I have traveled to many places in this world from one side to the other I find
people turning back to the original roots personal ritual.
There are many cultures and many paths that all respect
Mother Earth but none so sought after as the American Indian
path. Living in ritual is not so hard
it only takes the remembering and honoring of all things.
Religion failed miserably at this as it was border line
ritual, guilt, and rut. Memorizing a certain thing
to say can fast become a rut and does not open the mind
to freedom of expression. Each dayis different and
each day we have many things that we face or do that will
influence how we pray or give thanks. Spirit is very much
alive and awaits the rekindling of the fire.
I consider a day without pain a good day to live. The sky
begins at me feet each day and I have only to walk that
day to the end. Good or bad, it is all there
for us to make the best of, and to enjoy the lessons
along the way.
The way of my people is the Inipi or as many call it the
(Sweat Lodge). The balance between the spiritual world
and the physical world is all there in the lodge.
We say "Mitakuye Oyasin" which translates into
"All my relations." These words are said many
time during and after the ceremony, this brings to
memory that we are never alone. We are related to each other,
and to all things on the Earth Mother, this relation goes
even beyond the stars, and even beyond the Universe.
In the every day existence is is so easy to forget the
fact that we are all like a strand of the web that is closely
woven in this life.
Each movement we make, and each thought we think,
directly effects someone or something. Everything is related
and all things feel and breath and have spirit.
When we are tuned into our connection with
all things, we are powerful and strong. From this
place of all things we can bring wholeness and goodness
to our lives, and the lives of all our relation. We can
live in a ritualistic way each and every day it is not so
hard as it may seem. We do not need a special ceremony
to manifest our deep intentions into physical reality.
The wall between the spiritual world and the physical
world is thinner than you can imagine. It takes only a thought
or intention to reach into the space of plenty or the "Great
Mystery."
Some of the way you can bring this balance into your life
are listed here for you to use if you wish. Remember to
be conscious of your actions, and thoughts during this time,
not as a matter or routine.
Each day when you bath or shower you can imagine that your
washing off the old ways of being that you no longer wish
to carry. This is a good way to honor the water that is
gifted and to be thankful for the precious clean clear water
we have. You can even go deeper into the water and the life
it supports on this planet, that too is all related.
When you breathe it can be a way of inner cleansing
the Buddhist use this method of cleansing as a ritual act.
You can image the toxic waste in your inner most being
as released through the exhale of air from the lungs. Reach
deep and imagine the air rushing to every organ and extremity.
Release this and imagine the trees and the plants making
it pure and clean air again.
Honor the food that you take into your body to nourish
your physical being. Visualize the food and what it will
do for your total body and mind. Use this time to replenish
the physical being and project the abundance of the Earth
for all your relations. We have a small plate we place
some of each thing we eat at a meal. This is called
the spirit plate, we place this out for the spirits so that
all will be fed on a physical level and on a spiritual level.
As the plate is passed before we eat we each place some
of out food on this in remembrance of our relations.
It would be considered disrespectful if we did not remember
and honor our relation in spirit.
Material attachments are hard to break and harder to live
with when you live in a spiritual way. Money is one of the
hardest things to release as it is the current exchange
of energy. We have the ability to use this energy in a good
way by creating the flow. A basket that is full,
is not open to exchange or flow. Physical manifestation,
with good intention is one way of creating from the
energy that money brings. For instance visualize what a
few can do to create a place of healing and light when we
share. This becomes a collective way of healing and can
be powerful. This I call the collective mind and physical
energy. Without imagination there is no reason for
the exchange of money. If your blessed with the power
of abundance, share and create.
You will find your basket over flowing in spiritual energy
that manifests healing light. It is through the "Fourth",
world control that we became blinded into the me,
my, and I, theory. It is only through the sharing
of all things that we will progress into the now closing
"Fifth" world. Through the becoming the "We"
all things can become possible and the "We",
will walk as the "One." (We never pass a person
on the street, or see someone in need, that
we do not offer assistance or food. This act of love and
compassion just may be the turning point for the one who
receives. We do not set standards or judge we offer it from
our hearts with no conditions.)
It is a custom that when ask a question of importance the
answer was never given immediately. There was first the
offering of tobacco to the elders. We sit in council
with the elders and we cleared our minds of all our earthly
worries and needs. The sage was lit and the prayers offered
before all else. There is no instant gratification. This
could take as long as four days and maybe more. The old
ones constantly watched and their knowledge was sought after
on matters of family and healing. Communication from the
heart takes time. The heart to heart talks were considered
as much healing as any other ritual.
We use a "Talking Stick." and the "Peace
Makers", sat and listened to our hearts
with respect and none judgment. Their were many who
offered guidance and ways to live our lives better.
No one told us what to do, they only observed and
suggested better way to live. This was called collective
council of wisdom.
In these time we forget to consider the outside influence
we bring into a family council. Sometimes the results
are influenced by this lack of clear thinking. Clear
the mind body and focus on the good of the person who is
seeking council.
Joy is a feeling of complete wholeness. Appreciate
this and allow yourself to enjoy the good times as well
as the hard times.
This is the balance in life we all deserve when we work
hard to walk a good path.
Know that you deserve beauty and goodness. Creator is a
loving entity and connects with each and every one of us.
How could we exist if there was no love and joy to balance
out the hardships and pain.
We live in a good and loving universe that is here for
us day in and day out no matter what we do or say. We always
say "Wopila", forthe good in our lives,
we give thanks for these things, as well as to pray
for the not so good things. Always be thankful and remember
the good. Always share with others when you have an
abundance, in this way the gift keeps on giving.
It is often hard for us to have a few minutes to ourselves
for quiet time. I found that on my way home from work in
my car was the time I had to prepare my mind and body.
I knew I would be greeted at the door by my children all
clamoring for my undivided attention. It is hard to divide
yourself up into so many pieces. I found that if I faced
this as a whole then I could cope with the needs of my family.
If I divided this into pieces then I could never collect
myself.
So to face each thing as a whole, is more powerful
than just as a piece of your complete self.
On my drive home I would clear the work from my mind and
leave it for the next day. I gathered my thoughts into a
bundle and imagined my every move when I reached my home.
I previewed all the problems and solved them before I reached
the door. With that in mind, I sent my spirit home and placed
a blanket of love and blessing on my family and home.
When I reached my home I was calm and collected not scattered
with thoughts and demands of the outside world. These things
I held precious my children, and my home were sacred.
All things that entered were under my protection and all
things related as one under the great bowl of the sky.
To become the one is as simple as reaching out and sharing
your heart, mind, and spirit, with all your relation.
In trust of a better way of living here on this our Earth
Mother for the sake of the Seven Generations to come. Mitakuye
Oyasin Waynonaha
We live in a wonderful time when all is awakening into
the collective mind thought that we are not alone. The universe
is abundant and is constantly teaching us to become one.
As one we can manifest the reality of a healing,
and whole Earth. .
This is a time of remembering into one spirit, and
one mind, through this we can create the world for
the future.
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- Moses Shongo, Seneca Medicine Man
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