe that the first day of Ramadan should be a more universally accepted date marked by the sighting of the new moon in Saudi Arabia.  While one tradition focuses on local community unity, the other calls for more of a globally united Muslim community.  Regardless of which date marks the start of Ramadan for Muslims around the world, the sighting of the new moon is of utmost importance when determining the beginning of the fasting period (“Ramadan”, 2011). 

Similarly in tune with the cycles of nature, the daily fasting hours are determined by the cycle of daylight hours.  The start of each day of Ramadan begins just before the sun comes up, and the fast ends as the sun sets and the daylight disappears.  As explained in “Confessions of a Ramadan Rookie,” fasting “…begins at the first ray of dawn, or as it says in the Koran, ‘when the white thread of day becomes distinct from the blackness of night’” (Roming, 2012).  Moreover, the daily period of fasting aligns with the Muslims Salat prayer times and includes extra prayers for Ramadan.  During the holy month, Muslims eat two meals each day.  The first, suhoor, takes place just before dawn; the other, iftar, occurs after evening prayers.  The two meals are part of a much broader daily schedule that includes a variety of prayers, reading of the Qur’an, rest and reflection. 

For example, Muslims pray the five prescribed salat prayers each day.  The timing of these prayers is also determined by the sun’s location in the sky.  The first prayer of the day, Fajr, takes place before dawn.  The other prayers are spaced throughout the day—Dhuhr at noon as the sun passes the mid-sky, ‘Asr in the afternoon, Maghrib at sunset, and ‘Isha in the evening once it is dark but before midnight (Huda, 2014).   In addition, Muslims make dua, or more personalized prayers of supplication, and pray using prayer beads in the practice of zikr.  As Ahmed, a writer for Haq Islam explains in “Ten Tips for Ramadan”: “One needs to have discipline in following a particular routine or schedule for Ramadhan…They wake up for suhoor but also pray Tahajjud…Recite some Qur’an.  They eat.  Make dua’ while waiting for Salah.  They pray Fajr.  Recite Qur’an and make zikr” (2014).  Thus, the practice of fasting is incorporated in every way into the daily Ramadan schedule for a Muslim.  Fasting, or sawm, requires a commitment to a schedule of not just eating and drinking and fasting, but of devout and frequent prayer and spiritual reflection, and a careful balance of rest, sleep, and activity.

Through planning and commitment, a Muslim who fasts during Ramadan maintains his health and metabolism while actually suffering from pangs of hunger and thirst (“Ramadan”, 2011).  In the article “Ramadan,” BBC writer Professor Sahir Akhtar explains that “the true object of fasting…is to experience hunger and check the desire in an attempt to reinforce the soul in piety.”  While this sawm may seem extreme to an uninformed observer, it is actually beneficial to the practitioner when the food and fluid intake is carefully considered and sleep and rest times are provided.  In fact, it is not recommended for Muslims to overeat or “stock up” excess calories during the two Ramadan meals.  According to Professor Akhtar,  “the body has regulatory mechanisms that reduce the metabolic rate and ensure sufficient utilization of the body’s fat reserves in times of hunger…a balanced diet that is even less in quantity than normal will be sufficient to keep a person healthy and active during the month of Ramadan” (“Ramadan”, 2011).  Thus, with careful attention to his intake of foods and liquids during suhoor and iftar, the Muslim practitioner can safely fast for the month.

For example, the predawn meal, suhoor, should include foods that sustain one’s energy for a long period of time (“Ramadan”, 2011).  Also, suhoor is traditionally a large, hearty meal consisting of a balance of foods (“Sawm:  Fasting”, 2009).  A practitioner should also be careful to hydrate well before the day long fast.  Foods and beverages that provide only short bursts of energy such as sugary foods or caffeine are not favorable choices for suhoor.  Likewise, fried foods and spicy foods are not recommended because they can cause problems with digestion.  On the other hand, high fiber foods are encouraged since they can help with digestive discomfort and the high levels of stomach acid that may result from fasting (“Ramadan”, 2011). According to Professor Akhtar, because complex carbohydrates take longer for a person to digest, they provide the body with a longer lasting source of energy and can help the practitioner to feel less hungry for a longer period of time (2011).  Thus, before the sunrises each day, the professor recommends foods such as:  “barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, and unpolished rice” (2011).  

