Welcome to the Table: Harnessing the Power of Gratitude
Welcome. You have been invited to something more than just a meal.
As the creator of this project, I approach this Thanksgiving with a heart full of gratitude. I am deeply thankful for the freedoms we inherit, the neighbors we live alongside, and the resilience of this American experiment. Yet, like many of you, I am also concerned. I see how easily our shared gratitude can be overshadowed by the darker affects of our time—contempt, division, and the anxious avoidance of one another.
My goal for this year is simple: to ensure that gratitude prevails.
This is The Civic Ritual for Thanksgiving. It is designed not to dwell on the darkness, but to harness gratitude as a powerful antidote. I believe that by actively reflecting on the positive aspects of the American experience, we can crowd out the contempt that threatens our connections.
Think of this as civic infrastructure disguised as dinner: a therapeutic container designed to hold us while we do the real work of citizenship. It utilizes a shared story and symbolic acts to transform the table from a place of potential conflict into a space for profound connection. It asks us to lean into what we cherish, using our shared thanks as the foundation to face our challenges together.
A National Beta Test: Building the Foundation for 2026
This gathering is not a finished product; it is a beginning. You are participating in the 2025 Preliminary Program, a national beta test designed to crowdsource the wisdom of the American table.
We are launching this initiative now to build a robust, battle-tested framework for next year—Thanksgiving 2026—which will mark the close of the nation’s 250th anniversary year (Semiquincentennial). By participating today, you are helping to co-create a unified national act of gratitude and commitment for the American experiment’s milestone birthday.
We invite you to test this framework, break it, adapt it, and help us build the ritual the Republic needs.
Choose Your Engagement: Three Tiers of the Ritual
We recognize that every table is different, and the capacity for civic engagement varies. To ensure this ritual creates connection rather than division, the program offers three distinct choices for participation. We invite your host to select the “course” that best fits your gathering:
1. The Express Ritual (30 Minutes)
Designed for skeptical tables or time-constrained gatherings. A streamlined experience focusing on the essentials: lighting the candles, four brief toasts to our shared rights, and a simple moment of gratitude. It creates a “magic circle” of safety without demanding deep vulnerability.
2. The Core Ritual (60 Minutes)
Designed for engaged families and friends. The standard framework. It includes the full narrative arc, the “Naming of the Plagues” (acknowledging our challenges), and a structured conversation about our roles as citizens. This is the recommended “main course” for most tables.
3. The Deep Dive (2+ Hours)
Designed for civic circles and those ready for “adventurous civility.” An extended session that uses the “Dialogue Cards” and “Future Covenants” to explore specific, complex issues. This tier is for groups explicitly gathered to do the hard work of democratic deliberation alongside their meal.
“The real question isn’t ‘Is this perfect?’ but ‘Is this better than what we’re doing now?’ And the answer to that feels like yes.”
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The Express Ritual (30 Minutes)
Welcome: You Are Invited to Something Different
You have been invited to something more than just a meal. In an age when political divides have turned the holiday table into a source of tension, this Thanksgiving offers a different path forward.
This is The Civic Ritual for Thanksgiving. It is a structured framework that reclaims gratitude as a revolutionary tool for connection. It transforms a day of potential dread into an opportunity to stop seeing each other as enemies and start seeing each other as fellow citizens.
“You don’t need to agree on politics to participate. You just need to be willing to stay at the table.”
Before We Begin
Tonight is different. We’re not avoiding the hard things—we’re creating space to hold them together. This isn’t a debate. It’s a practice. Democracy at its most intimate level: this table, with people we love.
Our agreement: Listen to understand. Speak with care. Stay at the table even when it’s hard.
The Four Questions
I. THE LIGHTING
[Host lights candles]
“We light these candles to mark sacred civic time. Tonight we practice citizenship as an act of love.”
II. THE FOUR TOASTS
Raise your glass to the unalienable rights that bind us
First Toast: EQUALITY
“To the revolutionary idea that all are created equal—not in ability, but in dignity and worth.”Second Toast: LIFE
“To life—not mere survival, but safety, health, and the ability to thrive.”Third Toast: LIBERTY
“To liberty—the freedom to think, speak, worship, and be who we are without fear.”Fourth Toast: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
“To opportunity—the chance to build meaningful lives and care for those we love.”
