Back from Sundance 2008
Posted by msterilinn on Jul 10, 2008
After an incredible two and a half weeks of camping, we are back to our residence near the city. We have had such wonderful experiences, and just too much to give due credit in one post, so I will just summarize it as best as I can for now. My son J helped us load up and get to the land up above Goldendale. We camped in our usual spot beneath the beautiful Oak tree, to enjoy much needed afternoon shade. As the temperatures reached above 109 degrees in the shade, we were lucky to have such a sweet place to rest upon occasion. The hottest day during the Sundance brought a welcome rainstorm, with much fanfare from the Thunder Beings, the Wakiyans. If the little girls I was caring for were not so terrified of the storm, I would have been dancing in the rain. As it were, I was able to reach out with my feet from the shelter I provided for the children to get a nice soak.
The Isnati Lawanpi (girl to young woman) Ceremony was beautiful to behold. It brought tears to many eyes to see these young girls step forth with such grace into young womanhood. What a gift it is to see this Cermony celebrating such an important time in a young girls life. It is very important to honor these steps in the lives of our boys and girls. Sometimes the events in our world move us much too rapidly to truly enjoy each moment as it unfolds.
As for the Sundance, I feel doubly honored this year. First of all, I was moved to tears to see and feel the grace of our lovely little Sundance tree. She swayed so sweetly in the breeze as she carried the prayers of the people amongst her branches. Such an image of Beauty shall be held within my heart forever. The sound of the drum and the prayer songs full of Love and Hope, as sung by the people as we danced around the Tree of Life, is a memory I shall hold dear when times in the faster world threaten to bring me down.
The greatest gift I recieved during this ceremony, was brought to me through the Children. I had the honor of caring for three young girls, besides my little S, as their mothers were otherwise occupied. The other children invariably navigated towards our little circle, and one girl in particular spent much of her time with our group. Amazingly enough, I had not even a single problem arise with these little ones for companions! Such fond memories of stories, songs, and laughter are treasures of my heart which gives such Joy to think upon. I shall miss those little ones! Although I missed the mothers of these mischievious little girls, as they are my very dear friends, this was a gift and an honor I shall never forget. My little S was such a great help in those busy days as I rose before the sun, and did not rest my head until well after the sun went down.
It truly felt good to hold my family close, as we all live so far away from each other. For two weeks we were able to catch up, sharing this time with Songs, Dance, Prayers, Laughter, Tears and Feasting. Enjoying the fellowship of our Brothers, Sisters, Aunties, Uncles, Elders and Children just seems to fill me up with courage to re-enter the world that moves much faster and is filled with uncertainty and danger. For a short time we held each other close and reaffirmed our love for the Earth and all her bounties, bringing forth hope for the present and future of our children. We must move forward in a good way, honoring and respecting the Earth and all living things, until the time comes for us to gather once again when it is time to go Home.
My little S and I had an awesome Sundance, with so many memories of friends, family and walks through nature to find new magical places to sit and enjoy together. And the nights when we summed up our adventures of the day, along with silent moments of star gazing, will be held dear to our hearts forever and always.
Pilamaye,
Teri
~
Heading for Goldendale Washington…
Posted by msterilinn on Jun 20, 2008
Just so folks know why I am not around, it is that time of year when we head out to go camping for two weeks. We have an Isnati Lawanpi (young girl to woman ceremony), a memorial for a beloved family member who crossed last year, and our Sundance to attend. We choose to follow the path of the Lakota peoples, as this is a natural way, with respect for the Earth and all her inhabitants. This is such a special time for us, as it is always good to gather together with family and friends in this way. So, I just wish to say that I hope folks enjoy each moment and each other… our time on this plane is so precious.
Pilamaye,
Teri
~
Time for camp and Ceremony again…
Posted by msterilinn on Jun 11, 2008
Today I am reminded how precious time truly is. We have one and a half weeks until we leave for Goldendale WA for Ceremonies and camping for two weeks. We Love to camp! There is something about living outdoors in the Summer that brings Nature into a truer focus, and helps us to honor the Land in a more intimate way. It is still quite cold at night, and the wind seems to blow often, yet for some reason we do not seem to mind those things. We just bundle up, prepare to get dirty and remember how precious fresh water is. There is just something about connecting with the Earth and utilizing her natural resources to survive that brings out the best in me. Some people love the City… I love all that is pure and natural about the great outdoors which brings about such a wonderful sense of freedom!
