“The moon tells the sky

The sky tells the sea

The sea tells the tide

And the tide tells me.”

- Lemn Sissay

Happy Chuseok

Did you get a chance to see the Supermoon earlier this week? Whenever you are, I hope you were able to catch a glimpse. Like every full moon, a sight to behold.

The full moon that falls near the autumn equinox has special significance in my native Korea, as it heralds the Harvest Moon Festival known as Chuseok or Hangawi. It’s Korea’s most significant national holiday, second only or equal to New Year’s. At Chuseok, there is a mass movement of people as they travel to see loved ones, exchange boxes of delicious produce, feast on traditional foods and give devotional thanks to ancestors.

Growing up in the Surrey suburbs, these holidays were quietly observed in our house. Separated from my family, who’ve long since returned to Korea, I now only watch these cultural holidays pass by remotely and romantically. Other than a brief message to the parents to wish them a happy holiday, I expected this year’s Chuseok to be typically uneventful.

Thanksgiving

However, this week, while away from home on a yoga holiday in Turkey, I enjoyed an unexpectedly sweet Chuseok under the Harvest Supermoon, shining light on the spirit of the holiday—gratitude.

Among the yoga group is Elizabeth from Hong Kong and Cindy, a Chinese Californian. They both rallied and fussed to ensure we didn’t forget to mark the lunar occasion, cut cake (Mooncake, from Hong Kong!) and take pictures to send back to our respective Asian families.

Aside from this small, sweet celebration, I realised that I’d never actually appreciated the significance of this holiday before. In essence, it is about being thankful for the harvest and the wider gifts of abundance that we receive year in and year out.

Moon Messages

This year, staring at the Supermoon and sharing it with Asian and non-Asian friends and, indeed, the rest of the planet, I took in the message of the Harvest Festival in a new way. If the full moon was the messenger, gratitude was the message.

Other than lots of intelligible yoga notes, what spills from my holiday journal this week are pages of easy gratitude.

A few things I’ve been thankful for this week…

The strangers standing next to me who found an effortless way to connect.

Rest, learning and lots of time to practise yoga.

A black and white cat whose soft head has been my nestling companion.

Hearing wonderful stories about BKS and Geeta Iyengar teaching at the Yoga Institute in Pune when they were still alive—even better than any alignment tips I got from my yoga teacher this week!

Giant pomegranates from a tree guarding the yoga studio that look like juicy red moons themselves.

Thoughts of the people, home and the job I have to return to after this holiday.

Eyes to perceive the moon, skin enveloped by sea, ears to hear the Cockrell calling us awake at 5 am - yes, I’m grateful!

For the simplest things in life.

Gratitude Day

Some people lament the end of summer, but Autumn has always been my favourite time of year. I’ve found another reason to adore the season, which must be this—harvest time, a natural time to receive.

Maybe it’s easy to be grateful when you’re rested, well-cared for, and safe. But whatever our situation, there is always something to be thankful for. Gratitude seems to invite even more abundance into our lives if we notice the riches that surround us already and observe this as a feeling and a legitimate practice in itself.

And what do you know - tomorrow is World Gratitude Day!

Another chance to stop, wonder, and assimilate.

What are you grateful for today?

Let’s practise.