Importantly, suhoor not only challenges the practitioner to be more food-conscious and make better dietary choices during Ramadan, it also supplements the spirit of community and family that is so inherent in Ramadan.  As Rollo Roming describes in “Confessions of a Ramadan Rookie”:  “Ramadan is also supposed to be a highly social time:  breakfasting with friends and neighbors, and communal prayers…” (2012). Suhoor can be a time for couples to bond and for families to sit down and enjoy a solid meal together.  In a world of so much hustle and bustle, suhoor during Ramadan offers many benefits to both the individual and the Ummah.

Even more frequently, iftar, the after sunset meal of Ramadan provides members of the Ummah, families, loved ones, and friends an opportunity to come together and eat, celebrate, pray, and enjoy each others’ company.  When the daylight is gone from the sky and the evening prayers are complete, the fast is broken (Wrynn, 21).  Following the tradition that started with Muhammad himself, the fast is often ended with the consumption of dates and water (“Sawm: Fasting”, 2009).  Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree that is native to the Middle East and to Saudi Arabia.  Dates can be served a variety of ways including crunchy or soft, pitted, or skinned.  Likewise, as Professor Akhtar points out, “Dates are an excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium…” (“Ramadan”, 2011).   Thus, one can quickly quench his hunger and get a quick burst of energy when he consumes dates to break the fast.

Following the fast-breaking, a celebratory meal is held each night of Ramadan.  The customs for iftar vary in different countries, but it is typically a time to visit with friends and family.   Sultan explains in his Time Magazine blog:  “Breaking fast together in the community also makes you think.  When food is shared, it seems so much more plentiful as a little bit goes a long ways” (2014).  Sometimes the celebratory activities, Qur’an readings, and prayers go long into the night in Muslim communities (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  In some countries, the arrival of the end of the day is marked by ringing bells, firing cannons, or public announcements that are broadcasted over speakers from the mosque (Wrynn, 1995).  Regardless of a practitioner’s specific customs, Muslims are called to celebrate iftar with a sense of deep gratitude for one’s bounty (Ahmed, 2013).

BBC’s source, Professor Akhtar goes on to explain the importance of replenishing one’s body with energy and nutrients during iftar.  Akhtar reinforces the importance of hydration during iftar and through the night.  Drinking plenty of fluid helps the practitioner avoid dehydration during Ramadan.  Likewise, it can help to detoxify one’s digestive system during the month long fast.  Fiber, protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables should be included in the iftar meal (“Ramadan”, 2011).   As Encyclopedia Britannica explains, “The iftar usually begins with dates or apricots and water or sweetened milk and continues though many courses of vegetables, breads, and some meats.”  To be successful in fasting requires the participant to be very food conscious and commit to a healthy diet.  Sultan points out: “Fasting really makes you re-think the role of food in your life.  It is proof for how little we actually need to stay strong and healthy and how our appetites are so much more adjustable than we think” (2014).  As Sultan argues, this sense of awareness about nutrition and food not only benefits the practitioner, it also fosters a sense of healthy dietary choices in the community.  In a world where people have to face conditions such as starvation, eating disorders, overeating, and obesity, the yearly practice of fasting during Ramadan could be a powerful tool for the promotion of better nutrition and appreciation of food in the community at large (Sultan, 2014).

Importantly, nutrition and appreciation for one’s food are not the only essential concerns of a Muslim who is fasting during Ramadan.  Abstaining from food and drink from before dawn until after the sun sets are only one aspect of the Muslim’s calling to fast during Ramadan.  During the fasting hours, one is asked to refrain from other unhealthy habits such as smoking.  Moreover, the practitioner should avoid sexual relations and lustful thoughts during the hours of the fast each day.  Finally, Muslims are challenged to be particularly careful to avoid lying and other greater sins during the hours of sawm.  Ramadan provides Muslims a time to set aside for them to focus on their relationship with Allah and concentrate on avoiding immoral behavior and practicing kindness during this month (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  Both the nutritional and behavioral fasting that is required during Ramadan allow the Muslim time to grow and learn spiritually so that he can better prepare himself for this kind of spiritual discipline for the remaining months of the year.

