Reframe Thanksgiving
The Meaning We Make: Reframing Thanksgiving Through the Heart
As the crisp air of fall sets in and the scent of cinnamon and roast turkey fills our homes, many of us instinctively step into the rhythm of Thanksgiving — a holiday often wrapped in tradition, family, food, and a mixture of joy… and tension.
But as with all things, the way we experience Thanksgiving has less to do with the event itself and more to do with the meaning we attach to it.
Thanksgiving: A Mirror of Our Inner World
For some, this holiday evokes warmth, gratitude, and togetherness. For others, it brings stress, grief, or even resentment. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, or maybe family gatherings remind you of old wounds. Or, perhaps you simply feel disconnected in a room full of people you’re supposed to feel close to.
The truth is, Thanksgiving isn’t inherently good or bad. Like every life event, it’s neutral at its core. What gives it emotional weight is the story we tell ourselves about it.
“We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.” - Anaïs Nin
Real-Life Reframe: From Dread to Sacred Ritual
Last year, one of my Reiki students, a 42-year-old single mom named Carla, shared how she used to dread Thanksgiving. It reminded her of her divorce; her “broken” family, the silence of not having her kids that year, and the judgmental looks across the table from relatives who didn’t understand.
But through her Reiki practice and grounding rituals, Carla began to assign new meaning to the day.
Instead of seeing Thanksgiving as a reminder of what she lost, she reframed it as a space to honor what she’s cultivating. She's cultivating her independence, her healing, her chosen family. She started a new ritual of hosting a Friendsgiving with other single moms and lighting a candle to honour the past with gratitude, not grief. They even have a specialty cocktail! DM me over on Instagram and I'll connect you with recipe.
“The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupér
So, How Do We Start Reframing Our Holidays?
Here’s a simple process I guide many of my clients through. It's a mix of gentle inquiry and energy alignment:
🌿 1.
Pause and Ground
Sit with your feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes. Place your hands on your heart or belly. Breathe in gently and slowly through the nose for 4 counts, and exhale through the mouth for 6.
Let yourself land in your body.
🌾 2.
Feel Without Judgment
Notice what emotions arise when you think about Thanksgiving. Is there grief? Excitement? Resistance? Joy? All emotions are valid — you don’t need to fix them. Just witness.
🕯 3.
Ask: What Meaning Am I Assigning This Experience?
Are you telling yourself that you’re alone? That you should be happier? That you don’t belong? Gently explore what assumptions or stories you’re carrying.
🌸 4.
Choose a New, Empowered Meaning
Can this holiday be a moment for healing instead of perfection? Could it be a time to rest, to connect, or even to start a new tradition that aligns with who you are now?
Where Reiki Comes In
Reiki helps us access the subtle layers of energy where these emotional patterns and beliefs live. When we practice self-healing or receive a Reiki session, we aren’t just “relaxing,” we’re clearing space to rewire meaning at a cellular level.
Grounding meditations and energy practices offer us the gift of presence, so that the meanings we assign aren’t echoes of old wounds, but reflections of our current truth.
“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”
- Hippocrates
Thanksgiving can become that opportunity — if we let it.
Whether you spend this Thanksgiving surrounded by a full table or in quiet solitude, remember: you have the power to decide what this day -- and, every day means to you.
You are not bound by the past. You are free to write a new story, grounded in self-love, healing, and peace.