III. NAMING OUR CHALLENGES
Honest gratitude requires honest acknowledgment
[Host explains]
“We cannot become whole until we see what’s broken. As we name challenges facing our nation, we each remove one drop from our glass—a reminder that our joy is incomplete while others suffer.”
Go around the table: Each person names one challenge
(Examples: Division, Injustice, Loneliness, Climate crisis, Inequality)
Action: After each is named, everyone dips a finger in their glass and places one drop on their plate.
[Host closes]
“Look at your plate. These drops are our shared sorrow. Let them strengthen our resolve, not our despair.”
IV. SHARED GRATITUDE
To re-center before the meal
Go around the table: Name one thing about America you’re genuinely grateful for—a place, a right, a person, an institution, an opportunity.
(This isn’t pretending everything is fine. It’s remembering what’s worth fighting for.)
V. THE MEAL
[Before eating, host reads]
“Democracy is not something we have—it’s something we do. Let’s eat together, talk honestly, and remember: we need each other.”
[During dinner, if the table is ready, choose ONE conversation starter from the back]
VI. THE PROMISE
Before we leave this table
Go around one final time: Share one small action you’ll take this year to be a better citizen.
(Examples: “I will vote.” “I will listen more.” “I will volunteer.” “I will call my representative.” “I will have hard conversations.”)
Write it down. Mean it. Do it.
© 2025 Moonshot Press | Project 2026 |
The Core Ritual (60 Minutes)
Designed for engaged families and friends. The standard framework. It includes the full narrative arc, the “Naming of the Plagues” (acknowledging our challenges), and a structured conversation about our roles as citizens. This is the recommended “main course” for most tables.
This is The Core Civic Ritual for Thanksgiving—a simple, structured framework that reclaims gratitude as a powerful and revolutionary tool for connection. It transforms our most American holiday from a day of dread into an opportunity for profound engagement, allowing us to stop seeing each other as enemies and start seeing each other as fellow citizens.
A modular guide for transforming Thanksgiving into a practice of active citizenship. Select the components that fit your table. Do one, do a few, or do them all.
01. BEFORE YOU GATHER
The Inner Journey
Before arriving, guests reflect on their own biases and family history.
Action: Clear your “inner house” of contempt.
02. AT THE TABLE (CORE)
The essential components for a meaningful gathering.
Component: Setting the Space
Marking the transition from ordinary dinner to sacred civic time.
Action: Light candles & set shared agreements (Listen to understand, speak with care).
Component: Shared Gratitudes
Grounding the conversation in specific, shared American values using the Toolkit.
Action: Identify concrete shared values (e.g., libraries, parks, First Amendment).
Component: Commitment to Action
Ensuring the ritual leads to concrete civic engagement beyond the meal.
Action: Each guest pledges one specific civic act (e.g., “I will call my rep,” “I will volunteer”).
03. DEEPENING THE PRACTICE (OPTIONAL)
Select any combination of these to deepen the experience.
Component: The Four Questions
A civic inquiry led by the youngest guest to renew purpose.
Action: Ask “Why is this gathering different from all other Thanksgivings?”
Component: E Pluribus Unum
Telling the full, complex story of “We the People.”
Action: Read the Declaration of Independence aloud.
Component: The Four Cups
Toasts to our unalienable rights: Equality, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Action: Raise a glass to each right with a specific toast.
Component: Naming Our Challenges
Mature gratitude means acknowledging our nation’s “plagues” or enduring challenges.
Action: Remove a drop of wine/water from your glass for each challenge named.
Component: The Four Citizens
A framework for understanding how we engage (or don’t) with democracy.
Action: Discuss the Engaged, Disengaged, Uncertain, and Silent citizens.
Component: Dayenu (”It Would Have Been Enough”)
Celebrating progress while admitting it is not yet enough.
Action: Recite achievements followed by “Dayenu—but it’s not enough.”
04. TOOLS & FRAMEWORKS
Resources to navigate difficult conversations.
Tool: Dialogue Cards
A gamified structure for navigating difficult disagreements safely.
