ELDER'S MEDITATION

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 3

"When you are in the woods, you can-
not ever be lost. You are surrounded by
friends and surrounded by God."
--Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

Every plant, every animal, every insect, every bird, every tree is
made up of God. God is life and everything is alive.

When you are hunting, remember all nature is your friend. All nature
has purpose. All nature participates in the life cycle. Nature com-
municates; Nature talks; Nature listens; Nature forgives; Nature re-
spects; Nature loves.

Nature lives in harmony. Nature follows the law. Nature is kind. Nature
is balance. The woods are alive and beautiful. She is our friend.

Great Spirit, let me honor and respect the forest and all the life it
contains.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 4

"That is not our way, to set yourself apart and talk
about who you are and what you've done. You let
your life speak for you. With the Mohawk people,
wisdom is how you live and how you interpret what
your mother and father, what your grandmothers
and grandfathers have told you about this world -
and then how you interpret that into the fact of
living every day."
--Tom Porter, MOHAWK

It is said, how you live your life makes so much noise that people can't
hear what you are saying anyway. It is so easy to see people who do
not walk the talk.

Creator, I ask you today to help me be humble. Let me spend the
day listening. Help me to not brag or gossip. Help me today not to do
those things that seek attention or approval from others.

I am only accountable to You, Oh Great Spirit. You will tell me the things
I need to know. Let me learn the lessons from my Elders. Let me teach
the children by example. Today, let me walk the talk.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 5

"It does not require many words to
speak the truth."
--Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

The truth shall set you free. This is the truth. When we speak the
Truth, we do not need to be defensive. Truth needs no defense.
When we speak the Truth, we do not need to attack because
Truth cannot be attacked.

t is so easy to want to manipulate or to be deceitful or dishonest.
My head tells me I can get away with doing these things, after all
everybody does it.

My Creator, today let me know Truth. Let me live Truth. Let me risk
the Truth. Let me make the Truth sweet. Help me to make my word
good. Let Your spirit and intent be added to by words. Let My
thoughts be Truth.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 6

"Silence is the cornerstone of character."
--Charles Alexander Eastman, OHIYESA SANTEE SIOUX

Be still and know. Anyone can verbally attack another. Anyone can
be a smart aleck. Anyone can be angry and tell other people things
that will hurt them.

Anyone can be sarcastic, devaluating and belittling. It takes a War-
rior to be silent. Silence is so powerful. Silence can be so loving.

My Creator, if I get into a situation today that needs me to respond
with silence, help me to use my silence in a good and sacred way. In
my silence, let me be talking to You and You talking to me. Silence is
the way of the warrior.

[morning_glory]

LOVE this: It takes a Warrior to be silent. Silence is so powerful. Silence can be so loving.

awesome. thank you.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 7

"I believe much trouble and blood would
be saved if we opened our hearts more."
--Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

We are as sick as our secrets. Our ego takes over control of our
lives and when that happens our minds get very sick. Then we hurt
people and our minds will always justify our actions.

Our minds will give us rationalization and excuses that we are justi-
fied in doing what we are doing.

My Creator, Let me live today with an open heart. Let me realize to
be vulnerable is a strength, not a weakness. Let me realize the power
of an open heart. Let me be available to truth.

If I get into trouble, let me hear the whisper of your guidance. Let me
make heart decisions and let my head catch up to that decision.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 8

"You are going to learn the most important
lesson - that God is the most powerful thing
there is."
--Mathew King, LAKOTA

The Medicine Wheel teaches that there are two worlds - the Seen
World and the Unseen World, or the Physical World and the Spiritual
World. We need information from both of these worlds in order to live
our lives in a harmonious way.

The most difficult way is to figure things out by ourselves and leave
the Great Spirit out of it. When we do this, we are making decisions
with information only from the Physical World

can be called reliance on self. If we ask the Creator to help us, we
then get information from the Unseen World or the Spiritual World.
The Spiritual World is where we get our power. When we do this, we
are God-reliant. Being God-reliant is the same as being on the Red
Road.