During this time, we all work together setting up Teepees, preparing sweat lodges, cutting wood, gathering fresh water, and getting evergreen bows for the Sundance shade arbor. My little S and I have our own special place, in the shade of an Oak tree, in which we camp each year. This sweet little spot is very near our main camp… although some folks have individual camps, there are several main camps in which we set up to cook, eat and socialize together. The greatest thing about this whole adventure is how well we all work together! Everyone pitches in, so no one is overburdened, and there is such a great feeling of comraderie. Even if we haven’t seen some people in a year or more, we just seem to come together as if it were yesterday since we last saw each other. There is so much Love, hugs and sometimes tears, and we just feel so very grateful for these lasting friendships which carry us through some difficult times.
Well then, time to get back to organizing our camping gear and supplies. We still have to some last minute things to attend to, and I need to finish up the beaded medallion of a horse, which will be presented to one of our beloved Elders at a camp meeting before Tree Day. We are honoring each of our Elders with a medallion to show our Love and Gratitude for the Wisdom they share with us, and I feel blessed to be chosen to bead one for a very dear friend who has touched my heart many times throughout the years.
So you see, about this time every year I am reminded just how precious our time together is… S and I treasure every moment spent with our friends and family who live far away. This year we have an extra special focus on the Children and teachings for them, as well as learning more about the plants and herbs around the Land, and certain survival skills. There should be some very interesting discussions and plans for the future, which I am looking forward to. I am very happy to see such positive growth. I wish to send out prayers for safe travels for our friends and family who are preparing for this journey as well.
Sacred Buffalo.. Releasing the Spirits Ceremony
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 4, 2008
Please open your hearts and add your prayers. Mark your Calenders for this Date…
April 15th, 2008 - Noon Gardiner, MT
Simultaneous Prayer Vigils are encouraged to pray for the 1,302 (+) buffalo that have been carelessly slaughtered this winter alone and the thousands more slaughtered in the past decade since the last Releasing the Spirit Ceremony held back in 1997!
From Chief Arvol Looking Horse
Mi-ta-ku-ye (my relatives),
I have been called upon to perform the Spirit Releasing ceremony for the thousands of buffalo that have lost their lives in the last decade, in the mountains of the Yellowstone River country.
Many, many generations ago, our relatives, the Pte O-ya-te (Buffalo People) came up from Wind Cave in the Black Hills; the heart of Un-ci Ma-ka (Grandmother Earth) and prepared the way for our existence. From that time forward, they gave of themselves for our survival, as long as we respected their gift. They taught us how to live in an honorable and respectful way by example and through the teachings of the White Buffalo Calf Woman. She brought the Sacred Canupa (Pipe) to remind us of our responsibilities and also provided us with the knowledge of the sacred rites that are necessary to discipline ourselves.
From the Buffalo Nation, our ancestors learned to have an honorable relationship of being connected with Un-ci Ma-ka; this “way of life” that identifies us of who we are as an O-ya-te (a People), with all it’s sacred teachings. They understood the gifts from Un-ci and carefully lived in harmony with her wellbeing. For that reason, we hold them to be sacred. We co-existed in a good way until we were nearly destroyed. Ob un-ka-so-ta-pi tka. The sacred Buffalo Nation in these mountains are the survivors of that natural way of life. We are culturally and spiritually indebted to them and we still need their guidance, to remind us how to be at peace and harmony with Un-ci Ma-ka.
Let it be known that Yellowstone territory; the habitat of the last wild Buffalo Nation - is sacred ground, it has been a SACRED SITE for the First Nation’s people, and for all humanity who hold deep respect for all Creation. The Buffalo Nation has confirmed this fact; by where they have ended up, continuing to survive in their natural migration, struggling to live in a peaceful manner. Our ancestors also gave us this message by fasting in this area long ago, as they recognized this place of sacredness. This understanding is how we maintain the balance upon Un-ci Ma-ka, to protect these places, especially for the survival of our future generations to come.