Action: Use “Mirror” (repeat what you heard) or “Tell Me More” cards when tension rises.
Methodology: The UGI Imperative
Applying Useful General Intelligence to solve wicked problems.
Action: Move conversations from political caricature to substantive problem solving.
© 2025 Moonshot Press |Project 2026 |
The Deep Dive (1-2 hours)
Introduction: The Laboratory of Democracy
This version of the Civic Ritual is designed for “Civic Circles”—groups explicitly gathered not just to share a meal, but to engage in the hard work of democratic deliberation.
This is the “Deep Dive.” It goes beyond the standard ritual by asking participants to move from reflecting on values to wrestling with their application. Unlike a seminar, this version is designed to flow with the meal itself, nourishing the body and the civic spirit simultaneously.
The Bigger Picture: This ritual serves as the “On-Ramp” for Building Arks, Weaving Bridges, a year-long journey from contempt to connection. Tonight, we begin the work of preparing ourselves (Arks) and connecting with others (Bridges) for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Tonight we draw wisdom from multiple ancient traditions—using the structure of the Seder to tell our history, and the metaphor of the Ark to navigate our future storm.
Time Commitment: 2.5 – 3 Hours (Integrated into the dinner timeline) Prerequisite: None. (Inner work is done upon arrival).
Part 1: Arrival & The Container (Before Eating)
1. Arrival: Building the Ark (Inner Resilience)
Before we can build a bridge to others, we must build a safe shore within ourselves. This is the work of the “Ark.”
The Protocol: Upon arrival, the Host hands each guest an index card and a pen. Host: “Before we begin, take three minutes of silence. We are building our internal ‘Ark’—a sanctuary of resilience.
On one side, write down an Intention (e.g., ‘Curious,’ ‘Patient’).
On the other side, write down one piece of ‘Baggage’ (the internal storm of stress or anger) that you are choosing to ‘check at the door’ for the duration of this meal.” Guests keep their cards in their pockets as a physical reminder of their safe shore, knowing they will have the opportunity to physically release this baggage when they depart.
2. Setting the Space & Agreements
The Leader lights the candles at the table.
Leader: “We light these candles to mark the shift from ordinary time to sacred civic time. Tonight, we have gathered for ‘adventurous civility.’ We are here to practice democracy at its most intimate level.”
The Agreements: Before proceeding, the group must explicitly agree to the Rules of Engagement:
Listen to understand, not to win.
Speak with care, owning your own experience (”I feel,” not “You are”).
Assume good intent, even when the impact is difficult.
Welcome discomfort as a sign of growth, not danger.
Part 2: The Foundation (Served with Appetizers/First Course)
3. The Four Questions
As the first course is served, a participant asks:
Why is this gathering different from all other Thanksgivings?
What are we truly hungry for as a nation?
What do we hope for our democracy and our children?
What are we willing to give to make that hope real?
(Pause for silent reflection. Allow 2-3 people to briefly share their answer to Question 4).
4. E Pluribus Unum: The Narrative
Reader: “E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. This is the story of Indigenous communities, settlers, enslaved persons, and immigrants bound together in the struggle to become ‘one.’ We hold the paradox of our founding: the revolutionary ideals of equality written by those who practiced exclusion. Tonight, we commit to closing the gap between that reality and those ideals.”
5. The Four Cups: Toasts to Unalienable Rights
Raise a glass for each right.
🍷 Cup 1: EQUALITY “To the revolutionary idea that all people are created equal. We honor how far we’ve come; we acknowledge how far we have to go.” (Drink)
🍷 Cup 2: LIFE “To the sacred right to life—safety, health, and dignity for all.” (Drink)
🍷 Cup 3: LIBERTY “To liberty—the freedom to think, speak, worship, and be who we are without fear.” (Drink)
🍷 Cup 4: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS “To the opportunity to build a meaningful life and contribute to something larger than ourselves.” (Drink)
Part 3: The Main Course (Weaving Connections)
6. Shared Gratitudes (The Grounding)
While the main meal is enjoyed, we ground ourselves in the positive. Action: Go around the table. Each person shares one specific thing about America (a right, an institution, a place) they are genuinely grateful for. (Examples: The peaceful transfer of power, public libraries, the First Amendment).
