Native American Spirituality

[girl_dee]

i love the energy in this thread.

yes you can read all the books you want, stack them to the ceiling, but unless you are present with nature and spirit, you are missing the gift.

[StrongButch]

I share these words with you in honor of my father who left here 10 yrs ago tommorow Do not stand at my grave and weap; I am not there I do not sleep I am a thousand winds that blow; I am the diamond glints on the snow I am the sunlight on the ripened grain; I am the gentle autumn rain When you awaken in the morning hush, I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight I am the soft star that shines at night Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there I did not die

[StrongButch]

The promise of Tommorow:The promise the Creator gives us comes with every new day;The gift of breath,the gift of life,Opportunities in vast array,How we count our blessings,through the choices life can bring?Is it through joyful lessons?Or in the fears to which we cling?Are we learning to show gratitude,for the victories over human pain?By honoring feelings,choices,We grasp the will we have regained Can we change our focus,with no need to defend?Acknowledging joy and sorrow,without judging foe or friend?Tommorow promises the fullness of every human way to know How we master each challenge Determines our balance Reflecting how we grow Jamie Sams

[Spirit Dancer]

Moving through Darkness
The Places We Go

Often it takes something major to wake us up as we struggle to maintain an illusion of control.


In life, most of us want things to go to the places we have envisioned ourselves going. We have plans and visions, some of them divinely inspired, that we want to see through to completion. We want to be happy, successful, and healthy, all of which are perfectly natural and perfectly human. So when life takes us to places we didn’t consciously want to go, we often feel as if something has gone wrong, or we must have made a mistake somewhere along the line, or any number of other disheartening possibilities. This is just life’s way of taking us to a place we need to go for reasons that go deeper than our own ability to reason. These hard knocks and trials are designed to shed light on our unconscious workings and deepen our experience of reality.

Often it takes something major to wake us up, to shake us loose from our ego’s grip as it struggles to maintain an illusion of control. It is loss of control more than anything else that humbles us and enables us to see the big picture. It reminds us that the key to the universe lies in what we do not know, and what we do know is a small fraction of the great mystery in which we live. This awareness softens and lightens us, as we release our resistance to what is. Another gift gleaned from going to these seemingly undesirable places is that, in our response to difficulty, we can see all the patterns and unresolved emotional baggage that stand in the way of our unconditional joyfulness. Joy exists within us independently of whether things go our way or not. And when we don’t feel it, we can trust that we will find it if we are willing to surrender to the situation, moving through it as we move through our difficult feelings.

We can take our inspiration from any fairy tale that finds its central character lost in a dark wood, frightened and alone. We know that the journey through the wood provides its own kind of beauty and richness. On the other side, we will emerge transformed, lighter and brighter, braver and more confident for having moved through that darkness.

[clay]

this is the calmest, most serene, and comforting space on the Planet for me...I am able to look deep inside myself here, "feel" all that abounds me in nature, and I can see the forest for the trees!!! Thanks, my sister spirit, Spirit Dancer..for who you are,. all that you give, and for your gentleness!! fondly Clay

[Spirit Dancer]

"Sometimes dreams are wiser than waking."

"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us."

Black Elk - Oglala Sioux

The growing and dying of the moon reminds us of our ignorance which comes and goes- but when the moon is full it is as if the Great Spirit were upon the whole world.

-Black Elk, Oglala Sioux

[girl_dee]

[PaPa]

You have noticed that everything as Indian does
is in a circle, and that is because the
Power of the World always works in circles,
and everything tries to be round.....
The Sky is round, and I have heard
that the earth is round like a ball,
and so are all the stars.
The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.
Birds make their nest in circles,
for theirs is the same religion as ours....

Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.

Black Elk (1863-1950)
Oglala Sioux Holy Man

[Spirit Dancer]

"In the Indian way, we are connected to that flower if we understand its spirit, the essence of its life."
--Larry P. Aitken, CHIPPEWA



Great Spirit
This day allow my steps to be slow so I may
enjoy the beauty you've created,
reminding each of us that your presence is indeed here.
RG ©

[StrongButch]

Dancing the Dream : Where are the dances of Oneness, That I knew before my birth? Do I surrender my wholeness,In order to walk the earth? Did I choose forgetting to make life real? Did I inhabite a human body,So I could learn how to feel? I am here to dance the dream In my sacred human form To celebrate my uniqueness And ask no other to conform Dancing through lifes lessons,I will learn to move with grace While I dream of remembering The potential of the human race Jamie Sams

[Spirit Dancer]

Evolving Commitment
Spirituality in the Workplace

A career can coexist with the development of the soul when we approach each with balance and determination.


We do not need to deny our spiritual selves while focusing on being at the office, even though working while walking the path of ascension can be extremely challenging. Commitment to a career can coexist peacefully with commitment to the development of the soul when we approach each with balance and determination.