These Buffalo that lost their lives in Yellowstone did not die by Natural Law, nor were their spirits honored with ceremony. This is why we must go there to perform a ceremony of honor for those that lost their lives by the misunderstanding of human-kind and pray to Wakan Tankan (Great Spirit) for pity of how gifts were unappreciated. We must pray with all those who grieve and be grateful for them. Many of the people who are deeply concerned of what has happened in the manner of which their lives were taken; we see this as an unnecessary massacre. We have known that this particular herd is the last original Buffalo Nation that still follows their migration pattern, the little that is left intact; they are the sign of our connection to our wellbeing of living in harmony.
I humbly ask for all People to make prayers on April 15th, at high noon; for a healing of humanity - for the decisions that are being made with no regard for the sacredness of life, for the massacred Buffalo’s spiritual journey and to protect what is left - in understanding of what our journey in this life represents in being responsible! We must pray for the healing of the human Spirit, to understand the connection to all living beings on Un-ci Ma-ka (Mother Earth).
In a Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no ending and no beginning!
Can-te Mi-ta-wa I-ta-han (from my heart)
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
Note - 100’s more could be slaughtered, please let your voice be heard by visiting Defenders of Wildlife Today!
Seven Virtues on Canku Luta and the Canunpa
Posted by msterilinn on Dec 4, 2007
Today I have been reminded of all I have learned as I follow the Path of the Lakota. All living things are Sacred, and we are responsible for passing along this Wisdom to our Children, so they may in turn teach their Children. As I give these teachings to my daughter and my grandchildren, I feel in my heart such Joy in knowing I am giving them a Sacred gift.
So much has been lost, and this leaves many people lost as well. There are certain guidelines in which the Earth Nations should follow to live as good human beings in Balance with each other and Nature. There is no need to complicate matters with gazillions of Laws, when the Creator instilled a perfect set of Laws long, long ago. The people on Canku Luta (The Red Road) were also gifted the Sacred Canunpa (pipe) through White Buffalo Calf Woman, to help the people in a great time of need. Those who carry this Sacred pipe have a responsibility to the people and their families, and give of themselves to help through prayers and Ceremony. In this way, we have been given the guidelines and tools to live Life on this Sacred Mother Earth in a good way.
So without further ado, I would like to outline the Virtues as taught to me by my Elders.
7 Laws or Virtues on Canku Luta
* Carry the welfare of the people in your heart… Share, Give and be Generous.
* Have Pity and Compassion for all living and moving things.
* Have Respect and show this respect by Honoring the moving and living.
* Have a good mind and use it to learn Patience, Tolerence and Self-discipline.
* Seek Humility and be humble at all times.
* Be Brave, Courageous and have Fortitude. Have Spiritual Principals and live them at all times.
* To Grow in Wisdom and so understand and live these laws at all times and places.
White Buffalo Calf Womans Sacred Gift
Posted by msterilinn on Nov 29, 2007
The Gift of the Sacred Pipe
Before the appearance of the Buffalo Calf Woman, the Indian honored the Great Spirit. But for the Sioux, the coming of Buffalo Calf Woman brought a most important instrument, the pipe, which is now used in all ceremonies.
Behold me,
For in a sacred manner
I am walking.One of the men had evil thoughts about this maiden and moved towards her. The other Sioux tried forcibly to restrain him, but the evil warrior pushed the good warrior away. A cloud descended and engulfed the evil one, and when it lifted, his body was a skeleton being devoured by worms. This symbolized that one who lives in ignorance and has evil in their hearts may be destroyed by their own actions.The good warrior knelt in fear, trembling as the buckskin-clad maiden approached. She spoke to him, telling him to fear not and to return to his people and prepare them for her coming. The warrior did so, and the maiden appeared, walking among them in a sunwise, (clockwise) direction.She held forth her bundle and said:
And must always be treated in a holy way.
In this bundle is a sacred pipe
Which no impure man or woman should ever see.With this sacred pipe
You will send your voices to Wakan Tanka.
The Great Spirit, Creator of all.
Your Father and Grandfather.With this sacred pipe
You will walk upon the Earth
Which is your Grandmother and Mother.
