Lighting the Path Less Taken

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 18

"But we have to stick by the wisdom of our ancestors..."
--Paula Weasel Head, BLOOD

A long time ago the Elders and our ancestors learned to walk on the Earth and to live in harmony. They were taught the Laws which govern everything, and they were taught traditional values. This wisdom should be made available to the younger generations. We need to speak to the Elders and learn from them. We need to do this so we can pass the knowledge on to our children.

My Creator, help me learn the wisdom of my ancestors.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 19

"The teachings are for all, not just for Indians... The white people never wanted to learn before. They thought we were savages. Now they have a different understanding, and they do want to learn. We are all children of God. The tradition is open to anyone who wants to learn."
--Don Jose Matusuwa, HUICHOL

In the summer of 1994, a white buffalo calf was born. This means that now is the time for all races to come together. The Elders say that at this time a voice from within will speak to everyone. It will say now is the time to forgive, now is the time to come together. Are we willing to do this? Are we willing to quit judging other people? The Elders say, He will be talking through people of all races and gender. We need to open our hearts and welcome our brothers and sisters.

Great Spirit, let my ears be open as I walk the path You have chosen for me.

Elder's Meditation of the Day October 20

"As Elders, it is our place to show respect to our young people in order to gain respect."
--Grace Azak, NISGA'A

The attitude of our leaders will be the attitude of the people.
The attitude of the parents will be the attitude of the children.

If respect is shown from above, respect will be developed below.
If the Elders show respect, the younger people will be respectful.
As above, so below.

This happens because of interconnectedness. The heart of the Elders is connected to the heart of the youth.

Great Spirit, in the fall season let me respect both the Elders and the youth.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 21

"There is one God looking down on us all. We are children of the one God. God 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 God. 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 God.

Great Mystery, teach me to respect all the things You have created.

Elder's Meditation of the Day October 22

"Growth is a painful process."
--Wilma Mankiller, CHEROKEE

Whenever we grow,
we usually need to let go of emotional attachments.
Letting go can be painful.
Sometimes growth allows us to deal with fear.
All fear can fit into two categories:
one, we're going to lose something we have,
and two, we're not going to get something we want.
Both of these categories can cause pain.
The best way to grow is to pray to the Great Spirit and ask Him to guide and protect us.
All growth is guided by God.

My Creator, guide my growth today and give me Your love and courage to help my pain.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 23

"We do not walk alone.
Great Being walks beside us.
Know this and be grateful."
--Polingaysi Q“yawayma, 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.

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.

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.

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, Leonard 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.

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.

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.

*********************

I recently had a discussion with a man of the Jehovah. I respect their devotion to their beliefs but when I opened my arms and told him, "I live in the house of God. Look where I live. God is in the trees, the air and wind, the ground we stand on, Mother Earth. I have no need of your book tho I respect it's worth and words. I live it, breathe it, best I can." he smiled and bid me farewell.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 29

"Mothers must protect the lives they have helped to bring into the world."
--Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders

Every child is subject to the seeds each adult plants in his/her mind.
If we plant praise and "you can do it", the child will grow up with certain predictable behavior patterns.
If we plant ideas that there's something wrong with you or you're good for nothing, the child will grow up with predictable behavior patterns.
We need to honor and respect the mothers who protect the children and plant positive seeds for their growth.

Great Spirit, bless each mother and give her courage and faith.

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.

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.