Butch Femme Planet

Butch Femme Planet (http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/index.php)
-   Religion, Spirituality, Mysticism (http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=26)
-   -   Native American Spirituality (http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=755)

WILDCAT 01-29-2010 02:39 AM

There!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by cara (Post 40097)
Just out of curiosity, is this thread going to be more than people simply posting quotes from our First Nations brothers and sisters (and Ancestors)? It appears that way. Frankly, I am glad to read them, but came in this thread sincerely hoping for some good conversation beyond quotations.

:stillheart:

cara

Now, it's "beyond quotes"...

Actually, I think many tribal quotations (?) are often great and profound words of wisdom. For they represent truth, tradition, and great respect for all that lives... leaf or rock, the wind and the trees, the appreciation of beautiful sunsets, the streams/lakes, Moon & Stars, Mother Earth/Nature in all of her glory, beauty, and phases - and on and on and on... :wolf:

Just out of curiosity now myself, I am looking forward to more than "simply posted quotes" coming from you. Actually, I should check in case you started your own thread... will do that now.
__

Nice thread start OP'er, Spirit Dancer. Thank you. :rrose:

WILDCAT

:moonstars:

WILDCAT 01-29-2010 03:06 AM

Always loved this...
 
Got this as an email several years back, had it printed - and have it on my wall here:



Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee man told his grandson about the battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between the two wolves inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentement, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith".

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins"?

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed".

Andrew, Jr. 01-29-2010 12:31 PM

I find this interesting. When I go ghost hunting or am in the presence of the paranormal, it is common to say this Navajo Prayer. It goes like this, " Peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet. Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace." Then we say "The Lord's Prayer". Both are said today in Christain Churches.

Andrew

:pipe:

Toughy 01-29-2010 04:16 PM

I never heard the Dine people (what they call themselves among themselves) talk about peace............beauty yes.........

It figures the Christians would continue to bastardize Dine spiritual practices; they have been doing it in this country over 500 years.

Here is how the Dine say that prayer:

The Beauty Way is a Dine prayer

Always walk in Beauty ahead of me

Always walk in Beauty behind me

Always walk in Beauty above me

Always walk in Beauty below me

And All around me. Always walk in Beauty

Spirit Dancer 01-29-2010 05:36 PM

:reader:
Quote:

Originally Posted by WILDCAT (Post 41165)
Now, it's "beyond quotes"...

Actually, I think many tribal quotations (?) are often great and profound words of wisdom. For they represent truth, tradition, and great respect for all that lives... leaf or rock, the wind and the trees, the appreciation of beautiful sunsets, the streams/lakes, Moon & Stars, Mother Earth/Nature in all of her glory, beauty, and phases - and on and on and on... :wolf:

Just out of curiosity now myself, I am looking forward to more than "simply posted quotes" coming from you. Actually, I should check in case you started your own thread... will do that now.
__

Nice thread start OP'er, Spirit Dancer. Thank you. :rrose:

WILDCAT

:moonstars:

Thank you Wildcat and welcome, it's ironic you should post the above here today. This morning ny eldest and I were discussing how my grandfather spoke more in quotes during our lessons and the lessons he taught my children. Way more was learned and by this I mean we were taught the origination of words and events not from books but through my grandfathers eyes.:mohawk::bow:


Quote:

Originally Posted by WILDCAT (Post 41166)
Got this as an email several years back, had it printed - and have it on my wall here:



Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee man told his grandson about the battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between the two wolves inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentement, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith".

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins"?

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed".

Thank you so much for sharing this quote and a reminder of an important lesson:reader:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 41276)
I find this interesting. When I go ghost hunting or am in the presence of the paranormal, it is common to say this Navajo Prayer. It goes like this, " Peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet. Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace." Then we say "The Lord's Prayer". Both are said today in Christain Churches.

Andrew

:pipe:

Andrew good to see you here. Thi statement is true, but which came first?
Quote:

Originally Posted by Toughy (Post 41346)
I never heard the Dine people (what they call themselves among themselves) talk about peace............beauty yes.........

It figures the Christians would continue to bastardize Dine spiritual practices; they have been doing it in this country over 500 years.

Here is how the Dine say that prayer:

The Beauty Way is a Dine prayer

Always walk in Beauty ahead of me

Always walk in Beauty behind me

Always walk in Beauty above me

Always walk in Beauty below me

And All around me. Always walk in Beauty

Welcome Toughy and Thank you for sharing the Dine Prayer it's quite lovely.

violaine 01-29-2010 05:47 PM

"Day and night cannot dwell together. Your religion was written on tables of stone, ours was written on our hearts."

"Our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch of our ancestors as we walk over this Earth."

