Native American Spirituality

[Two-spirit]

Originally Posted by Spirit Dancer

"I received my education from my culture. My teachers were my grandmothers, and I am really thankful for that."

Mary One Spot, SARCEE

Hello,


AHO !....elders are great teachers to learn from..

[Spirit Dancer]

Originally Posted by Two-spirit

Hello,


AHO !....elders are great teachers to learn from..

Indeed Two Spirit
My mother is Cherokee and Choctaw
So we were exposed to both
tribal traditions. Very blessed indeed,
then exposure to our father's Polish traditions.

[gaea]

as the story goes My great grandmother full blood Cherokee was purchased by an Irishmen , to save her life and thus 2 daughters were born My grandmother 1/2 cherokee 1/2 irish....I look like her, she died when my father (bio) was a small child...his father german 100% ....

My Mother is 1/2 Cherokee(father full blood) and 1/2 Norweigan (mother full blood)

I have been more in touch with my native blood line than any other my entire life....history etc...I did not get the teaching through family I had to set out and learn on my own about me and where i come from and who I am...Im still learning.

The hardest part for me growing up was my sisters were all fair skinned and haired and i stuck out like a sore thumb in the family....i'm grateful for it now...my skin doesn't burn

One of my favorite memories if i may, when we were headed to California when i was a wee little one we stopped at a reservation(i do not remember which one) and suddenly i looked like someone i resembled other people and suddenly i felt at home as my little hand caressed the most beautiful baby doll i had ever seen my mother could be heard saying don't touch that put it down etc, and then i was in the arms of an elder she was aged and beautiful in my eyes and i was on her lap and she was speaking to me in a language my ears did not understand and yet my soul did, she brushed my hair with her hand then placed the doll in my arms...that doll was with me for several years after....

[Spirit Dancer]

Originally Posted by gaea

as the story goes My great grandmother full blood Cherokee was purchased by an Irishmen , to save her life and thus 2 daughters were born My grandmother 1/2 cherokee 1/2 irish....I look like her, she died when my father (bio) was a small child...his father german 100% ....

My Mother is 1/2 Cherokee(father full blood) and 1/2 Norweigan (mother full blood)

I have been more in touch with my native blood line than any other my entire life....history etc...I did not get the teaching through family I had to set out and learn on my own about me and where i come from and who I am...Im still learning.

The hardest part for me growing up was my sisters were all fair skinned and haired and i stuck out like a sore thumb in the family....i'm grateful for it now...my skin doesn't burn

One of my favorite memories if i may, when we were headed to California when i was a wee little one we stopped at a reservation(i do not remember which one) and suddenly i looked like someone i resembled other people and suddenly i felt at home as my little hand caressed the most beautiful baby doll i had ever seen my mother could be heard saying don't touch that put it down etc, and then i was in the arms of an elder she was aged and beautiful in my eyes and i was on her lap and she was speaking to me in a language my ears did not understand and yet my soul did, she brushed my hair with her hand then placed the doll in my arms...that doll was with me for several years after....

Gaea
Thank you for sharing this moment in your life, the elders say the soul holds the key that awakens when it is time. That moment was yours and in that time your soul shined and was kissed by those elders who went before you.

[Two-spirit]

Originally Posted by Spirit Dancer

Indeed Two Spirit
My mother is Cherokee and Choctaw
So we were exposed to both
tribal traditions. Very blessed indeed,
then exposure to our father's Polish traditions.

Hi spiritdancer,
That is soo awsome you know each of yourr heritage.Being exposed to who and what you are just makes the inner spirit smiles..I hope u go and teach others each of your heritages..I enjoy doing that about my two tribes Im from..

[Spirit Dancer]

"The dances are prayers."





--Pop Chalee, TAOS PUEBLO



When we dance to the drum we pray to the Creator and attract the heartbeat of the earth. We never dance without reason; every dance has a purpose. We dance for rain; we dance for healing; we dance for seasons; we dance for joy; we dance for our children; we dance for the people; we dance for courage. The drum plays to the beat of the heart, to the beat of the Earth. The drum connects us to the Earth while we dance our prayers.


Oh, Great One, let my dance and prayer be heard by You.

[Spirit Dancer]

The Soundless Center
Silence Of The Heart
We spend a lot of time attempting to put the feelings in our hearts into words, to communicate to others our passions, our emotions, and our love. Often we are so busy trying to translate our heart’s roar into language that we miss the most profound experience the heart has to offer, which is silence. Every poem arises from this silence and returns to it. When all the songs have been sung, the soliloquies delivered, the emotions expressed, silence is what remains. As each wave of feeling rises and falls back into the silence, we have an opportunity to connect with the vast, open, powerfully healing wisdom at the soundless center of our hearts.

