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Post by Shaman on Oct 18, 2007 22:00:28 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 16 "Many religions have been brought to this land. And the way my religion is, they teach me, and they taught me, and told me to resect all religions. And I still do that." --Horace Axtell, NEZ PERCE The Creator put on this Earth many different religions which represent different roads to walk to God. All religions are right and good if the path is the path to God. Should we be judging which road is better or worse than the other? When we accept each other's way we can stand in a circle, hold hands and listen to each other as we pray to God. Let us be more accepting of the religions of others.
Great Spirit - God, Grandfather, Grandmother, Lord - let me know peace.
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Post by Shaman on Oct 18, 2007 22:01:41 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 17 "Peace... comes within the souls of men 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 Wakan-Tanka, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us." --Black Elk (Hehaka Sapa) OGLALA SIOUX If we are to know peace we must look within ourselves. In order to do this, we must learn to be still. We must quiet the mind. We must learn to meditate. Meditation helps us locate and find the center that is within ourselves. The center is where the Great One resides. When we start to look for peace, we need to realize where it is within ourselves. When we experience conflict we need to pause for a moment and ask the Power within ourselves, "How do you want me to handle this? What would you suggest I do in this situation?" By asking the Higher Power for help we find peace.
Creator, help me to find peace.
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Post by Shaman on Oct 18, 2007 22:02:31 GMT -5
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 ancestors 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.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:49:07 GMT -5
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 savages. 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.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:49:50 GMT -5
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 attitude 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.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:51:48 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 21 "There is one God looking down on us all. We are children of the one God. God is listening to me. The sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we now say." --Geronimo, APACHE The Old Ones before us knew things. Many of them were so spiritual that the Creator told them things through visions, ceremonies and prayer. The Creator taught them about interconnectedness, balance and respect. The Old Ones experienced these things and told us we are all children of the same God. We all live under the same natural laws. Every human being, every animal, every plant, every insect, every bird, we are all the same in the eyes of God.
Great Mystery, teach me to respect all the things You have created.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:53:10 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 22 "Growth is a painful process." --Wilma Mankiller, CHEROKEE Whenever we grow, we usually need to let go of emotional attachments. Letting go can be painful. Sometimes growth allows us to deal with fear. All fear can fit into two categories: one, we're going to lose something we have, and two, we're not going to get something we want. Both of these categories can cause pain. The best way to grow is to pray to the Great Spirit and ask Him to guide and protect us. All growth is guided by God.
My Creator, guide my growth today and give me Your love and courage to help my pain.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:54:12 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 23 "We do not walk alone. Great Being walks beside us. Know this and be grateful." --Polingaysi Q“yawayma, HOPI Many religions have different names for these Beings. Some are called angels, some are called spirits. These Spirit Beings are helpers. They guide us, protect us and will help us during our times of need. Sometimes they give us dreams. We need not be afraid when these Spirit Helpers come. We need to understand they are the Creator's helpers.
Great Spirit, send me the helpers to guide my path as I seek to walk in Your service
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:55:52 GMT -5
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. There 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.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 13:58:35 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 25 "What does it matter how long I pray, so long as my prayers are answered?" --Sitting Bull, HUNKPAPA LAKOTA Too often we worry about the words we use in prayer. We focus on the words. What really counts is the spirit and intent behind our words. It is the spirit and intent that the Creator responds to. He reads and listens to our heart. Prayer isn't only when we fold our hands and pray. Prayer is when we talk to the Creator even when we are walking down a path or sitting on a hill or walking in the mountains. The Elders say, walk in prayer. We should be willing to talk with the Great One.
Great Spirit, today I will pray to You all day. Listen to my heart.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 14:00:07 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 26 "It seems that if Elders can feel that you are open to learning, they are more than generous with their teaching." --Chief Councilor, Lenard George There is a saying, when the student is ready the teacher appears. If the Elders sense that you are ready, they will help you see and learn new things. Most human beings love to share what they know with people who are excited to listen. If you are talking to someone and you feel they really aren't listening, you won't want to tell them much. Before you go talk to the Elders, examine your motives - are you really excited about listening to them?
My Creator, give me an open mind.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 14:02:11 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 27 "The white man does not obey the Great Spirit; this is why the Indians never could agree with him." --Flying Hawk, OGLALA LAKOTA 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.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 14:03:50 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 28 "Our religion seems foolish to you, but so does yours to me. The Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians and the Catholics all have a different God. Why cannot we have one of our own?" --Sitting Bull, HUNKPAPA LAKOTA The Creator gave each culture a path to God. To the Indian people, he revealed that the Creator is in everything. Everything is alive with the Spirit of God. The water is alive. The trees are alive. The woods are alive. The mountains are alive. The wind is alive. The Great Spirit's breath is in everything and that's why it's alive. All of nature is our church, we eat with our families in church, we go to sleep in church.
My Creator, let us leave people to worship You in the way You have taught them.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 14:05:25 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 29 "Mothers must protect the lives they have helped to bring into the world." --Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders Every child is subject to the seeds each adult plants in his/her mind. If we plant praise and "you can do it", the child will grow up with certain predictable behavior patterns. If we plant ideas that there's something wrong with you or you're good for nothing, the child will grow up with predictable behavior patterns. We need to honor and respect the mothers who protect the children and plant positive seeds for their growth.
Great Spirit, bless each mother and give her courage and faith.
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Post by Shaman on Dec 28, 2007 14:07:15 GMT -5
Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 30 "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.
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