Native American Spirituality

[Lady Pamela]

An Indian Prayer


by H. Kent Craig



My grandfather is the fire

My grandmother is the wind

The Earth is my mother

The Great Spirit is my father



The World stopped at my birth

and laid itself at my feet



And I shall swallow the Earth whole when I die

and the Earth and I will be one



Hail The Great Spirit, my father

without him no one could exist

because there would be no will to live



Hail The Earth, my mother

without which no food could be grown

and so cause the will to live to starve



Hail the wind, my grandmother

for she brings loving, lifegiving rain

nourishing us as she nourishes our crops



Hail the fire, my grandfather

for the light, the warmth, the comfort he brings

without which we be animals, not men



Hail my parent and grandparents

without which

not I

nor you

nor anyone else

could have existed



Life gives life

which gives unto itself

a promise of new life



Hail the Great Spirit, The Earth, the wind, the fire

praise my parents loudly

for they are your parents, too



Oh, Great Spirit, giver of my life

please accept this humble offering of prayer

this offering of praise

this honest reverence of my love for you.



Oh Great Spirit,

Whose voice I hear in the wind,

Whose breath gives life to the world,

Hear me!

I come to you as one of your many children.

I am small and weak.

I need your strength and wisdom.

May I walk in beauty.

Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things that you have made,

And my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may know the things

That you have taught your children--

The lessons that you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

Make me strong, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be

able to fight my greatest enemy: myself.

Make me ever ready to come to you with straight eyes, so that

When life fades as the faded sunset

My spirit will come to you without shame.





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[Lady Pamela]

Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding


by Larry Kibby



Great Spirit Grandfather,

I send these words to you,

Hear my prayer.

For these are my words,

To Father Sun,

To Grandmother Moon,

To Mother Earth

To all my relations,

That have been Created as I.

To the Four Winds,

That bring us the

Seasons of Life.



To the East

Where Father Sun rises

Bringing to us a new day

A new meaning of life,

A light in which to see

The path before us.



To the South

Where the warm air comes to us

Bringing heat and warmth,

The seasons of spring

And summer.

To the West

Where Father Sun goes

To bring to us darkness,

So as we may see the universe

And search for the questions

Of our life.



To the North

Where the cold winds come from

Bringing to us the seasons

Of fall and winter.



Oh Great Spirit

Hear my words

For to you I offer

My heart and soul

You made me

What I am

And I am Indian

America's Prisoners of War

I pray for my people of the past

Whose blood covers this our Mother Earth

I pray now as an Indian

Blood of my Ancestors.





Great Spirit Grandfather,

Look down upon

Your people,

For we are humble

Before you.

We seek your guidance,

So that we your people

May walk forever

In a proud manner

Before you.



Great Spirit Grandfather,

You gave your people

The breath of life,

So that we may live

With dignity and pride,

To always know

And understand

That life was meant for us

Your most humble

Traditional people,

And all that

Was Created

And given

The breath of life.



Great Spirit Grandfather,

Let my heart

Soul and mind

Be always strong with

Wisdom, knowledge

And Understanding.



Great Spirit Grandfather

Hear my words

For wisdom

So that I may open

My eyes and

See all that

Is good around me.



Great Spirit Grandfather

Hear my words

For wisdom

So that I may open my ears

And hear all that is good

Around me.

For I am humble

Before you.

I seek the strength

To continue on this path

That I travel on before you

In a most Sacred manner.



Great Spirit Grandfather

Hear my words

For they are words

That come from the

Heart, soul and mind,

And are filled with

Wisdom, knowledge and

Understanding.



Great Spirit Grandfather

My words are for you

To know and understand

That in a most Sacred manner

I honor and respect

The life you have put before me,

I seek the strength

To forever continue

Upon this Sacred path.



Great Spirit Grandfather

Upon the four winds

Are my words for strength

For they come from the

Heart, soul and mind

Words I send to you

In a Sacred manner.



Great Spirit Grandfather

Let all

The wisdom, knowledge and understanding

Be my strength

To continue on this path

That I travel on before you

As a Traditional Native American Indian,

Now and forever.


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