"My children, you have forgotten the customs and traditions of your forefathers. ...You have bought guns, knives, kettles, and blankets from the white man until you can no longer do without them; and what is worse you have drunk the poison firewater, which turns you into fools. Fling all these things away; live as your forefathers did before you."
--Pontiac, ODOWA
We need to think as our forefathers did. They knew the culture and the customs. The culture taught them how to live in harmony with each other. We need to think like this again. We must because God-reliant. We don't need the firewater. This liquid is very destructive to our native people. It kills our spirit. Our Indian people are happiest when we are spiritual. When we depend on anyone or anything else, we get off track. We need to talk to the Elders and find out what the old ways were. We need to ask them to teach us the culture, the tradition and the customs. This will help us become whole again.
My Maker, guide my path as you did my ancestors.
"One is not born a Tewa but rather one is made a Tewa... Once made, one has to work hard continuously throughout one's life to remain a Tewa."
--Alfonso Ortiz, SAN JUAN PUEBLO
Being Indian is being spiritual. It is not the color of our skin. Being Indian is how we think. We need to learn our culture, our language, our dances, our traditions and customs. It is one thing to know these things, but another to live them. We need to spend time with the Elders and get their guidance. We need to go to the mountains, woods and desert to pray. Being spiritual is the way for us to think right. Walking the Red Road and thinking right is the greatest gift we can give to our children.
"Times change but principles don't. Times change but lands do not. Times change but our culture and our language remain the same. And that's what you have to keep intact. It's not what you wear - it's what's in your heart."
--Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA
Going back to the old ways doesn't mean giving up electricity, homes and cars. It means living by the same principles, laws and values that our ancestors lived by. This will allow us to live successfully in today's world. The spirituality our ancestors lived is the same spirituality we need in these modern times. There are too many influences from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and negative role models that are guiding our lives in a bad way. Our stability is in the laws, principles and values that our ancestors were given and that our Elders teach us.
Great Spirit, let me live my life in a spiritual way.
"Praying is what has brought us old people through life. We've all gone through hard times. We've all done our share of bad things. But through our prayers and faith in the Creator we get together again and we try hard to live right."
--Paula Weasel Head, BLOOD
As we go through life we find ourselves on track one day and off track the next day. We gain consistency through prayer. Prayer is our connection to the Great Spirit. Prayer is our channel for knowledge and wisdom. Prayer is how we keep our sanity. The Elders say we should walk in prayer.
Great Spirit, teach me to walk in prayer. Help keep my faith string.
"A sundance woman is like the morning star, filled with spiritual beauty, wisdom and knowledge. Men and women are the most powerful of the polarities. We walk beside men as equal partners. It takes men and women who have respect and love for one another to live within the embrace of Father Sky and Mother Earth."
--Dr. Henrietta Mann, SOUTHERN CHEYENNE
Our ceremonies bring out the best in us. It's in the ceremony that we find the place of honor and respect for each other. The place where the men honor the women and the women honor the men. We dance for each other. The ceremony helps us remember our responsibility toward each other. Men and women need to be strong, to love one another and be faithful. Only by doing this can we give our children knowledge of good relationships.
Great Spirit, today I will notice the power of the women; today I will notice the power of the men.
"The honor of the people lies in the moccasin tracks of the woman. Walk the good road.... Be dutiful, respectful, gentle and modest my daughter... Be strong with the warm, strong heart of the earth. No people goes down until their women are weak and dishonored, or dead upon the ground. Be strong and sing the strength of the Great Powers within you, all around you."
--Village Wise Man, SIOUX
The Elders say the Native American women will lead the healing among the tribes. We need to especially pray for our women, and ask the Creator to bless them and give them strength. Inside them are the powers of love and strength given by the Moon and the Earth. When everyone else gives up, it is the women who sings the songs of strength. She is the backbone of the people. So, to our women we say, sing your songs of strength; pray for your special powers; keep our people strong; be respectful, gentle and modest.