~Chief Seattle, Duwamish-Suquamish~

"When temptations comes, I don't say, "Yes," and I don't say, "No," I say, "Later." I just keep walking the Red Road--down the middle. When you're in the middle, you don't go to either extreme. You allow both sides to exist."

~Dr. A. C. Ross~Lakota

Spirit Dancer 01-29-2010 05:49 PM

Who Are We?

The first spiritual law of success is the law of pure potentiality.
This law is based on the fact that we are, in our essential state, pure consciousness.
Pure consciousness is pure potentiality; it is the field of all possibilities and infinite creativity.
Pure consciousness is our spiritual essence. Being infinite and unbounded, it is also pure joy.
Other attributes of consciousness are:
pure knowledge, infinite silence, perfect balance, invincibility, simplicity, and bliss.
This is our essential nature. Our essential nature is one of pure potentiality.
~ Deepak Chopra ~

violaine 01-29-2010 06:16 PM

s u c h - m u c h
 
pure consciousness!

venomous semiaquatic pitvipers lifting of a shadowy lake, aggressively racing onto the land to strike after swimming dogs ; osprey mother raising a family inside of a towering dead cypress ; soundless/unspoken owl moving past, then perching, deep inside the forest -my clumsy intrusion long recognised by her ; lichens ; forest floor: the greenest sea of ferns ; gopher tortoises eating grass ; spider webs ; & walking fields for miles and a small snake crossing over my foot -

Spirit Dancer 01-29-2010 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violaine (Post 41407)
pure consciousness!

venomous semiaquatic pitvipers lifting of a shadowy lake, aggressively racing onto the land to strike after swimming dogs ; osprey mother raising a family inside of a towering dead cypress ; soundless/unspoken owl moving past, then perching, deep inside the forest -my clumsy intrusion long recognised by her ; lichens ; forest floor: the greenest sea of ferns ; gopher tortoises eating grass ; spider webs ; & walking fields for miles and a small snake crossing over my foot -

Absolutly beautiful Sister :rose: thank you for sharing

Andrew, Jr. 01-29-2010 09:45 PM

Spirit Dancer,

Hello my friend! It is good to see you as well.

As for your question as to what came first, peace or the beauty prayer...I have no idea. I learned the Navajo Prayer from a very good friend of mine.

Love,
Andrew


**For everyone, please be safe in this crazy weather**

violaine 01-30-2010 09:19 AM

“The crow wished everything was black, the owl, that every thing was white.”
-- William Blake

friskyfemme 01-30-2010 08:24 PM

I celebrate the Full Moon. Time of love sharing/growing. Ceremony starts with cleansing with white sage, sweet grass, cedar, and tobacco. Using the Medicine Wheel, first to identify my path in the last cycle, then to commit improve during the next cycle. Full Moon ceremony is the Healing ceremony, this is the time I ask Spirit for healing for those I know need healing at some level. Then, for those who I am not aware need healing. Last asking for healing of my neighbors, my city, state, country, world, universe.

Andrew, Jr. 01-31-2010 05:41 PM

I have a question...
 
FF or anyone really,

Where do you find info on medicine men that still practice? And in your perspective what is more - I am not sure of what the word is - effective Chinese or Native Americans in terms of healing?

Thank you for your insight.

Namaste,
Andrew

violaine 01-31-2010 06:48 PM

andrew,

if you have an american indian center, national center for native american culture, college, or sources for native american goods- you might start there. if you get involved with pow wows in your area [or away from], meeting people there may lead you to find what you are seeking.

best,
belle
ox


Toughy 01-31-2010 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr. (Post 42311)
FF or anyone really,

Where do you find info on medicine men that still practice? And in your perspective what is more - I am not sure of what the word is - effective Chinese or Native Americans in terms of healing?

Thank you for your insight.

Namaste,
Andrew

Andrew my friend.......

No one can say which is more effective for a white person.

If by Chinese medicine you mean herbs and acupuncture, my experience is they work for some things for me. Herbs not so much. My body readily responds to acupuncture for my asthma and allergies. I also found it useful for fatigue. I never seriously tried it for chronic pain.........I was not willing to have needles stuck in my body every other day for probably a month, followed by weekly treatments forever. Besides I only ever found one woman acupuncturist whose skills actually worked for me (other than the old woman in SF Chinatown who spoke no English and healed my asthma with one treatment for about 3-4 years) I probably have been to around 5-6 different acupuncturists in different states.

The Japanese use a different system of acupuncture.... different meridians (acupuncture points). I have no personal experience with Japanese acupuncture.

