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Post by majestyjo on Oct 21, 2016 11:01:58 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 21
“There is one Creator looking down on us all. We are children of the one Creator. The Creator 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 Creator. 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 Creator.
Great Mystery, teach me to respect all the things You have created.
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Post by majestyjo on Oct 24, 2016 19:31:15 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 Qyawayma, 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 majestyjo on Oct 24, 2016 19:32:09 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 majestyjo on Oct 25, 2016 21:45:04 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 majestyjo on Oct 26, 2016 16:29:05 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 majestyjo on Oct 27, 2016 13:56:07 GMT -5
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.
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Post by majestyjo on Oct 28, 2016 22:02:09 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 majestyjo on Oct 30, 2016 12:22:14 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 be 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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Post by majestyjo on Oct 31, 2016 16:25:37 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day October 31
“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.
Grandfather, help me to Walk the Talk.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 1, 2016 18:31:39 GMT -5
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 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.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 2, 2016 19:09:44 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 2
“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 strong.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 3, 2016 16:43:56 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 3
“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.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 4, 2016 22:04:04 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 4
“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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Post by majestyjo on Nov 8, 2016 1:50:33 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 6
“It is well to be good to women in the strength of our manhood because we must sit under their hands at both ends of our lives.”
–He Dog, OGLALA LAKOTA
The women bring us into this life and nurture us as we grow up. When we reach our manhood, she supports us and sings the songs to help the family grow. The Elders say we must look at the woman in a sacred way. We must realize how special her powers are in bringing forth life. The woman will bring balance to a man. The woman will help him see. It is said, behind every successful man is a supporting woman. Maybe we should examine how we are thinking about women. The Great Spirit says we should honor them. Are we respecting and honoring our women today?
Grandmother, Grandfather thank you for our women. Today, let me honor them.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 8, 2016 1:51:12 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 7
“Abuse and repression have no place in a traditional family.”
–Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders
Traditional families guided by their culture were taught how to live. The were taught about relationships, respect, and spirituality. Only since alcohol was introduced to Indians have we seen physical abuse, sexual abuse and verbal abuse. These behaviors have no room in traditional families. The cycle of abuse must be broken during this generation. We do this by asking for help to quit drinking and abusing and return to our traditional culture and spirituality.
Creator, plant inside of me the knowledge of the traditional family.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 12, 2016 13:35:54 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 12
“I don’t think that anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future, the future of the Cherokee people, and of the Cherokee Nation.”
–Wilma P. Mankiller, CHEROKEE
The world has changed in the last 50 years. It will change even more in the next 50 years, and it will change even faster. We must educate ourselves to ensure our future generations will maintain the language and the culture of our people. We need to be concerned about our land because when our land goes away, so will our people. We need to be concerned about leadership, our families, and about alcoholism. We need to be concerned about what’s going on around the world. We can only do this by being educated. Then we can control our future.
Great Spirit, please guide our children; let me know how I can help.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 14, 2016 6:35:32 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 14
“The hearts of little children are pure, and therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss.”
–Black Elk (Hehaka Sapa) OGLALA LAKOTA
Sometimes adults think they know more than the children. But the children are closer to the truth. Have you ever noticed how quickly they can let go of resentments? Have you ever noticed how free they are of prejudice? Have you ever noticed how well the children listen to their bodies? Maybe adults need to be more like children. They are so innocent. The children pray to the Creator and trust that He will take care of them.
Grandfather, today let the children be my teacher.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 15, 2016 21:30:41 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 15
“Our Spiritual belief is that we were created as part of the land – so our identity, our names, and our songs are all tied to the land.”
–Chief Roderick Robinson, NISGA’A
In the traditional way, the names of native people had great meaning. We even had naming ceremonies. The naming of someone was very important and had great significance because it was tied to the Earth. The identity of each member and the teachings of the songs were all tied to Mother Earth. We need to know these teachings from our culture. This knowledge will help us heal the people.
My Maker, today help me find my identity.
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Post by majestyjo on Nov 18, 2016 23:42:27 GMT -5
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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Post by majestyjo on Nov 18, 2016 23:43:48 GMT -5
Elder’s Meditation of the Day November 17
“Humbleness means peace and honesty — both 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 trial 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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. I will be back looking for Lin and others.