Lighting the Path Less Taken

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Elder's Meditation of the Day May 16

"It's time. If you are to walk the path of heart, then it is time..."
--Nippawanock, ARAPAHOE

If not now, when? If not me, who?
To walk the path of the heart is a great honor. Every human has the choice to walk this path, but very few will decide to make it.
Why?
Well, because you can't act and behave like everyone else behaves. You must be the person who will learn to look within. You must be the person who will be fully accountable for yourself. You must be the person who prays and meditates. You must be the person who will sacrifice. You must decide to be a Peaceful Warrior.
What will you decide today?

Oh, Great Mystery, lead me on the path of the heart.

Elder's Meditation of the Day May 17

"If the Great Spirit wanted men to stay in one place He would make the world stand still; but He made it to always change..."
--Chief Flying Hawk, OGLALA SIOUX

The Elders tell us change occurs in two directions.
They say, "That which is built is constantly being destroyed;
that which is loose is being used to build the new."

In other words, change is constantly going on. Many times we hear people say, "I hate change." Does it make sense that the Great Spirit would design people to hate it?

The Great Spirit designed people with change abilities such as visioning, imagery and imagination. Maybe we need to learn to use these tools and then we'll look forward to change.

Great Spirit, today, let me see the harmony of Your, truly changing world.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 18

"...Grandmother the Earth. That power is here all the time. It is continuous, and nobody controls it."
--Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

There are certain powers that the human being has no choice but to obey. We cannot negotiate or barter with this power. Our choice is either to conform or to live out of harmony.
Whatever our choice, it will be the end result in our lives that we notice. So it is with the powers of the Earth which produce life.
The Earth has the life force power. If anyone plants a seed, the seed will grow. The Earth treats everyone equally. The human cannot interfere, only obey. We should all show great respect for the Earth and Her powers.

Great Spirit, today, let me honor and respect the power of the Grandmother, the Earth.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 19

"To be able to greet the sun with the sounds from all of Nature is a great blessing, and it helps us to remember Who is the real provider of all of our benefits."
--Thomas Yellowtail, CROW

The Elders say we should pray to the East every morning. Just try it! Get up early in the morning, watch the sun and listen to the morning sounds, the birds, the winds; smell the air, feel the breeze and the warmth of the sun. Your mind will expand and you will experience oneness with the Great Spirit. You'll realize who is really in charge. You'll realize interconnectedness. You'll realize how much the Creator loves you! Just try it!

Great Spirit, today, let me feel the Earth, the Father Sun and your presence.

Thank you for the reminder, my life has been a muddle. Just last night as I walked some trash to the barn and was muttering under my breath...it was as if a hand stopped me at my chest and said LOOK!

Above me was a perfect starlit sky, the trees silhouetted by the light and I remembered what was truly important. This morning at only 29 in my nightdress, I said good morning to the 7...I got lost...but they found me.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 20

"...the sacred ceremonies given to us by the Creator are the Heart of our existence. These ceremonies are our first duty."
--Traditional Circle of Elders. NORTHERN CHEYENNE

Hidden in the ceremonies are many truths, many principles, many guidelines for living— our access to the Unseen World, healing and visions.
Because the Indian People didn't have schools or books, the Great Spirit gave us Ceremonies. The ceremonies are handed down from generation to generation to learn their meaning.
Today, many Indian People live in cities or urban areas where it's hard to learn the ceremonies. We need to go to the Elders and learn the ceremonies so we can pass them on to our children.

Great Spirit, teach me the Secrets of the Ceremonies.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 21

"A vision could put you on a path you don't want to follow."
--Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA

There is a saying, "You move toward and become like that which you think about." If we keep thinking about a bad thing, we will move in that direction. If we think about fear in some area of our life, we will probably experience this fear. We move toward and become like that which we think about.
If we think about secret things, these secret things will come to pass. Our visions are very powerful. Visions determine our direction, our lives. If you think about dufficult things, it's a matter of time before you'll be wrestling with it. We should think about our visions to make sure they include the Great Spirit in every area.

Great Spirit, today, give me Your vision to follow.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 22

"The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was... The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it..."
--Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

There is danger when we start to draw lines and boundaries. This is true whether outside ourselves or inside ourselves. The danger is losing sight of the interconnectedness. When we lose sight of interconnectedness, separation, possessiveness (this is mine, I can do what I want) and infighting results. Even at an individual level, if we don't believe we are connected to all things we get self-centered and have self-seeking motives. We must think in harmony, balance and integrity. We must see our relationship to the great whole and conduct ourselves accordingly.

Great Spirit, today, let me think beyond boundaries.
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Elder's Meditation of the Day May 23

"To me, if you're Indian, you're Indian. You don't have to put on your buckskin, beads, and feathers, and stuff like that."
--Cecilia Mitchell, MOHAWK

The most important thing that determines who we are is on our insides, not our outsides. If we are Indian inside, that's all that matters. Being Indian means to think right, to be spiritual, and to pray. Feathers and beads don't make us Indian. Being Indian means to have a good heart and a good mind.