There is no one Native American healing method. If you are talking about the use of herbs, then different herbs are used by different tribes based on where they live. The other basis for indigenous peoples healing practices is on a spiritual level and has to do with returning harmony to the physical and spiritual bodies. That would be the chanting/singing, eagle feathers and smudging you see in western movies....although it is a hollywood bastardization of the healing ceremonies. Different tribes have different ceremonies for the same things.

For a white person to just go to a shaman and expect healing is folly. Healing is based on the cosmology (the way the world is seen) of the particular tribe of the shaman. Your ancestors have their own ceremonies and healing practices. You might consider seeking those out for yourself.

And I would also say...........healing is not the same as curing. I personally prefer healing over curing. If I am cured but not healed, then the cure is just a band-aid. The dis-ease will return in one form or another until I am healed.

Andrew, Jr. 02-01-2010 12:50 PM

:givingarose: Violaine, thank you for your advice.

:harley: Toughy, thank you for your advice.

Namaste,
Andrew

friskyfemme 02-01-2010 11:04 PM

Traditions vary
 
Andrew

I am not Native American in this life. I have learned various ceremonies from people I have met and/or loved in my lifetime. I have an eclectic believe system. I am Norweigan/Swedish mostly. These traditional belief systems have some things in common with the North American 'indigenous' people, such as respect for the balance in nature with oneself, use of herbs in healing ceremonies, use of 'sweats' to remove negative energy/illness and purification. Following moon phases (to my knowledge) for healing in not part any American native way but is Nordic. I do follow the medicine wheel in my daily life. I pray, meditate, and confer with my Ancestors. I use the Chinese belief of energy flow for maintaining health. I believe in the Great Spirit but I do not believe Spirit has a one sex, so I refer to IT. I have been fortunate to have been taught by Dine, Choctaw, Kickapoo, and White Mountain Apache persons about use to plants used for healing. I have never sought out healers. When it's time, they appear in my life. Before you use anything you might learn, you really need to understand the culture that uses it and why it is used.

Spirit Dancer 02-02-2010 12:58 PM

[QUOTE=Toughy;42395]Andrew my friend.......

No one can say which is more effective for a white person.

If by Chinese medicine you mean herbs and acupuncture, my experience is they work for some things for me. Herbs not so much. My body readily responds to acupuncture for my asthma and allergies. I also found it useful for fatigue. I never seriously tried it for chronic pain.........I was not willing to have needles stuck in my body every other day for probably a month, followed by weekly treatments forever. Besides I only ever found one woman acupuncturist whose skills actually worked for me (other than the old woman in SF Chinatown who spoke no English and healed my asthma with one treatment for about 3-4 years) I probably have been to around 5-6 different acupuncturists in different states.

The Japanese use a different system of acupuncture.... different meridians (acupuncture points). I have no personal experience with Japanese acupuncture.

There is no one Native American healing method. If you are talking about the use of herbs, then different herbs are used by different tribes based on where they live. The other basis for indigenous peoples healing practices is on a spiritual level and has to do with returning harmony to the physical and spiritual bodies. That would be the chanting/singing, eagle feathers and smudging you see in western movies....although it is a hollywood bastardization of the healing ceremonies. Different tribes have different ceremonies for the same things.

For a white person to just go to a shaman and expect healing is folly. Healing is based on the cosmology (the way the world is seen) of the particular tribe of the shaman. Your ancestors have their own ceremonies and healing practices. You might consider seeking those out for yourself.

And I would also say...........healing is not the same as curing. I personally prefer healing over curing. If I am cured but not healed, then the cure is just a band-aid. The dis-ease will return in one form or another until I am healed.[/
QUOTE]



Toughy,
I want to thank you for sharing this here, I cannot tell you how many people will ask a Shaman to "Cure" them or what is the "Cure" for their illness. Most have never been to a healing ceremony.
They have no idea the traditions and beliefs that are taught for generations, an easy fix with an herb is what most seek. Herbs are not for everyone and have a very adverse effect on some.

Spirit Dancer 02-02-2010 12:59 PM

There are many things to be shared with the Four Colors of humanity in our common destiny
as one with our Mother the Earth. It is this sharing that must be considered with great care by
the Elders and the medicine people who carry the Sacred Trusts, so that no harm may come
to people through ignorance and misuse of these powerful forces.

Resolution of the Fifth Annual Meetings of the Traditional Elders Circle, 1980

Spirit Dancer 02-02-2010 01:00 PM

Among the Indians there have been no written laws. Customs handed down from generation
to generation have been the only laws to guide them. Every one might act different from what
was considered right did he choose to do so, but such acts would bring upon him the censure
of the Nation . . . . This fear of the Nation's censure acted as a mighty band,
binding all in one social, honorable compact.
George Copway (Kah-ge-ga-bowh)


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:13 PM.

ButchFemmePlanet.com
All information copyright of BFP 2018