All your steps should be holy.The bowl of the pipe is red stone
Which represents the earth.
A buffalo calf is carved in the stone facing the center
And symbolizes the four-legged creatures
Who live as brothers among you.
The stem is wood and represents all growing things.
Twelve feathers hang from where the stem fits the bowl
And are from the Spotted Eagle.
These represent all the winged brothers
Who live among you.
All these things are joined to you
Who will smoke the pipe and send voices to Wakan Tanka.
When you use this pipe to pray,
You will pray for and with every thing.
The sacred pipe binds you to all your relatives;
Your Grandfather and Father,
Your Grandmother and Mother.
The red stone represents the Mother Earth
On which you will live.
The Earth is red
And the two-leggeds who live upon it are also red.
Wakan Tanka has given you a red road-
A good and straight road to travel,
And you must remember that all people
Who stand on this earth are sacred.
From this day,
The sacred pipe will stand on the red earth,
And you will send your voices to Wakan Tanka.
There are seven circles on the stone
Which represent the seven rites
In which you will use the pipe.
The Buffalo Calf Woman then instructed the people to send messengers to the different bands of the Sioux nation, to bring in the leaders, the medicine people, and the holy ones.
When the people gathered, she instructed them in the sacred ceremonies. She told them of the first rite, the Keeping of the Soul. She told them that the remaining six rites would be revealed to them through visions. As she prepared to leave she said:
And treat it in a sacred manner,
For it will be with you always.
Remember also that in me are four ages.
I shall leave you now,
But shall look upon you in every age
And will return in the end.
The Sioux begged the woman to stay among them. They promised to build a fine lodge and let her select a warrior to provide for her, but she declined their offer.
The Great Spirit,
Is happy with you
You the grandchildren.
You have listened well to my teachings.
Now I must return to the spirit world.
She walked some distance away from them and sat down. When she arose, she had become a white buffalo calf. She walked farther, bowed to the four quarters of the universe, then disappeared into the distance. Her sacred bundle was left with the people.
To this day, A Sioux family, the
Today, other ceremonies have supplanted some of the original seven ceremonies taught by the Buffalo Calf Woman. T
When we pray in this way, with the sacred pipe, our prayers are carried through the smoke into the heavens to the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka. In this way, we ask for Health, Help and Happiness for the People and the Earth. Asking for guidance is the first step, as we set our intentions, then paying attention to our surroundings and acting upon the answers we are given is up to each of us.
The Seven Sacred Rites
Seven traditional rituals use the sacred pipe in accordance with the Buffalo Calf Woman s teachings.
- The Keeping of the Soul
- Inipi: The Sweat Lodge Ceremony or Rite of Purification
- Hanblecheyapi: Vision Quest
- Wiwanyag Wachipi: The Sun Dance Ceremony
- Hunkapi: Making Relatives
- Ishnata Awicalowan: Preparing a Girl for Womanhood
- Tapa Wanka Yap: Throwing the Ball
*Special Note - To read the full version of the story of White Buffalo Calf Woman, in beautiful detail, as told by John Fire Lame Deer in 1967, please visit White Buffalo Calf Woman brings the first Pipe
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The Lakota Creation Myth… Wind Cave
Posted by msterilinn on Nov 27, 2007
Today is a day for Myths and Legends. As I am homeschooling my daughter, we can choose any subject to explore, besides the usual academics. As Mythology just so happens to fall amongst our favorite subjects, and we follow the Path of the Lakota, we would like to share the Myth of Creation as told amongst the Lakota People…
~ The Myth of Wind Cave ~
In the beginning, prior to the creation of the earth, the gods resided in an undifferentiated celestial domain and humans lived in an indescribably subterranean world devoid of culture. Chief among the gods were Takushkanshkan (”something that moves”), the Sun, who is married to the Moon, with whom he has one daughter, Wohpe (”falling star”); Old Man and Old Woman, whose daughter Ite (”face”) is married to Wind, with whom she has four sons, the Four Winds. Among numerous other spirits, the most important is Inktomi (”spider”), the devious trickster. Inktomi conspires with Old Man and Old Woman to increase their daughter’s status by arranging an affair between the Sun and Ite. The discovery of the affair by the Sun’s wife leads to a number of punishments by Takushkanshkan, who gives the Moon her own domain, and by separating her from the Sun initiates the creation of time.