The strict discipline that is associated with sawm specifically applies to all healthy males over the age over twelve.  These men are expected to fast from dawn to dark every day during the month of Ramadan (“Sawm”, 2009).  Customs may vary slightly in different Muslim countries and communities when it comes to the rules of fasting.  For instance, some Muslims consider breaking the sawm rules a serious sin that cannot be excused, while others allow a lost day of fasting to be “made up” at the end of the month.  In addition, substitutions for fasting are sometimes accepted, if necessary, including:  “volunteering, performing righteous works, or feeding the poor” (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  Moreover, some communities accept a donation to the poor as an acceptable substitution for fasting if the situation requires it (“Sawm: Fasting”, 2009).  However, the general expectation is that a healthy Muslim who is able to fast should do whatever he or she can to observe the fasting rules.  Exceptions to this general expectation are extended to children under twelve, the elderly, and women who are pregnant, breast feeding, or menstruating.  In addition, because of the strains on the body, travelers are often permit to withhold from fasting (“Sawm: Fasting”, 2009).  Likewise exceptions are sometimes made for people who are weak, ill, or mentally ill (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).   Still, it is a generally accept rule that healthy men over 12 and anyone else who is able should strictly observe the customary rules of sawm as they were laid out by the prophet Muhammad in the Qur’an.

Interestingly, because of the spiritual and communal significance of sawm as one of the Five Pillars of Islam, many who are ill choose to fast under the guidance of their doctors.  For example, Muslims who would like to fast who suffer from conditions that require medication are not permitted to take oral medication or receive intravenous fluids during the hours of the fast.  However, with the assistance of a doctor, many patients who suffer from conditions like diabetes and heart disease are able to obtain their medicine in a sustained release formula or a transdermal skin patch.  Diuretics may also be used to help patients avoid dehydration.  Thus, because of the importance of sawm, many Muslims who are ill—both temporarily and chronically—find a way to participate in the fasting rituals (“Ramadan”, 2011). 

The importance of sawm can be further discovered by examining the purpose of Ramadan fasting.  Fasting during Ramadan is significant for three main reasons.  First, sawm is a crucial part of the spiritual journey a Muslim takes during the month of Ramadan.  Second, the values that are emphasized and practiced during Ramadan allow the Muslim practitioner to focus on ridding himself of bad habits and developing positive lifestyle choices and personality traits that he can carry with him the rest of the year and beyond.  Finally, fasting during Ramadan has significant social benefits within the Muslim community (Ahmed, 2013).

The first main purpose of sawm is for a Muslim to commit to his devotion to Allah.  During the spiritual journey of devotion that a Muslim participates in during Ramadan, he strengthens his relationship with God.  By the self-deprivation of fasting, a Muslim shows his commitment to Allah, and he can strengthen his faith “by putting it to a severe test” (Ulama, 2014).  It allows the fasting practitioner to work on mindfully developing practices that will invigorate and bolster his faith.  Through fasting, prayer, and study of the Qur’an during Ramadan, Muslims show their obedience to Allah.  In turn, Muslims believe that in his mercy Allah will forgive their sins.  This spiritual growth and strengthening is the primary goal of a Muslim during Ramadan.

In addition to strengthening a Muslim’s faith and his spiritual relationship with Allah, the fasting in combination with prayer and Qur’anic study of Muslim followers during Ramadan offers many other valuable lessons and benefits to the practitioner.  As Ahmed explains in his article “The Purpose of Ramadan,” Ramadan’s “purpose is to rid a man of those habits which he has accumulated throughout the rest of the year.  It is a month that prepares the man for the remaining eleven months by teaching him discipline and self-control” (2013).  Through the practices of fasting, one is called to practice self-control over many aspects of his life including anger, lust, and other human flaws and bad habits.  The practitioner develops mental, physical, and spiritual discipline during this month that he can carry with him into his future beyond Ramadan. 

