Indigenous Embrace

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 30 Words hypnotize and deceive everyone at one time or another, but these hypnotic words cannot last long in the hearts of t...rue warriors. Barney Bush, SHAWNEE We are a part of an interconnected system. Words in themselves have no meaning. It is the spirit and intent behind the words that really show the meaning. We are connected to each other at the center of the atom which makes up the air and our body. The center of the air’s atom system is connected to the center of our body’s system. I am connected to you and you are connected to me in the center of our being. If my words have no meaning, you can feel this through the center of your being. Great Spirit, help me make my word good. Let me do the things I say I will, and let me say the things I will do and do it.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 29 We forget so we consider ourselves superior. But we are, after all, a mere part of the creation and we must consider to u...nderstand where we are and we stand somewhere between the mountain and the Ant. Somewhere and only there is a part and parcel of the creation. Chief Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA Every human being gathers information from the center of a circle. If we are not careful, we soon think we are the center of all things. Therefore, it is easy to become self centered. Once we become self centered we start to think we are above all things and therefore superior. But we are really only one part of a great whole. The universe is all connected. Each part is here to do something special and according to its design. We are here to honor and respect the job of each part. We are neither above nor below anything. We need not be ruler over anything, we need only to live in honor and harmony with the system. My Creator, help me to view and conduct myself in a manner of respect, dignity and honor to all creation. Let me see You in all things.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 24 Believing people can soar beyond ordinary life. Fools Crow, LAKOTA We are created by God to be vision people. First we... set the goal and then we see. If we create within ourselves a picture or vision and we hold that picture or vision in our mind, whatever we picture will show up in our reality. If we can see ourselves being educated, then schools and teachers will show up in our lives. If we picture in our mind a positive, spiritual person to be in our lives, we will attract this type of person in our relationships. How big can our dreams be? Great Spirit, let my visions today be Your vision. Put within me a vision of the being you would have me be. Then help me to keep the vision in my mind.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 22 The one who wishes to be a true medicine person must be a person of faith, and they can only work successfully with those... who also have faith. Fools Crow, LAKOTA Medicine People are spiritual beings who have made a decision to seek the Red Road. They sacrifice and seek the way of the Creator. After many years of dedication, the Grandfathers teach them about power, and about laws, and about how to use the medicine. The Medicine People develop tremendous faith in their medicine and in the Creator. When we go to the Medicine People, we too must have faith so they can help us. We can only be helped if we want to be helped. Because the Medicine People know how to help that is only one half of it. The other half is up to us. We must have faith that the medicine has powers to help. My Creator, faith is belief without evidence. Today, give me the faith. Let me trust that You are running my life. Let me know You are in charge of all things. Let my mind not wonder; let me stand strong on Your path today.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 15 Today, what is important for us is to realize that the old sacred ways are correct, and that if we do not follow them we ...will be lost and without a guide. Thomas Yellowtail, CROW A long time ago the Creator gave to the people all the knowledge on how we should live and conduct ourselves. The Native people have been influenced by outside tribes who don’t know about the Sacred Way. Our Elders still know about the old sacred ways. We need to consult and talk to them before it’s too late. Every family needs to seriously evaluate whether they are living according to the old knowledge. If we are fault finding, putting one another down, being selfish, being violent to our spouses or children, if we are cheating and being dishonest, then we are not living the old Sacred Way. The old way is about respect, love, forgiveness and sharing. Great Spirt, today, teach me the old Sacred Way you taught my ancestors.

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its very important to remember, we build on their property. A basic law of nature.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 1 Times change but principles do not. Times change but lands do not. Times change but our culture and our language remai...n 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.

Beautiful Desert Sky

Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 27 O Great Spirit Whose voice I hear in the winds, And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me! I am small and ...weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. from, PRAYER TO THE GREAT SPIRIT The Great Spirit runs the world and the people by a set of natural laws and principles. He says we are to live our lives and make decisions that will be in harmony with these laws. He says we should be respectful to all things and to all people. He says we should pray for each other. He says we should forgive one another. It is easy to tell if a person is following the ways of the Great Spirit. You can tell by how a man walks in life. He doesn’t need to say anything. If we are dishonest or deceitful, other people will know. This is true because we are all interconnected in the Unseen World. My Creator, let me obey Your ways. Let me Walk the Talk.

It’s a process, takes patience and commitment.

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P.P.P....what’s that???? Pumpkin Painting Party

Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 24 We create that bad among ourselves. We create it; then we try to call it devil, satan, or evil. But man creates it. Th...ere is no devil. Man creates the devil. Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA Inside every human being are the laws and codes by which we should live. These laws and codes are communicated to us through a little voice. When we are still, this voice guides us. If we choose to live out of harmony, our lives become filled with anger, hate, selfishness, dishonesty, etc When these things appear in our lives, we give up accountability and blame it on something or someone else. If we want to live in harmony, we need to pray our way back to living the principles the Creator gave us. Grandfather, today let me walk with the principles.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 20 As Elders, it is our place to show respect to our young people in order to gain respect. Grace Azak, NISGA’A The at...titude of our leaders will be the attitude of the people. The attitude of the parents will be the attitude of the children. If respect is shown from above, respect will be developed below. If the Elders show respect, the younger people will be respectful. As above, so below. This happens because of interconnectedness. The heart of the Elders is connected to the heart of the youth. Great Spirit, in the fall season let me respect both the Elders and the youth.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 19 The teachings are for all, not just for Indians The white people never wanted to learn before. They thought we were s...avages. Now they have a different understanding, and they do want to learn. We are all children of God. The tradition is open to anyone who wants to learn. Don Jose Matusuwa, HUICHOL In the summer of 1994, a white buffalo calf was born. This means that now is the time for all races to come together. The Elders say that at this time a voice from within will speak to everyone. It will say now is the time to forgive, now is the time to come together. Are we willing to do this? Are we willing to quit judging other people? The Elders say, He will be talking through people of all races and gender. We need to open our hearts and welcome our brothers and sisters. Great Spirit, let my ears be open as I walk the path You have chosen for me.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 18 But we have to stick by the wisdom of our ancestors Paula Weasel Head, BLOOD A long time ago the Elders and our an...cestors learned to walk on the Earth and to live in harmony. They were taught the Laws which govern everything, and they were taught traditional values. This wisdom should be made available to the younger generations. We need to speak to the Elders and learn from them. We need to do this so we can pass the knowledge on to our children. My Creator, help me learn the wisdom of my ancestors.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 12 The greatest obstacle to the internal nature is the mind. If it relies on logicthe domain of the inner nature is inac...cessible. The simple fact is a man does not challenge the wisdom of the Holy Mystery. Turtleheart, TETON SIOUX Why is it we need to analyze and understand everything? The Great Mystery has designed certain areas of creation to be a mystery because humans usually misuse it. We use the Great Mystery and see it unfold only under the direction of the Great Spirit. The Creator is in charge. Great Spirit, let me realize You are in charge. I’m to do what You want.