Old Man, Old Woman, and Ite are sent to earth, but Ite is separated from the Wind, her husband, who, along with the Four Winds and a fifth wind presumed to be the child of the adulterous affair, establishes space. The daughter of the Sun and the Moon, Wohpe, also falls to earth and later resides with the South Wind, the paragon of Lakota maleness, and the two adopt the fifth wind, called Wamniomni (”whirlwind”).
The Emergence..
Alone on the newly formed earth, some of the gods become bored, and Ite prevails upon Inktomi to find her people, the Buffalo Nation. In the form of a wolf, Inktomi travels beneath the earth and discovers a village of humans. Inktomi tells them about the wonders of the earth and convinces one man, Tokahe (”the first”), to accompany him to the surface. Tokahe does so and upon reaching the surface through a cave (Wind Cave in the Black Hills), marvels at the green grass and blue sky. Inktomi and Ite introduce Tokahe to buffalo meat and soup and shows him tipis, clothing, and hunting utensils. Tokahe returns to the subterranean village and appeals to six other men and their families to travel with him to the earth’s surface. When they arrive, they discover that Inktomi has deceived them: buffalo are scarce, the weather has turned bad, and they find themselves starving. Unable to return to their home, but armed with a new knowledge about the world, they survive to become the founders of the Seven Fireplaces.
The Seven Sacred Rites..
Wohpe (”Falling Star”) appears to the Lakota as a real woman during a period of starvation. She is discovered by two hunters, one of whom lusts for her. He is immediately covered by a mist and reduced to bones. The other hunter is instructed to return to his camp and tell the chief and people that she, “White Buffalo Calf Woman,” will appear to them the next day. He obeys, and a great council tipi is constructed. White Buffalo Calf Woman presents to the people a bundle containing the sacred pipe, and she tells them that in time of need they should smoke from the pipe and pray to Wakantanka for help. The smoke from the pipe will carry their prayers upward. She then instructs them in the seven sacred rites, most of which continue to form the basis of the Sacred Lakota way of Life today.
(To be Continued…)
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Sacred Bear Butte
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 29, 2007
On the Northeastern edge of the Black Hills, just a few miles from the small town of Sturgis, off Highway 34, lies one of the most sacred mountains to the Plains Indians from the United States and Canada.
Up to 60 different tribes traveled to Bear Butte to fast and pray. Separated by about 8 miles of prairie from the greater Black Hills, which are also considered sacred by these same nations of people, Bear Butte looks like a sleeping bear lying on its side with its head pointed toward the northeast.
Today, people from all over the world come to Bear Butte to pray, to meditate, to try to experience some of the spiritual connection that has been there from the beginning of time.
It is at Bear Butte that Native American tribes received spiritual messages and gifts. In the holy books of the Christians, Moslems, and Jews, it is stated that one of their spiritual leaders, Moses, did the same thing on Mount Sinai when he received the ten commandments.
More than 4,000 years ago, a Cheyenne man named Sweet Medicine received guidance and gifts for the Cheyenne people at Bear Butte. Today, the Cheyenne people continue to come to Bear Butte to fast and pray. Some of the Southern Cheyenne must travel hundreds of miles from Oklahoma where they were displaced by the United States cavalry in the late 1800s when the Cheyenne nation was under threat of extinction.
Geologists, on the other hand, call Bear Butte a lacolith, or a bubble of magma that did not become a complete volcano. They say this happened millions of years ago. Yet the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) people call this place, Groaning Bear. How did the Oglalas know that this mountain groaned?
Non Indian archeologists estimate that Native people have been present in the Black Hills for 11,000 years. The origin stories of the Lakota people tell of the time of the arrival of the Sioux people on the face of Mother Earth through another sacred place, now called Wind Cave. Lakota people also have stories of when dinosaurs, called giant lizards, roamed the earth, of when tiny horses were here, and cats with huge teeth stalked buffalo. These stories date back much farther than 11,000 years.