Through the practice of self-control, mindfulness, discipline, and rejection of temptation, a Muslim learns to master his will-power.  Moreover, through the rigors of fasting a Muslim can learn perseverance in overcoming obstacles and the tenacity to stay strong during the trials of life (Ulama, 2013).  Ahmed compares Ramadan to a test that set a standard that Muslims can “continue through the following months” (2013).  For instance, the rigid time schedule Muslims follows during Ramadan can teach them to be more punctual.  It can also remind them to take time out of their busy lives to slow down and pray.  It helps them to learn the importance of spending some of their leisure time on spiritual pursuits and with their families and communities (Ulama, 2013).  Moreover, as Sultan explains Ramadan and sawm allow Muslims to learn “valuable lessons of gratitude to God for the immeasurable blessings and favors with which [they] have been bestowed.  Through deprivation, there is a greater appreciation for what we have” (2014).  Thus, through fasting Muslims learn many valuable lessons and practices that help them grow so they can continue on in this way as better Muslims after Ramadan. 

In addition to the individual benefits and personal growth Muslims experience from Ramadan fasting, there are equally important social and community benefits that come along with the observance of Ramadan.   During the month Muslims come together frequently to pray and to share meals.  Muslims fill mosques to hold long evening prayer sessions known as Taraweeh prayers.  By meeting together daily to pray at the mosque during Ramadan, members of the Ummah bond and the sense of community grows stronger (“Ramadan”, 2011).   The sense of brotherhood that is developed during this time helps to strengthen Muslim families and communities.  For example, Wrynn describes his personal experience with the sense of unity and fellowship that comes with Ramadan fasting in his article, “Ramadan is Generous”: 

The willingness of a Muslim to put up with his neighbor’s “going crazy” for 29 days, his indulgence in covering up for a fellow worker who is partied out, store keepers spending an hour every afternoon setting up tables and benches to feed the poor, the stranger and those who have no one to cook up an respectable iftar for them—all serve as a reminder of the indulgence of God, who makes the sun shine on the good and bad alike (1995).

Wrynn’s observations reflect the spirit of forgiveness, charity and mercy that are essential to Muslims during Ramadan (Ahmed, 2013).  These qualities are considered God-like in the sense that they are similar to the divine attributes of Allah.  Muslims believe that these divine attributes are breathed into their souls, or ruh, by Allah when they are conceived and that it is their purpose in life to develop these attributes in themselves so they can be closer to Allah (Sultan, 2014).

            Other divine attributes that Muslims foster during Ramadan include empathy, generosity, charity, and compassion.  Sultan explains that fasting helps Muslims to develop: 

a very personal empathy for those who don’t have, as we experience similar pangs of hunger and thirst that are felt unwillingly by people all over the world, every day.  As such, Ramadan is a month that encourages charity, kindness, and social justice on behalf of the poor and needy in particular.  In this way, fasting connects us to the social message of the Qur’an (2014).

Thus, fasting allows Muslims to gain sympathy and respect for the poor and encourages them to help the needy in their communities.  Muslims learn to be more humble, generous, and charitable by allowing themselves to gain personal experience in what it feels like to be truly hungry.  By sharing in the suffering of the poor, Muslims are challenged to take care of his less fortunate brothers and sisters in their Ummahs (“Sawm: Fasting”, 2009).  Thus, the cultural benefits of fasting spread through the community.

            Another unique aspect of Ramadan involves the practices surrounding the special observances of Lailat al Qadr and Eid al-Fidr.  These special times during Ramadan mark two pivotal aspects of the celebration of the Qur’an and the breaking of the fast.  The first occasion, Lailat al Qadr, is known as the night of power because it is the night that Muhammad is believed to have received the words of the Qur’an from Allah.  According to Muslim tradition, this night is the most important event in the history of the world (“Lailat Al Qadr”, 2011).  Muslims believe that during this holy time Allah sent his angels to Earth.  Hence, Muslims believe that Lailat al Qadr is the best time during the year to ask for Allah’s forgiveness.  According to Muslim practice, if one prays with sincere faith for the forgiveness of his sins on this night, then Allah will pardon all of the supplicant’s prior sins.  