Great Spirit, whisper the secrets of the Unseen World in my mind's
ear.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 9

"We have to educate ourselves to know
who we are. That's what I mean when I
say, 'Teach the children.'"
--Eddie Benton-Banai, OJIBWAY

It is only by knowing ourselves that we can get in touch with our
power. It is said, "Tell me what you know about yourself and I'll
tell you what you know about God.

Tell me what you know about God and I'll tell you what you know
about yourself." As we increase knowledge of ourselves, as we
choose to grow spiritually, as we clean up our act, then we can
teach the children.

My Creator, You have said "Know thyself." Today let me see the
wisdom of this Truth. Give me Your insight of myself. I am always
walking the talk and most people can see it. Today, help and guide
me on the Red Road.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 10

"Each soul must meet the morning sun,
the new, sweet earth, and the great
silence alone."
--Charles Alexander Eastman, OHIYESA SANTEE SIOUX

Each morning a new sun for a new day arises. Each morning the
sweet perfume from the Mother Earth spreads across the land.
This combination of sun, earth, smell and quiet is a magic door for
me to enter to kneel before the Grandfathers. The sacred time to
commune with the Great Spirit.

Oh Great Spirit, I humbly stand before You along with the new sun,
the Mother Earth and the smells of the morning. I ask You to direct
my thinking today. Let me live in the silence. Teach me Your wisdom,
Teach me to love my brothers and sisters. Let me respect the things
You have made.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 11

"Do not grieve. Misfortunes will happen
to the wisest and best of men. Death
will come, always out of season. It is
the command of the Great Spirit, and
all nations and people must obey. What
is past and what cannot be prevented
should not be grieved for..."
--Big Elk, OMAHA Chief

Our earth continues to Grow by cycles and seasons: The cycles of
growth - spring, summer, fall, winter. The cycles of the human being -
baby, youth, adult, elder.

It is through these cycles that we will experience the changes. I will
not always necessarily agree with these changes but I need to trust
the Grandfathers are in charge. Things will come and things will go.

Really, I own nothing, the Creator owns all. Too often I label things as
mine. I say this belongs to me, but it really belongs to the Creator. He
gives me things to take care of. I need to do the best I can with what
I have, with what I know at the time. And when the Creator changes
things, I need to let go for His planning is the best.

Oh Great Spirit, today let me do the best I can with what I know, with
what I have. Let me experience acceptance of Your will.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 12

"Each man is good in the sight of the
Great Spirit."
--Sitting Bull, TETON SIOUX

Our bodies are both physical and spiritual. At our very center we
are spiritual. Our bodies are built around the spiritual. The center
is the unseen world.

Therefore, we cannot see it with our eyes and we tend to judge
the body because we can see it. The body is not who we are. We
can see the spiritual if we are spiritual ourselves. We won't see this
always with our physical eyes. Usually we will see it with our spirit-
ual eye. We will hear ourselves say "I know this to be true."

At the center of all human beings is the place of good. That includes
myself. At my very core is good. I can find this place by staying free
of resentments, fear, dishonesty and self-seeking motives. My Creator,
keep me free this day of resentment, selfishness, dishonesty and fear.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 13

"Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold
me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice.
You lived first, and You are older than all need,
older than all prayer...You are the life of all
things."
--Black Elk, OGLALA SIOUX

Great Spirit - Sometimes I don't feel like praying. Sometimes when
I have done something wrong, I'm ashamed to come to You. Even
though You have always been there for me, I sometimes choose to
stay away.

It's hard for me to understand what all knowing is. Sometimes it's
hard for me to see how much You really care. But I know if I take a
few minutes and think about what I know to be true about You, the
things change and I am able to realize Your power and Your love.

Today, I'll start by thinking of You. I'll think about all the times You
have helped and guided me in the past. You are life, You are love,
You are power, You are desire, You are truth, You are principle, You
are intelligence, You are courage. With You I am everything; without
You I am nothing.