All the tribes of the Sioux people: Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota, came to Bear Butte to pray…and still do. The months of May, June, and July will see families camped at the base while a relative is standing on the side of the mountain fasting in deep meditation. Small colored pieces of cloth containing pinches of tobacco are wrapped around trees and bushes as prayer gifts to the Creator. Larger flags of red, white, black, or yellow, the sacred colors, also are tied to trees to carry the prayers to all the directions.
Bear Butte, the mountain proper, is currently a National Historic Landmark managed by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department. Although a few parcels of adjacent land has been purchased by some Native American nations, the rest of the surrounding area is ranchland, or is being sold to developers. Two drag racing strips, a biker bar, a convenience store, campgrounds, and housing developments are all located within a few miles of this sacred place.
By Charmaine Whiteface
Dreaming Your Song.. An interview of Lakota spiritual teacher Paul GhostHorse
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 9, 2007
I would like to share a teaching from my dear freind Paul Ghosthorse, a Spiritual leader in my Lakota Tiospe.Dreaming Your Song
New Life Journal interviews Lakota spiritual teacher Paul Ghost Horse.
By Erin Everett
Paul Ghost Horse is a Lakota ceremonial leader who lives in
western NC and teaches and conducts ceremonies throughout the
country. His spiritual grandfather is Lakota elder and author
Wallace Black Elk, and he continues his family’s teaching tradition
by sharing some wisdom with New Life Journal readers. We are
honored to offer his words.
PGH: Years ago, when my grandfather was a young man, he went
on a hill for hanblecheyapi (vision quest), crying for a vision, and
an Eagle came to him. The Eagle gave him a song, and when songs
are given to native people, it’s always given in ceremony. The
song connects spirit to spirit; and so when the spirit gives us song,
they don’t give it with words. They give it with sound, so the
information is transferred from spirit to spirit, the spirit messenger
of Creation to the spirit of human being, through the medium of
sound vibration. So the Eagle came to my grandfather and gave
him this song, and there are no words in this song because people
fight wars over words and get into theological debate over
meaning, but this song is a song of encouragement for the two-
leggeds, so that they never give up in the struggle to become
human beings. The Eagle said this song is going to fly around the
world, and so this song has been sung in North and South America,
in Europe and in Africa. It’s been sung in Hawaii and Russia. And
it’s the song of the Eagle. There are no words to this song because
it’s still a new song. It’s still in a pure state; it has not been
contaminated with words and impressions about what it means.
As I was told: long ago, there was a people and they lived in a
place of paradise. They were very happy with themselves, and they
lived in the spirit of this garden. They had all they wanted to eat
and they needed no clothes, and everything was fine. And the
Spirit said, “Well, you can have anything in this garden you want,
but don’t eat from my apple tree. This tree here: this one is mine.
You can’t eat from this tree, but all the rest, they are yours.”
So the two-leggeds, being as they are, were attracted to that apple
tree, so they ate from that tree. They blamed the snake and they
blamed woman. But both man and woman were lured to that tree.
The snake was an unfortunate bystander. So the people ate from
that apple tree, and they had an understanding, they had a
knowledge. They knew they wanted to start building, creating, they
wanted to be like Creator. And the Creator was upset and chased
them out of that garden for disobeying, so they left in pain and
guilt.
But they left that place with new eyes to see and they traveled all
around the world with that pain and with that guilt, and they passed
it on to other people like a virus. All around the earth, passing it on
from person to person. Many of them wandered in the desert and
they prayed and prayed and a spirit came, a war spirit. They prayed
to this war spirit, and it gave them success in battle. They learned
technology, and they started drifting away from the earth. They
started traveling around the earth, conquering other people.
This place where we live is Turtle Island. This is our paradise, this
is our place, our Garden of Eden. The Creator never chased us out
of the Garden of Eden. We have not one story in all our history of
disobeying our creator and being punished. If something so
important had happened to us, we would remember. Original sin,
that is someone else’s story. It is not ours. These people who came
with guilt on their soul, they passed that on to the people here and
chased the people here out of the Garden of Eden. They came in
pain and trashed our paradise. It is said that there is a holy land
across the ocean, but this land here is holy and sacred and
everything here is that paradise.
