Native American Spirituality

[TIMBERWOLF]

Prayer of Renewal

Beginnings, fresh and clean, Part of the Sacred Wheel
Each morning is a new opportunity,
To share our love, our Souls, and Spirits,
With those who choose to Walk this Path along with us,
To learn the lessons of the Wheel, and grow closer,
To The One Who- Created- All.
Each day is fresh and unblemished, clean and pure.
Look around, Rejoice in the New Beginning,
The Sun rises again, our hearts beat within our bodies,
We draw fresh Breath, and re-enter the World.
Set aside the pain of past days, each day begins afresh,
Build upon the past, its lessons and joys,
Be strengthened by the love within,
Reach out in love to those around us.
For each day is a gift, given but once.

KiiskeeN'tum- She Who Remembers -Mohawk

[Daywalker]

Hey there...I wanted to share an Article from yesterday about a woman
who is ending her Journey, and oh...what a Journey is has been.

A friend of mine is in close Relations with her
and asked for prayer and energy for Wilma Mankiller:


Ex Cherokee Chief Mankiller Diagnosed with Cancer:

Oklahoma - TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) - The husband of former Cherokee Nation
principal chief Wilma Mankiller says Mankiller has been diagnosed with
advanced pancreatic cancer. Charlie Soap, Mankiller's husband, made the
announcement Tuesday in a news release issued by the American Indian tribe.
Soap says the 64-year-old Mankiller has stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer
but offered no other details. He asked that the public respect the family's
privacy. Mankiller served as the tribe's chief from December 1985 until retiring
in 1995. In September, Northeastern State University in Tahlequah named her
as its first Sequoyah Institute Fellow. Mankiller says in a statement that she is
"mentally and spiritually prepared" for dealing with the cancer.




Also, there is a Group on Facebook that I joined that showcases,
and invites folks to submit Native American Photos from all Tribes:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/NATIVE-AMERICAN-INDIAN-Old-Photos/10150102703945578?ref=mf

Pilomaya

[Spirit Dancer]

Daywalker
Thank you for sharing this information and the facebook link as well. It's greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by Daywalker

Hey there...I wanted to share an Article from yesterday about a woman
who is ending her Journey, and oh...what a Journey is has been.

A friend of mine is in close Relations with her
and asked for prayer and energy for Wilma Mankiller:


Ex Cherokee Chief Mankiller Diagnosed with Cancer:

Oklahoma - TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) - The husband of former Cherokee Nation
principal chief Wilma Mankiller says Mankiller has been diagnosed with
advanced pancreatic cancer. Charlie Soap, Mankiller's husband, made the
announcement Tuesday in a news release issued by the American Indian tribe.
Soap says the 64-year-old Mankiller has stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer
but offered no other details. He asked that the public respect the family's
privacy. Mankiller served as the tribe's chief from December 1985 until retiring
in 1995. In September, Northeastern State University in Tahlequah named her
as its first Sequoyah Institute Fellow. Mankiller says in a statement that she is
"mentally and spiritually prepared" for dealing with the cancer.




Also, there is a Group on Facebook that I joined that showcases,
and invites folks to submit Native American Photos from all Tribes:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/NATIVE-AMERICAN-INDIAN-Old-Photos/10150102703945578?ref=mf

Pilomaya

[Spirit Dancer]

"My father told me that Hopi earth does contain my roots and I am, indeed, from that land. Because my roots are there, I will find them."
--Wendy Rose, HOPI/MIWOK
Everything that comes from the earth will return to the earth. We should be able to realize the connectedness to the earth. We should be able to feel toward Her just like She is our real Mother. We can easily feel this connectedness if we can answer these three questions: why am I?, who am I?, and where am I going? If we cannot answer these questions, then perhaps we need to talk to the Elders. Go to the Elders and ask, "Grandfather, why am I?; Grandmother, who am I?; Oh Great One, where am I supposed to go?" The Elders will help us with these three questions.

Grandfather, help me to stay centered today

[Spirit Dancer]

Forgiveness is the perfume the trampled flower
casts back on the foot that crushed it.

Author Unknown

[Spirit Dancer]

"I have always searched for my place and my people."
--Wendy Rose, HOPI/MIWOK
For every human being to feel connected, we must have the feeling of belonging. That is one of the values and benefits of a culture: it creates the feeling of belonging. If for some reason, while you were growing up, you did not develop the feeling of belonging, a search will be triggered and a restlessness will be present in your heart. You will have a hole inside you, something missing, until you find your place and your people. Remember, we can get this feeling of belonging when we realize we belong to the Great Spirit and that He really loves us a lot.