            Different Muslims celebrate Lailat in various ways; however, the importance of the date is universally accepted and marks the beginning of an important time for devout prayer and in depth reading, studying, and reciting of the Qur’an.  Lailat al Qadr is usually observed on the night of 27 Ramadan.  Many Muslims come together in their mosques on this night for long communal prayer sessions, salat, and recitation of the Qur’an (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  Some Muslims spend the whole night reading the entire Qur’an from cover to cover.  Still others practice I’tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan.  Participants in I’tikaf go into a period of seclusion in the mosque during these ten days; this serious act of devotion requires deep reflection and devout worship (“Ramadan”, 2011).

            The final and perhaps most anticipated practice involved with the month-long Ramadan fast is the celebratory breaking of the fast on the last day of the month known as Eid al-Fidr.  This joyful event is one of the two most important holidays in the Islamic year (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014).  This will be the first daytime meal that Muslims eat in a month.  While Muslims are undoubtedly excited to see the end of the month long fasting period, during Eid al-Fidr, they are actually celebrating Allah and thanking him for sustaining them through the difficult month.  In addition, many Muslims are expected to donate an amount of money to charity during this time.  Charities then use the money to help supply food and new clothing to the poor for the Eid al-Fidr celebration (“Ramadan”, 2014).  Muslims express their gratitude to Allah for all that they have learned during Ramadan—self-control, empathy, forgiveness, charity, humility, and more.

Like other Muslim Ramadan customs, different Muslim communities may have varying traditions for Eid al-Fidr, but generally it is a time for a large community celebratory feast.  Some communities hold community meals and services and the local mosque.  Other communities hold parades or line the streets will tables for a public feast.  In many communities, people dress up in their nicest clothes or often buy new outfits especially for Eid al-Fidr (“Ramadan”, 2014).  In other areas, women wear all white for Eid al-Fidr.  Many special foods are prepared for the special feast including an array of baked goods and pastries.   Some Muslims exchange special gifts during this holiday, and children often receive treats and presents.  For many Muslims, Eid al-Fidr is a time to pay their respect to their lost loved ones and visit their gravesites (“Ramadan (Islam)”, 2014.)   As one of the holiest days of the Muslim year, Eid al-Fidr holds a special place in the heart of Muslims and allows them to close their fast with gratitude, prayer, and a celebratory feast.

Lailat al Qadr and Eid al-Fidr are two of the many examples that demonstrate the significance and complexity of the month of Ramadan in Islam.  The rich, unique cultural practices of Muslims around the world during this holy month of fasting show it to be a time of devout prayer, devoted study of the Qur’an, deep personal and spiritual reflection, and dedicated adherence to a strict code of moral behavior.  Muslims do not just fast from food during sawm—fasting during Ramadan includes abstaining from all unhealthy and immoral thoughts and actions to the best of one’s ability.  Moreover, Ramadan is not about deprivation; it is about filling one’s soul with the light and love of Allah and trusting him to take care of the faithful believer’s life on Earth.  Ramadan enforces lessons in significant personal and social values such as:  compassion, gratitude, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, charity, generosity, healthy eating, prayerful devotion, community unity, discipline, self-control, punctuality, perseverance, and empathy.  As Sultan explains, “fasting and the great lessons we learn from it are meant to bind us together as human beings” (2014).

Personal Reflection

As someone who attended a Byzantine Catholic Church and went to a Roman Catholic school from preschool until eighth grade, I am no stranger to the word “fasting.”  My Christian parents dutiful served us fish on Fridays during Lent when we were children.  Even the school cafeteria served fish on Fridays during lent—as per the Catholic tradition.  When I went off to college and started to live on my own, I didn’t really see the point in eating fish instead of meat on Fridays—fish are animals, too, after all.  The whole thing didn’t make sense to me, right along with quite a bit of the Catholic doctrine that I was fed as a child.  Sure, I could see the value in it, but it just wasn’t for me.