It is still here under the pavement! My Grandfather says that we
are the sixth generation to live beyond the end of the world. Some
people are talking about an Armageddon coming, almost with
relish and enthusiasm. Six generations ago-seven generations
now-the last of the free buffalo were killed and the People were
put in concentration camps called reservations. Everyone was
given a number, registration and pedigree. The prophecies were
that we would be living in square houses and that the earth would
be covered in stone, and so here we are living in that age now
where there are roads everywhere and we can no longer drink from
the earth to cleanse ourselves, and the air itself is dark and smoky.
We are the sixth generation to live beyond the end of the world.
And we are trying to find our way. We are trying to understand
how to live in this life. The hunting is gone, so the new hunting is
in jobs, and we live in debt. We are trying to figure it out, trying to
find our way.
Everyone is born with an instruction in this life. As little children,
we are still connected to that spirit. We are born with an instruction
for what we are supposed to do in this world, the little puzzle that
is our life and how it fits in place. And then we lose our way very
shortly after because of the way we are raised in our society. All of
us are damaged now by the way we are educated and because the
food we eat is tortured and contaminated. This hurts our body and
our spirit.
For thousands of years, we’ve been drifting away from creation
and the original understanding of fire, rock, water and the green.
Those are the four elements in the Lakota way of being. So we
have drifted very far from that place. Where we are going, we
don’t know.
We have prophecies, and they shoot off into the future like an
arrow, but those things can be changed. Everything changes. There
is an old Greek philosopher called Heraclitus who said, “All things
are becoming.” There is an old Stones song that says, “All things
shall pursue,” which means that everything changes. The only
constant in the Lakota way of being is that everything is going to
be different tomorrow. Everything changes. So we sit in the middle
of the wheel; hochoka, we call it. That circle with the cross at the
center. We sit in the center and watch the universe all around us
changing from day to day in this kaleidoscope. Our grandmother,
the Earth, how she is clothed: her dress is white, her dress is
brown, her dress is covered with flowers, her dress is green and is
ever-changing. And our Father in the sky: his robe is blue and he
wears that crown of stars over his head. Knowledge and wisdom:
that is the Earth and the Sky. Grandmother and Grandfather: they
are one and the same thing. In Christianity there is a heavenly
Father. But where is Mother? It is a motherless religion. The
Catholics made Mary into Mother of God. So now who is God’s
father? Jesus becomes son and father? Catholics carry the most
guilt of all.
So when we are born into this creation, we have four parts of our
human soul. In the English way, people ask what is a soul, what is
a spirit? No one knows. They try to count the angels on the head of
a pin. In the Lakota way, there are four parts of the human soul,
and there are no words in the English language to describe those
four parts. And I wonder what information has been lost in the
European way of being, because those people were Earth People,
too. Long time ago, they had their songs and their ceremonies, and
they gave up their songs and their ceremonies for someone else’s.
Someone came in and conquered them and convinced them that
their way was better, their songs were better, their spiritual ways
better, and then they passed that guilt of eating from that tree to
new people. They were convinced that they disobeyed the creator
too.
None of my people ever carried that sin. It was never part of our
being. But it was given to us, and we don’t accept it. That’s not our
history. Our way is the way of the fire, rock, water and the green.
We have our seven ceremonies and four virtues. Buffalo Calf
Woman came many, many generations ago and she brought the
ceremonies and teachings that gave us the option of becoming
human beings. We have a culture that had developed without a
prison system because we had justice. We had no need for prisons.
There was never such a thing as an orphan, we never threw our old
people away in retirement centers because we valued them. We
had a culture that seemed to have no government, yet everything
was orderly. Most native cultures were matriarchal: the
grandmother’s wisdom was respected by the people and had great
influence. Men would hunt and fish and protect their territories,
and they would come into camp, and in every home there was a
woman. And the woman would say such and such happened while
you were away and this and that needs to be done. The men would
meet and say such and such happened while we were away and this
and that needs to be done. So the men, they all felt good because
they decided something.
So, that’s the way of balance. It was never a battle of sexes
between the native people; that’s a contamination from across the
ocean. The women did not want to be men and the men did not
want to be women, but everybody had their own power and
understanding. They were born a certain way and they learned the
power of that way. We are all one, but once we are born, we are
separate in the duality of life, male and female. Men and women
each only see half the circle. Together, we have understanding.