Careers can tend to take up a great deal of time you might otherwise devote to your own awakening, so make the most of the free hours at your disposal by using your breaks to walk in nature or write in your journal. If you schedule healings, bodywork, and other therapeutic activities on Friday, you give yourself the gift of an unhurried and restful weekend of rejuvenation. You can create a spiritually aware workspace by adorning your desk or office with sacred objects such as a Buddha or a candle that have meaning to you. If decoration is not permitted in your workplace, your supervisor may allow you to display a small item associated with your life path if you explain its significance. Your workplace may not always meet your best expectations, but living with imperfection can also be a wonderful spiritual exercise. Remember that you can strive for excellence in your own existence without asking your coworkers to exemplify perfection. They, too, are human beings doing all they can to grow in spite of that humanity, and they can support you when your path becomes difficult.

In many companies, there is a spiritual reality tied in closely into the corporate culture. It is your choice whether you want to integrate the spirit of your workplace into your own divine practices or participate in this reality on a superficial level. However you proceed, realize that the spiritual values you hold dear need not be at odds with the energy of your place of employment. As an employee, your spiritual self is one of the diverse strengths you bring to the table. Simply by approaching projects, goals, and interpersonal relations in the workplace with intention, you can pursue individual fulfillment while also doing your part to gently promote a healthy and harmonious working environment.

[Spirit Dancer]

When you are in doubt, be still, and wait;
when doubt no longer exists for you, then go forward with courage.
So long as mists envelop you, be still;
be still until the sunlight pours through and dispels the mists
-- as it surely will.
Then act with courage.

Ponca Chief White Eagle (1800's to 1914)

[StrongButch]

I asked once,What exactly is my destiny in this life?What am I to accomplish? Answer was,As in all lives your destiny is to simply Love

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Spirit Dancer

Evolving Commitment
Spirituality in the Workplace

A career can coexist with the development of the soul when we approach each with balance and determination.


We do not need to deny our spiritual selves while focusing on being at the office, even though working while walking the path of ascension can be extremely challenging. Commitment to a career can coexist peacefully with commitment to the development of the soul when we approach each with balance and determination.

Careers can tend to take up a great deal of time you might otherwise devote to your own awakening, so make the most of the free hours at your disposal by using your breaks to walk in nature or write in your journal. If you schedule healings, bodywork, and other therapeutic activities on Friday, you give yourself the gift of an unhurried and restful weekend of rejuvenation. You can create a spiritually aware workspace by adorning your desk or office with sacred objects such as a Buddha or a candle that have meaning to you. If decoration is not permitted in your workplace, your supervisor may allow you to display a small item associated with your life path if you explain its significance. Your workplace may not always meet your best expectations, but living with imperfection can also be a wonderful spiritual exercise. Remember that you can strive for excellence in your own existence without asking your coworkers to exemplify perfection. They, too, are human beings doing all they can to grow in spite of that humanity, and they can support you when your path becomes difficult.

In many companies, there is a spiritual reality tied in closely into the corporate culture. It is your choice whether you want to integrate the spirit of your workplace into your own divine practices or participate in this reality on a superficial level. However you proceed, realize that the spiritual values you hold dear need not be at odds with the energy of your place of employment. As an employee, your spiritual self is one of the diverse strengths you bring to the table. Simply by approaching projects, goals, and interpersonal relations in the workplace with intention, you can pursue individual fulfillment while also doing your part to gently promote a healthy and harmonious working environment.

i LOVE this post.

my work is very spiritual, the day flies by and it's working for people. i've never felt so quite fulfilled.

[Spirit Dancer]

Regret
The Weight of the Past

Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go.


It drains our energy, leaving less available for life in the present because we are constantly feeding an old issue. This attachment can cause illness the same way watering a dead plant creates decay. We know that something new and beautiful can grow in its place if we only prepare the soil and plant the right seeds. We also know that we create our lives from our thoughts, so dwelling on the past may actually recreate a situation in our lives where we are forced to make the choice again and again. We can choose to move on right now by applying what we have learned to the present and perhaps even sharing with others, transforming the energy into something that is constructive and creative for ourselves and others.

Forgiveness is the soothing balm that can heal regret. In meditation, we can imagine discussing the issue with the self of our past and offering our forgiveness for the choice. In return, we can ask for our selves’ forgiveness for keeping them locked in that space of judgment for so long. We may also want to ask forgiveness from anyone else who may have been affected and perhaps offer our forgiveness. By replaying the event in our minds, we can choose a new ending using all that we now know. Imagine that you have actually gone back into the past and made this change, and then say goodbye to it. Release your former self with a hug and bring the forgiveness and love back with you to the present. Since we are usually our harshest critics, it is amazing how powerfully healing it can be to offer ourselves love.

Keeping our minds and our energy fully in the present allows us to fuel our physical and emotional healing and well-being today. This action frees our energy to create the dreams we dream for the future. By taking responsibility and action in the present, we can release our hold on the past.