In past years, I have found my way back to the Lenten tradition of not eating meat on Fridays; I try to stick to pasta dishes or seafood on Fridays.  However, now when I fast, I do so as a part of being food-conscious and practicing self-control.  Now, as an adult, fasting is between God and me and no one else.  While it’s nowhere near the commitment that Muslims make during Ramadan, this practice allows me to be more mindful of what I am eating.  Ironically, it seems like every Friday during Lent, I get a craving for pepperoni pizza—so I guess that’s a small temptation.  Importantly, when I say fast on Fridays, to me this does not mean going to a Red Lobster and stuffing myself until I’m sick.  To me, I try to keep my meal simple, healthy, and light.  When I need something quick, I favor the fried fish sandwich.  Other times, my mom and I will make homemade perogies and halushki to eat on a Lenten Friday.  Still, after learning about Ramadan, I’ve realized that I still basically get to eat whatever I want whenever I want…I’m not really sacrificing that much.

As someone who loves to study cultures, religions, and philosophies, I have explored my own Christian heritage and also studied Eastern belief systems such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism.  I consider myself to be a spiritual person, or more of a mystic or scholar, as opposed to really affiliating with one religious group.  Until recently, I hadn’t studied Islam in depth, but over the past eight years of teaching, I have taught a considerable number of Muslim students.  From what I had learned from a college friend and from my students, I became fascinated with finding out more about Islam.  Since I have a friend who is currently fasting for Ramadan, I also wanted to know more about what he was doing.  I started reading up on Ramadan and couldn’t stop.

My reading really got me thinking about learning more about God, prayer, and faith.  Therefore, I decided to celebrate my own little homemade version of Ramadan and take a spiritual journey of my own for these 30 days.  Who knows maybe some of that positive prayerful energy that was floating around the world would get to me, too!  Unfortunately 15 or 16 hours of fasting wasn’t a consideration for me since I have health issues with my digestion.  Thus, I decided to find my own way to honor and celebrate God this Ramadan.

I decided to use the month to really reflect on spiritual growth and changing myself for the better since that is the spirit of Ramadan.  Like most people, I can definitely improve my relationship with God.  I dove into my reading and journaling.  I ordered two short books from one of my favorite authors, a Buddhist monk named Thich Nhat Hahn—Being Peace and The Energy of Prayer.  I always read a daily Christian devotional every morning.  In addition, I decided to finally try to get into an everyday routine of meditation, so I started doing a three minute candle meditation every morning after I read my devotional.  To this ritual, for Ramadan, I added a daily reading of Sultan’s Time Magazine blog “Thirty Days of Ramadan.”  Likewise, I am making an effort to be more prayerful during this month.   Muslims carry the learning and growth they achieve during Ramadan with them for the rest of the year and into their future…in fact, they carry it with them into the afterlife.  Similarly, I hope to carry these lessons, good habits and spiritual growth with me for the next 11 months and beyond.

Finally, as someone who considers herself to be an equal member in one human family, in preparing this paper, I hoped to present a comprehensive and objective explanation of the cultural practices of Muslims during Ramadan.  I feel like this religion and culture are so misunderstood in our society, and I would love to be able to publish something like this to help show people the beauty and peace of Islam.  The intolerance in our country toward Muslims frustrates me because it is rooted in such ignorance, misunderstanding, and fear of things that are different.  I hope that my essay may help move people toward understanding, so I have written it to an audience who would probably be non-Muslim and who may not know very much about Islam or Ramadan at all.  I hope that some of the misconceptions surrounding Islam can be dispelled through increased understanding of this rich and amazing culture.  I think if people would open their eyes, they would see that we are not all that different.  Furthermore, some people might worship or celebrate differently, but we can all learn from each other and co-exist in this diverse and complex world that we live in together—as one human family.

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