Our hearts may seem noisy and tumultuous so much of the time that we do not even associate them with silence. It takes a sensitive ear to tune in to the silence of the heart, but it is there in each one of us, so close and so large that we do not even notice it. We can begin to become aware of it in the same way we become aware of the negative space in a still life, the background of a photograph, or the open sky that contains the sun, clouds, moon, and stars. We are accustomed to tuning in to objects and sounds that are one-pointed, solid, and three-dimensional. Seeing and hearing the apparently empty space that contains these sounds and objects takes a little practice.

We can bring our awareness into our hearts by simply breathing into the general area of our heart. The first thing we may notice is feelings like joy or sadness and physical sensations like tightness or tenderness. We acknowledge these as we continue to breathe and focus, listening attentively. We surround these feelings and sensations with breath and recognize that they are contained and held in an immeasurable substance like water or air, intangible, ineffable, but utterly real. This is the silence of the heart, and the more we listen for it, return to it, and accept it, the more we bathe and purify ourselves in the soundless center of our being.

[Spirit Dancer]

Hope In Hardship
Anything Can Be Overcome
The journey that each human being makes through earthly existence can have hardship as often as it is touched by joy. When we encounter adversity, the stress we feel can erode our optimism, eventually convincing us that the issues we face cannot be overcome. In truth, there is no situation so dire, no challenge so great, and no choice so bewildering that it cannot be overcome. Though we may believe that all avenues have been closed to us or that our most conscientious efforts will come to naught, we are never without feasible options. The best course of action may be veiled in doubt, but it is there. When we are honest with ourselves with regard to this simple fact, we can overcome anything because we will never stop looking for a solution to the challenges before us.

Self-trust coupled with a sturdy plan is the ultimate antidote to adversity’s tendency to inspire disillusionment in the human mind. As difficult as the obstacle plaguing you seems, it is no match for the love of a supportive universe that has been a part of your life since the day of your birth and will be with you forevermore. Try not to be misguided by your fear as this gives rise to the notion that there are problems without solutions. If you believe in your capabilities and dedicate yourself to the creation of some form of resolution, you will be surprised to discover that paths that were once closed to you miraculously open. Even if all you can do is change your perspective to turn an impediment into an opportunity to grow, you will have found the hope that is an inherent element of all hardship.

Remember that your destiny is a product of your own creation. Even when it seems you have nowhere left to turn, there is a solution waiting for you. The only insurmountable obstacles are the ones you create in your own mind—and these can only exert power over you if you let them. Uncertainty will always be a part of your existence, but perseverance and mindfulness will never fail to see you through to the other side of hardship where joy can thrive. Try and remember that no matter what life places at your feet, there is absolutely no situation that cannot be resolved with time, love, and friendship.

[Spirit Dancer]

"Lots of people hardly ever feel real soil under their feet, see plants grow except in flower pots, or get far enough beyond the street light to catch the enchantment of a night sky studded with stars. When people live far from scenes of the Great Spirit's making, it's easy for them to forget His laws."





--Tatanga Mani (Walking Buffalo), STONEY



Nature is life's greatest teacher. The natural laws are hidden in nature. Hidden are solutions to everyday problems such as; conflict resolution, how to forgive, lessons about differences, how to manage organizations, how to think. Hidden are feelings. You can look at something and you will feel it. At night, have you ever looked at the sky when there are no clouds? As you look at all the stars, your heart will become very joyful. You will walk away feeling joyful and peaceful. We need to visit nature so we can see and feel these things.


My Creator, let me learn nature's lessons.

[Spirit Dancer]

Not Always Easy
Meant To Be
Some of our goals and dreams come to fruition so easily that it is as if an unseen hand has done much of the work for us. When this happens, we say it must have been meant to be. On the other hand, when dreams and goals require a tremendous amount of effort, we may interpret this to mean that our dream is not meant to be. However, difficulty is not necessarily a sign that our hopes and plans are ill-fated. On the contrary, difficulties and challenges along the path can be important parts of the project's overall meaning.

When everything goes smoothly, we feel blessed by the universe, as if a fleet of angels is guiding and supporting our every move. When things are rough or ambiguous, we sometimes feel that we have been abandoned. And yet, the truth is that we are blessed in both cases. Our angels and guides are always present. They may choose at times to back off and let us figure something out for ourselves, and this is when things seem difficult. But when things are difficult, we learn and grow in specific ways. There is a unique satisfaction that comes to us when we succeed at something that has been a challenge. Our sense of self-reliance expands, and our ability to endure and keep the faith is stronger for having been tested. We learn that we are capable of confronting and overcoming the obstacles in our path, and this empowers us to dream still bigger dreams, knowing that we will not be daunted by the challenges inherent in birthing them.

When we find ourselves facing difficulties with a particular plan or project, the chances are we know already whether we are meant to continue on or let it go. We simply need to look within ourselves for the answer. When an idea is meant to be, it comes back to us time and time again. Then we know we can go forward, no matter what challenges arise, knowing that it is meant to be.