Great Spirit, today, let me think Indian.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 24

"...in Tunkashila, there is no time. Everything moves in the blink of an eye. It's as fast as thought. So there is no speed there. There is no time in between."
--Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

There is a relationship between thought and reality.
Every thought is alive, and as soon as you think it, a result occurs immediately.
However, to make something happen it may take a series of one thousand thoughts before you can actually see it with your eyes.
This occurs because the Laws of the Great Spirit act immediately.
When you tell a lie, you immediately experience fear.
When you tell the truth, you immediately experience freedom.
To the Creator, there is no time.
For us to experience the meaning of this requires us to act on faith.
Faith is belief without evidence.

Great Spirit, today, let me act on my faith.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 25

"If you listen close at night, you will hear the creatures of the dark, all of them sacred - the owls, the crickets, the frogs, the night birds - and you will hear beautiful songs, songs you have never heard before. Listen with your heart. Never stop listening."
--Henery Quick Bear, LAKOTA

The night time is full of life, full of song, and full of beauty. Have you ever gone outside at night and listened? One has access to serenity and peace. At night all our senses change their roles. Because we can't see, our hearing is much stronger, our smell is even more enhanced, our sight is different. We are able to join nature through sounds and smells, through the songs of the night birds, and through the night winds. We can close our eyes and experience interconnectedness in a different way. Try it tonight and experience oneness with the Creator.

Great Spirit, allow me to listen to the teachers of the night.

Oh my dear friends, nothing ends a day better than stepping out and listening to Mother Earth, Father Sun and all the creatures getting ready for the night. Stand in your bare feet, feel her, open your arms to feel him, and fill yourself with that positive energy before you end your day whether it be a good one or a bad one...it will soothe and fill you up.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 26

"The man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures, and acknowledging unity with the universe of things, was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization."
--Luther Standing Bear, OGLALA SIOUX

There is a concept that says you move toward and become that which you think about. If we think about everything as interconnected and interrelated, we will begin to accept the greater whole and that there is a power who is in charge. If we see the cycles of life, if we see the inner powers, if we see the interdependence of the universe, then we will participate in a harmonious way. We all need to pray and meditate on this. We need to understand the property of unity.

My Creator, let me have the insights of nature and give me the power of acceptance.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 27

"One of the things the old people taught me about the spirits was to never have a doubt."
--Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

The spirit world is sometimes hard to believe in because we can't see it. Our minds convince us to seek proof for everything. We need to believe that the Unseen World exists and the Unseen World is guided by principles, laws, and values. If we have doubts, we can pray to the Great Spirit to remove the doubt. He understands how difficult it can be sometimes, so He's always ready to help us during our doubtful times. We are lucky to have such an understanding and helpful Father.

Great Spirit, today, divorce me from doubt.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 28

"The land is a sacred trust held in common for the benefit of the future of our nations."
--Haida Gwaii - Traditional Circle of Elders

The Creator made the Earth to support life so that life would continue to reproduce, everything would support one another, and future generations would have the same benefits of supply and beauty as the generations the proceeded them.

This cycle will only continue to the degree that we make choices and decisions for the future generations. Today, we are too greedy and selfish. We are cheating our children, grandchildren, and the children unborn.

Creator, let me see the consequences of my decisions, and show me how to make healthy corrections.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 29

"Humility is probably the most difficult virtue to realize."
--Thomas Yellowtail, CROW

Two definitions of humility are:
one, being aware of one's own defects of character,
and two, giving credit where credit is due.

This means if you do something and are successful because God gave you certain talents, give credit to God when someone tells you how well you did; this is being humble.
If you are successful at something, but had help from friends, spouse, neighbors, give credit to those who helped you; this is being humble.
If you have done a task and you alone accomplished it, give credit to yourself; this is being humble.
Say the truth and give credit where credit is due.

Grandfather, let me walk a truthful road today.

a bit late, power's been off

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 30

"Power comes and goes. It can vanish in the twinkling of an eye, like smoke dissolving in the air."
--Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA

The East, South, West, and North are the powers of the four directions. The Creator makes these powers available to do things.
We pray to the Creator to give us the power to do these things.
Often, we are given these powers for awhile, then these powers disappear.
Power is given and taken from us by the Great Spirit, the source of power.
During the time we have this power, we should be responsible and use the power in a good way.
Many good things can be accomplished when we realize where this power really comes from.

Great Spirit, today, show me how to use Your power.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 31

"Sell a country? Why not sell the air, the great sea, as well as the Earth? Did not the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children?"
--Tecumseh, SHAWNEE

The White Man's way is to possess, control, and divide. It has always been difficult for Indian people to understand this.

There are certain things we cannot own that must be shared.

The Land is one of these things. We need to re-look at what we are doing to the Earth. We are digging in her veins and foolishly diminishing the natural resources.

We are not living in balance. We do not own the Earth; the Earth owns us. Today, let us ponder the true relationship between the Earth and ourselves.

Great Spirit, today, let me see the Earth as you would have me see Her.