Oh, Great One, bless our women. Make them strong today.
__________________
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Brilliantly colored flashing graphics, moving, walking, and yelling salespeople, and too much real-life drama makes us sigh and give thanks for a television remote control. We forget we have another remote control right in our thinking. We can change channels - even eliminate crazy pictures that try to fix themselves in our minds. Good music helps to soothe out the wrinkles in our turbulent thinking. Wasn't it Saul that called for a musician when he needed to think or pray? Give yourself credit for taking control - for choosing well - and watch things turn around.
~ Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold, and that which to us appears changeless and eternal, may change. ~
SEATTLE - SUQUAMISH
'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 13
"My Grandfather survived on this earth without using anything that did not got back into the earth. The whole world could learn from that."
--Floyd Westerman, SIOUX
Our grandfathers knew how to live in harmony. They did not create poisons or technologies that destroyed things. They did not make their decisions based on greed or for selfish reasons. They did not take more then they used. Their thoughts and actions were about respect. The Elders conducted themselves in a respectful way. We need to consider our actions around respect for Mother Earth.
My Creator, have the grandfathers teach us today about the old ways.
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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
We often wonder why we must come in contact with some phases of life that seem so unrelated to how we think and plan. It seems we should be able to proceed without stopping all along the way to contend with things that really have little kinship to what we're trying to do.
But no matter how we question and analyze, situations and events continue to present themselves for solving. It takes a great deal of wisdom to know the difference between that which we must do and that which we must refuse serious consideration. This very thin line is the deciding factor in the victory or defeat of any plan.
Like a well-written story, sometimes the smallest incident hidden among our experiences can play a very big part at some later time. It is difficult to know just which parts of the puzzle will fall into place to complete a picture we seek.
We must take one step at a time, being sensibly aware of the thoughts we store in our minds. For "as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is." As long as we dwell on all the unnecessary activities we will never have time for the important things. If we seek the wisdom of the one Creative Mind we have much less chance of being led astray by the glitter of unimportant things.
__________________
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Things have a way of growing out of bounds in the dark of thought. But we can control them by easing them out gently, the way steam escapes the kettle. The worst thing is to feed more fuel into our emotions than we can handle. Turn off the heat and the pressure will ease. Lay blame aside - especially self-blame. You can't do any good if you are dwelling on what went wrong. Forgive yourself and others. Nothing removes the blocks like forgiving. This is survival time and no injustice should be harbored. Make a new beginning and don't stop until it is done. You will know when that is.
~ The Great Spirit has heard me, and he knows I have spoken the truth. ~
KEOKUK - SAC AND FOX
'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 16
"We do not want riches, but we want to train our children right. Riches would do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches, we want peace and love."
--Red Cloud, OGLALA LAKOTA
The Elders say that what is important is peace and love. To have material things is okay, but if not, that's okay too. To have peace and love is more important than anything material. Our children will see the value of peace and love only if adults show they are a priority. Too often we think we can offer material things and they will replace the time spent with our children. But the most important way to give our children peace and love is to spend time with them.
My Creator, give me Your peace and love today.
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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
Don't try to tell me what your enemy looks like. My enemy is lazy, a procrastinator that spends most of the time talking me out of success. My enemy says friends are fickle and true ones are most infrequent. Faith, I'm told, is not enough to carry me over barriers. And I'm not loved so much as others, but that's all right because what good is love?
The day is dreary, my enemy says, and the flowers at my feet will soon wilt. I shouldn't smile at anyone today because they won't smile back at me.
This will be one of those days when everything goes wrong, my enemy tells me, and if I do anything right someone else will get the credit. I should watch the clock and realize how long the day is and how weary I am.
Don't tell me about your enemy, I have one of my own. But the fact that I know my enemy makes all the difference. My enemy lies to me and wants to destroy me. So I'll refuse to give my enemy power this day by giving a special measure of love to my friends and knowing that everything is exactly the opposite of what my enemy tells me.