7. Naming the Storm (The Truth)
Leader: “We cannot fix what we cannot name. We now acknowledge the ‘Storm of Contempt’ and the challenges facing our Union.” Action: As participants name a ‘plague’ (e.g., Polarization, Inequality, Addiction), everyone dips a finger in their drink and removes a drop onto their plate. We diminish our joy to honor the suffering of others.
8. Deep Dive Module A: The Four Citizens
This conversation happens naturally during the meal. It is an exercise in seeing the ‘Inner Animal’ in ourselves and others. (Note: Ensure these four definitions are printed on the Menu Card so guests can reference them easily while eating).
The Framework:
📣 The Engaged Citizen: “How can I make a difference?”
🔒 The Disengaged Citizen: “What’s the point?”
❓ The Uncertain Citizen: “Where do I even start?”
😶 The Silent Citizen: (The voice that is missing).
Discussion Prompt:
“Identify a time in your life when you were the Disengaged Citizen. What caused you to withdraw? What brought you back (or are you still there)?”
“Who is the Silent Citizen in our community today? Whose voice is not represented at this table, and why?”
Part 4: Dessert & Deliberation (Weaving Bridges)
9. Deep Dive Module B: Bridging Perspectives (Dialogue Cards)
With dessert and coffee, we engage the most challenging work. This is the practice of ‘Weaving Bridges’ across the divide.
The Setup: Place the Dialogue Cards in the center.
The Safety Mechanism: The “Reset Toast” Before beginning, the Host announces: “If the conversation becomes too heated, circular, or personal, anyone at the table may raise their glass and say, ‘To the Republic.’ If this happens, everyone must stop speaking, raise their glass, repeat ‘To the Republic,’ drink, and take a collective breath before we reset or move on.”
The Protocol:
Draw one card for the table.
Phase 1: Steel-Manning. Work together to articulate the best possible argument for Side A, then Side B.
Phase 2: The Wedge. Identify where the tension lies (Values vs. Facts).
Phase 3: The Personal Stake. Individuals share why this matters to them personally.
10. Deep Dive Module C: The Future Covenant
Moving from ‘Dayenu’ (It is not enough) to ‘In Every Generation’ (Our Responsibility).
The Exercise: The Empty Chair for 2076 Point to the empty chair. “This chair represents the generation that will sit here for the Semiquincentennial in 2076. If they could speak, what would they thank us for preserving? What would they forgive us for struggling with?”
Part 5: Closing & Commitment
11. The Covenant of Repair (Commitment to Action)
We leave not just fed, but fueled. This connects us to the final step of the Building Arks journey: Renewing the Covenant.
The Action (The Swap):
Each participant writes down one concrete civic action they will take in the next 30 days.
Pass your card to the person on your right.
That person is now your “Civic Partner” for this action. They will check in with you in 30 days to see if you did it.
The Pledge: Read together: “We, gathered at this table, pledge to see one another not as enemies, but as fellow citizens. We commit to repairing what is broken, preserving what is true, and staying at the table—even when it is hard. This is our work. This is our promise.”
Leader: “The ritual is complete. The work begins.”
12. Departure: Releasing the Baggage
As guests leave, place a basket or bowl by the door.
Host: “As you depart, take out the index card you wrote on when you arrived. Tear it in half.
Keep your ‘Intention’ side as a guide for the days ahead.
Drop the ‘Baggage’ side in this basket—leaving it behind permanently.”
Beyond Tonight: The Year-Long Journey
Share this roadmap with your guests as they depart.
Tonight was just the beginning. The Civic Ritual is Step 0 of Building Arks, Weaving Bridges—a 7-part journey to prepare us for 2026.
The Path Ahead:
Naming the Storm: Facing reality without collapsing.
Building the Ark: Creating personal sanctuary.
Choosing Responsibility: Moving from inner work to public integrity.
Gathering the Animals: Integrating our “shadow” selves.
Planting After the Flood: Choosing hope over cynicism.
Becoming the Rainbow: Holding difference with dignity.
Renewing the Covenant: Committing to the next 250 years.
Join the full journey at Moonshot.Press
© 2025 Moonshot Press | Project 2026 |
