Lighting the Path Less Taken

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 16

"To me, the wisdom the Elders have to manifest is in teaching people how to live in harmony and balance with each other and the Earth."
--Sun Bear, CHIPPEWA

You cannot give away what you don't have.
You need to give away what you have in order to keep it.
Our Elders have lived their lives with a lot of trial and error.
They have experienced how to do things well and they have experienced what didn't work for them as they grew old.
They know things about living that we don't know.

So, through the years the Elders have gained wisdom.
They usually have a whole different point of view because of all their experiences.
There are two ways to learn.
Someone tells us what they did and we do the same thing or someone tells us what they did and we choose not to do it.
Both of these paths will help us to live.

My Creator, teach me about choices and decisions and consequences.
Put an Elder in my life to guide me.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 17

"The old people must start talking and the young people must start listening."
--Thomas Banyacya, HOPI

We are at a critical time in transferring cultural knowledge and spiritual ways. During the last few years the young people have not been interested in learning the old ways. The only place this knowledge is found is among the Elders. We must encourage the young to visit with the Elders. The adults need to think also about learning the culture. The Elders are getting old and soon will go to the other side. Each of us must pause and think about our individual responsibility to learn the culture and teach this to our young.

Great Spirit, help us to learn and remember the old ways

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 18

"I walk in and out of many worlds."
--Joy Harjo, CREEK/CHEROKEE

In my mind are many dwellings.
Each of the dwellings we create ourselves -
the house of anger,
the house of despair,
the house of self pity,
the house of indifference,
the house of negative,
the house of positive,
the house of hope,
the house of joy,
the house of peace,
the house of enthusiasm,
the house of cooperation,
the house of giving.

Each of these houses we visit each day. We can stay in any house for as long as we want. We can leave these mental houses any time we wish. We create the dwelling, we stay in the dwelling, we leave the dwelling whenever we wish. We can create new rooms, new houses. Whenever we enter these dwellings, this becomes our world until we leave for another. What world will we live in today?

Creator, no one can determine which dwelling I choose to enter.
No one has the power to do so, only me.
Let me choose wisely today.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 19

"I am building myself.
There are many roots.
I plant, I pick, I prune. I consume."
--Wendy Rose, HOPI/MIWOK

The most sacred thing on this Mother Earth is life. My life on this earth is governed by God's laws, principles, and spiritual values. These things are my roots.

Let me see Your gifts of growing and becoming a spiritual warrior. Make my strength based on values - spiritual values; on principles and laws, the laws of God that really run the universe.

We need to realize the seeds we plant in the spring will be what shows up in our summer season of growth and will be the fruits that we will harvest in our fall season. We really have a lot to do with what shows up in our lives.

Great Spirit, let my seed that I plant today be based on values that will make You pleased with my selection.

Elder's Meditation of the Day September 20

"You will only get back what you give out."
--Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

The Great Spirit created a system of balance and justice.

This law says, if you treat others with respect, you will be treated with respect.

If you gossip about no one, no one will gossip about you. If you are fair in all of your dealings, you can expect the same. If you share with others, others will share with you. If you judge others, others will judge you. You will always get back what you give out. The original teaching talks about being a giving person. A giving person will constantly be on the receiving end.

My Creator, help me to be a giving person today.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 21

"everything is laid out for you.
Your path is straight ahead of you.
Sometimes it's invisible but it's there.
You may not know where it's going,
but still you have to follow that path.
It's the path to the Creator.
That's the only path there is."
--Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

Everything on the earth has a purpose and a reason for its existence. Every human being is a warrior and every warrior has a song written in his/her heart and that song must be sung or the soul forever remains restless. This song is always about serving the Great Spirit and helping the people. This song is always sung for the people.
Many times I need to learn much about the difficulties of life. I need to know this, so I must experience it. Then I can be of use to the people. Because I am experiencing difficulty does not mean I have left the path or that I have done something wrong. It means I'm doing the will of the Great Spirit during these times of testing. I need to pray constantly to keep a good attitude.