My Creator, today, I belong to You. Let me feel Your presence. Thank You.

[Spirit Dancer]

Kill the snake of doubt in your soul,
crush the worms of fear in your heart
and mountains will move out of your way.

Kate Seredy

[Andrew, Jr.]

I am really enjoying this thread. Thanks everyone for sharing and participating.

[Spirit Dancer]

"And there are Four Corners of the Earth that we talk about, the Four Colors of people, and the Four Winds. You see the winds - they are spirits."
--Grandfather William Commanda, ALGONQUIN
The Elders teach us about the four directions. If we learn about direction, we also learn about attention, about focus, and about power. Each direction has spiritual power. In the morning, go outside, face the east and get still; then, listen to your thoughts. After you have done this for a while, turn and face the west. Get quiet once again and listen to your thoughts. Did your thinking change when you changed direction?

Great Spirit, teach me the power of the four directions

[Spirit Dancer]

Miracles rest not so much upon healing power coming suddenly
near us from afar, but upon our perceptions being made finer,
so that for the moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear
what has been there around us always.
Willa Cather

[Spirit Dancer]

Healing is not the same as curing. Healing does not take us back
to what was before, rather, Healing brings us closer to our true Self.

unattributed

[Spirit Dancer]

Today
Great Spirit I come to you a mere lamb, asking for saving grace; not for me
but for the child you gave this gift of life.
Today a healing is needed, with you all things are possible even the smallest detail you control.
As we walk the red road today father sky I seek your power the power to heal.

a-do-nv-do tsa-la-tsi-s-gi
Spirit Dancer

[Spirit Dancer]

"We are responsible for the condition of the Earth. We are the ones who are responsible and we can change that. If we wake up, it is possible to change the energy. It is possible to change everything."
--Hunbatz Men, MAYAN
The environment we want outside will be created by the mental pictures we have inside our heads. We must have the right environmental picture as well as the right values. These values will give the mental picture its true meaning. If we respected Mother Earth, we would not throw garbage on Her, nor would we put poison in Her. We would not misuse Her in any way. Mother Earth is like She is today because of the mental pictures of previous generations as well as the mental pictures of our own generation. If we want the environment to change, each individual must change their mental picture. "As within, so without."

Great Spirit, today, let me be alert to Your guiding voice.

[Spirit Dancer]

Take the breath of the new dawn and
make it part of you. It will give you strength.

from the Hopi

[Spirit Dancer]

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light,
for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy
of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.

Tecumseh

[Spirit Dancer]

The way to overcome the angry person is with gentleness,
the evil person with goodness, the miser with generosity and the liar with truth.
Indian Proverb

[Liquefaction]

Hold on to what is good,
Even if it's a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe,
Even if it's a tree that stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do,
Even if it's a long way from here.
Hold on to your life,
Even if it's easier to let go.
Hold on to my hand,
Even if someday I'll be gone away from you.

A Pueblo Indian Prayer

[Spirit Dancer]

"Balance is implicit in the Red Road. When you're on the Red Road, you are in the center. Yet, you do not go to either extreme, and you allow both sides to exist. This is accomplished by continually postponing surrendering to temptation, whatever it may be. It is saying `later' instead of `no.'"
--Dr. A.C. Ross (Ehanamani), LAKOTA
The Sacred Path of life has a middle, a left side, and a right side. As human beings, we are designed to walk this middle path as much as we can. As we walk, we will stray to the left and to the right and come back to the middle. Straying to the left or right side is as sacred as being in the middle. Sometimes we call this straying our mistakes. We are designed by the Creator to walk the Sacred Path of life, and realize that our mistakes are the source of lessons. These lessons give us our wisdom. It is not wrong that we are tempted. What matters is what we do with the temptation.

Great Spirit, today, let me enjoy the Sacred Path of Life.

[Spirit Dancer]

Balance is the perfect state of still water.
Let that be our model.
It remains quiet within and is not disturbed on the surface.

Confucius

[Spirit Dancer]

"In the life of the Indian there was only one inevitable duty, the duty of prayer, the daily recognition of the Unseen and Eternal. His daily devotions were more necessary to him than daily food."
--Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa), SANTEE SIOUX
The most important habit one can develop is the daily act of prayer. Prayer is our eyes, our ears, our feelings, our success, our guidance, our life, our duty, our goal. There really is only prayer and meditation. We can only help others through prayer. We can only help ourselves through prayer. You can never become an Elder unless you pray. You can never stay an Elder unless you pray. You never get wisdom unless you pray. You never understand unless you pray.

Great Spirit, today, teach me to pray.