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Once we have been afraid of something it is never hard to be afraid of it again. The memory hangs in the back of the kind the way an insect can get caught in a swinging fragment of spider web. Although the same experience may not come again, even its possibility is terrorizing. Fear is our most common emotion. It is the magician's stick that stirs the bubbling brew of all our negative feelings. Somewhere in our growing up years we learned to hide our deepest fears, but now and again we find them all over again. Action, doing something constructive, meets fear on the darkest path and does not flinch. We give life a quiet balance when we say to fear, You are not acceptable. I am in control and I choose freedom.
~ It behooves you to learn well what you are taught here. ~
SITTING BULL - SIOUX
'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 17
"Humbleness means peace, honesty -- all mean Hopi. True, honest, perfect words -- that's what we call Hopi words. In all languages, not just in Hopi. We strive to be Hopi. We call ourselves Hopi because maybe one or two of us will become Hopi. Each person must look into their heart and make changes so that you may become Hopi when you reach your destination."
--Percy Lomaquahu, HOPI
The Creator has made available to us all the laws, principles and values which we need to know to live in harmony. The Creator also designed each human being to learn and grow by trail and error. We have tools to help us live the right way. We have prayers, visions, nature, teachers, Elders, and we have the Great Spirit to talk to and ask for help when we have problems. We also have choice. To walk the Red Road takes courage and a lot of prayer.
Creator, give me courage to walk the Red Road.
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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
Lie offers us a great deal of stormy weather. In the beginning we are quite strong about it, taking things in stride and moving confidently along. The things that test us seem to give us extra strength we didn't know belonged to us. And quite suddenly there is awareness that enough is enough. But life doesn't know it, and the storm goes on and so do we.
Even though we are quite willing to give as long as we have to give, there seems to be no more stretch to the strength, either spiritually, mentally, or physically. We question how much longer, how many more times we shall be able to reach into our bag of reserves to borrow another ounce of strength.
Of course, the first thing we must do is to take our minds off the thing as we do not want it, and begin to think steadily about how we do want it. It allows our creative minds to find the answers. It may mean we will have to wait awhile in the dark, but when the light comes, it is radiant.
There are many things that stay our feet along the way, but faith that this too will pass can make that way serene.
__________________
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Never be so bent to certain beliefs that it is impossible to see the little things that make life so much sweeter. Sure, you're going to have to deal with things - that's life. But if you don't get down in it and lose your overall perspective, you'll make short order of the work. When you love other people you listen to their problems and offer them help, but you don't take their responsibility. You just help. Mothers and grandmothers have always had the tendency to take the whole burden, but you shouldn't. Children have to learn there is help - but some of it comes from them.
~ Now many things have happened that are not your fault. ~
GALL - SIOUX
'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 18
"Power is not manifested in the human being. True power is in the Creator."
--Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA
The Old Ones say the only true power is spiritual power. Sometimes our egos tell us we have power but really we don't. Great Spirit power is called by other names such as love, forgiveness, intelligence, life, principles and laws. When the Creator uses this power to make the human being powerful, we must stay humble. We should constantly acknowledge that we are who we are. We do what we do because of the power of the Great One.
Great One, guide me to use Your power well. I will use it only to serve the people.
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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
We pray for a change, we hope for a change, but we wait impatiently. Is God not hearing us? We asked. Where is the answer?
If our prayers were suddenly answered, would we be ready? Or would we look behind us for the familiar things, the people, the habits, the routine?
If we were instantly healed, instantly prospered, instantly sought after and loved, then what would we do? Attention, compassion and self-pity are sometimes more important than having everything changed for the better. The fear of being without something to keep us working with the same burden, dealing with familiar pain, can stop us from knowing what it is to be free and well.
If we can envision life without a particular problem we can turn our minds to real change and have it happen. If we can see change, receive it, and know the joy, then gratitude and thanksgiving sets it in place.
__________________
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