Great Spirit, this I know - You will never leave me, only my doubting makes it seem like You do. This I know - Your love is always dependable, only my doubting makes it seem like You do. Today remove the doubts from my belief system and allow me to stand straight and see You with straight eyes

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 22

"I think the spiritual values come first and everything else follows."
--Leonard George, Chief Councilor

To properly develop, the human being needs to learn the guiding principles. It is from these principles that we make our decisions. Spiritual values are the guiding principles given to us by the Great Spirit. He says if we live by these spiritual values, the results we experience will be good. These spiritual values will develop and guide the human being by helping us to think right. Right thinking will improve our choices and decisions. Doing this will bring good consequences.

Great Spirit, teach me values first.
.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 23

"When that spirit comes, we don't ever ask questions.
If I don't understand, I just hold onto it.
Then later down the road, maybe in a couple of years,
I understand what that spirit meant."
--Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

At certain spiritual events or happenings, it is possible for the spirits to come. Sometimes these spirits look like sparklers of light, sometimes you can feel them, sometimes they will look like live human beings. The spirits always come for a reason. When we deal with the spirit world, we need to be patient. The Great Spirit will tell us the meaning of these happenings when He is ready.

Great Spirit, let me be aware of Your presence.

Elder's Meditation of the Day September 24

"Touch not the poisonous firewater that makes wise men turn to fools and robs the spirit of its vision."
--Tecumseh, SHAWNEE

It's not an accident that firewater is also called spirits. Firewater affects our judgments. The Great Spirit created a set of laws and principles by which we are to live our lives. When we have problems we should pray and ask for the wisdom of these laws. If instead we turn to liquor, our judgement will be affected. It is the decision and choice made under the influence of booze that causes us to be fools. We need to learn to lean on prayer and not on the spirits of alcohol.

Great Spirit, teach me to pray. Let not one drop of liquor touch my lips today.

Ah, I so agree and I can think of several more who hug a tree and hold them in reverence.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 25

"Even the trees have spirits -
everything has a spirit."
--Mary Hayes, CLAYOQUOT

The trees are great teachers.
The trees are great listeners.
That is why we should meditate in their presence.
The Great spirit is in every rock, every animal, every human being, and in every tree.
The Great Spirit has been in some trees for hundreds of years.
Therefore, the trees have witnessed and heard much.
The trees are the Elders of the Elders.
Their spirits are strong and very healing.

Great Spirit, teach me respect for all spiritual things.

Elder's Meditation of the Day September 26

"No one likes to be criticized,
but criticism can be something like the desert wind that,
in whipping the tender stalks,
forces them to strike their roots down deeper for security."
--Polingaysi Qoyawayma, HOPI

You move toward and become that which you think about.
Creating a vision is what guides our lives.
If we get off track with our vision, then we experience conflict. Conflict is nature's way of telling us we are not in harmony. Criticism can be a way for one human being to help another.
Often our Elders will give us criticism.
This feedback is intended to be helpful.
Criticism from our Elders helps us grow strong.

Great Spirit, today, if I need it, please provide me positive criticism.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 27

"I received my education from my culture.
My teachers were my grandmothers,
and I am really thankful for that."
--Mary One Spot, SARCEE

Our often unrecognized, but most powerful teachers are our women. In order for men to learn a balanced way, we need to learn from our men Elders and our women Elders. Learning from the women Elders will teach us a whole different set of values and insights to life. When we have life problems, we need to go to the grandmothers to get their advice.

Grandmothers, teach me the values of the Great Mystery.

Oh how grateful I am for my grans while they were here!

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 28

"Love is something that you can leave behind you when you die. It's that powerful."
--John (Fire) Lame Deer, ROSEBUD LAKOTA

The Old Ones say, love is all anyone needs.

Love doesn't go away nor can love be divided. Once you commit an act of love, you'll find it continues. Love is like setting up dominos one behind the other. Once you hit the first domino, it will touch the second one which will touch the third one and so on.

Every love act or love thought has an affect on each person as well as touching the whole world. If you live a life filled with love, the results will affect your friends, relatives, and other people, even after you go to the other side.
So... Love.

My Creator, let me love. Let me put into action the love dominos.

MMMMmmmmm I like this one it is quite perfect for today.......

q13

Love's "ripple effect"........