The chununpa (pipe) is bowl and stem, male and female, and when
you put them together, it’s a creation, a creation of the world, a
creation of the universe.
NLJ: Thank you, Paul. You just talked about ways that native
people understand and what people who have become
disconnected from their lineage have lost. Many people are
searching for those ways and desiring that connection to the Divine
and to the world around us, that magical connection that makes the
world more alive. Can you tell us the first steps for reclaiming that
connection?
PGH: Well, I don’t think the way for most of us can be found in
religion because in religion, there is dogma. You have to find it in
spirit. A person can be spiritual and still religious, but it’s still in
your spirit that you have to find this. You have to take the time to
go inside. Start each day with a prayer, something so simple. Just
observe this creation and look forward to this day. Give a little
offering of tobacco or chocolate or a piece of your hair or
something for when you’re beginning the day. Wonder about the
adventure that’s going to be in front of you and the challenges, and
ask for gentle teachings. Be conscious. I think the best way is to try
to be conscious through your day in all the little adventures.
Everything manifests from spirit and goes outward, so whatever
your prayer is for the day, that’s how the day is going to unfold, as
an answer. Whatever you ask for, whatever you project into the
day, it’s going to start coming back. It’s like, you drop a pebble
into a pond and the ripples go out, and in a little while, they bounce
back. So you are waiting for these things to come back. Half of
prayer is listening, so when you make that prayer for your day,
what happens through the day is the listening part. And then at the
end of the day, when you are lying safely in your bed and you
review your day, you look at all of the successes and all of the little
failures, and hopefully there are a few more successes than there
are failures, but the failures are good because you will learn
something. Failure is a good teacher. So you give thanks for that
day.
When a human being is born, they are not complete until they take
that first breath. You know, we come from the elements of the
earth. It makes up our body. There is a spirit and there are angels
that come and help us, and everybody has these spirits, these
angels. They are with us, but very few people use them. Very few
people ask them for help. Everybody seems to have somebody
around them, maybe it’s a great grandmother or someone, that
follows them around and kind of watches out for them. Some
people are kind of dead to this, and they don’t realize something’s
there, but most everybody has had the feeling that somebody has
been present alongside them at certain key moments in their life.
So we thank these spirits, these helpers that are near us, sometimes
with little gifts, maybe sometimes give them a little food or
something like that and encourage them and just say, “Thank you
for watching over me.” So they help you to be conscious.
When we take that first breath with our life, we become something
that has never existed before in the world. That person that is there
looking back at you when you look at your driver’s license-that
person has never existed before, and it has come into being, it’s
living in this robe, this body made from the earth, for a short time.
You have to drop this robe back into the earth. There is another
spiritual place, a spiritual dimension, a spiritual world that
everyone goes to but you can’t take your body with you. You have
to leave that behind because you can’t enter with your body. We
live in a 3-D world, and the spirit place is a 4-D world. The 3-D
has to be left behind and that one part moves into the next and how
you cultivate that life, how conscious you are, determines how
conscious your spirit is in that next life. We know this by the
ceremonies. My grandfather was thrown in a crazy house for
praying and healing, and my father was thrown in jail a number of
times for praying in a land founded on freedom of religion. Back in
317 A.D., Constantine made Christianity a legal religion,
supposedly free from persecution at that time. In 1978, Jimmy
Carter passed the Freedom of Religion Act so native people can no
longer be persecuted for praying. We can legally honor our young
girls for becoming women. We can have give-away ceremonies
again. We openly conduct our Sundance Ceremony.
So when people want to live their day with a consciousness and
listening, that spirit will guide them. And maybe the European
people will find their old songs again, because everybody’s family
had their songs. Everybody’s village had those sacred songs that
connected them to the Spirit. And those things haven’t disappeared
from the earth; they are just kind of lost for now, and people have
to find them again. All things have their song, and it just has to be
dreamed again.
So, that was the short answer.
=====================
Look for future issues of New Life Journal, where we’ll share
tradition of the Inipi, the Lakota sweat lodge, which Paul shared
with our editor Erin Everett.
“Reprinted from New Life Journal.. www.newlifejournal.com”