Creator, thank You for allowing me to start my day with You.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 14

"It was good for the skin to touch the
earth, and the old people liked to re-
move their moccasins and walk with
bare feet on the sacred earth... The
soil was soothing, strengthening, clean-
sing, and healing."
--Chief Luther Standing Bear, TETON SIOUX

Touching the earth - getting grounded, centered. There is magic in
touching the earth and feeling her healing power. This is especially
healthy to do during a troubling time when our minds are racing or
can't stop thinking or are locked onto fear or resentment.

When I need to feel free I can go to the Mother Earth. The Mother
Earth is full of life and love. She always gives her powers to those
who come to her. The Mother Earth is alive.

Today, my Great Spirit, let me remember to touch the earth. Let
me slow down and live just for today. Let me be gentle, patient
and kind.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 15

"We are nothing compared to His power,
and we feel and know it."
--Black Hawk, SAUK

Inside of every man and woman is a place of knowing. In this
place is the knowing that there is a Great One, the Great My-
stery, the Holy One, the Great Spirit.

We can deny this all we want but we know what we know. This
place of knowing is at the very center of our being. It is gratify-
ing to know that God cannot leave us.

It is said we are spiritual beings trying to be human. With this
power in our lives, we can accomplish much. We can do many
good things for our people.

Oh Great Spirit, I know of Your power. I love the days when I can
feel Your presence. Let today be one of those days. Let me walk
today in Your beauty.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 16

"Grandfather says...you must not hurt
anybody or do harm to anyone. You
must not fight. Do right always. It will
give you satisfaction in life."
--Wovoka, PAIUTE

The question one should ask themselves is: Do you want to be right
or do you want to be happy? If you want to be right, this is a re-
quest from your ego.

If you want to be happy then this is of the Great Spirit. The only
meaning anything has is the meaning we give it. Maybe we should
develop a philosophy of: Today is the last day of the rest of my life.

If this were true, how easy it would be to let things go - how easy it
would be to forgive.

Oh Great Spirit, let me live today as if it was my last. Let me express
Your joy and be happy today. Let me see the joy and honor of living
on the Red Road.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 17

"My friends, how desperately do we
need to be loved and to love."
--Chief Dan George, SKOKOMISH

Oh my great Creator: Help me this day to love myself. I can't
give away anything that I don't have myself. If I am to love
others, then I must love myself.

If I am to forgive others, then I am to forgive myself. If I am to
accept others as they are then I need to accept myself as I am.
If I am to not judge others, then I need to lighten up on myself.
Let me experience this power of love...

My Creator, today I will love myself so I can love my neighbor. I
will look at each person today and see Your light within them. If
I do this, I will hold my brothers and sisters without guilt.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 18

"Our fathers gave us many laws which
they had learned from their fathers. These
laws were good."
--Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

The Creator gives us many laws to live by. These are different than
the laws of man. The laws of the Creator are designed for us to live
in harmony and balance with ourselves and each other.

These laws are about having freedom and happiness. Our Elders teach
us these laws. Laws about how to treat each other, laws about how
to treat and respect our Mother Earth, laws about the environment.

Oh Great Spirit, teach me the laws of the unseen world. Today I pray
You open my eyes so I can better see the Red Road.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 19

"We were taught to believe that the Great
Spirit sees and hears everything, and that
He never forgets, that hereafter He will
give every man a spirit-home according to
his deserts: If he has been a good man, he
will have a good home; if he has been a bad
man, he will have a bad home."
--Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

I cannot hide my true spirit and intent from the Creator. He created
a system of justice. This system of justice says we will get back what-
ever we plant.

If I plant good then good returns - if we plant bad, then we will suffer
the consequences. Whatever we think about another person, the same
hings are thought about us.

Whatever we send out is sent back. Man cannot alter this system of
justice. It doesn't matter what we say or do. What really matters is
what we really, really did.

Oh Great Spirit, guide me today to do good, to have good thoughts.
Let me remember the things I do are to honor Your way of life.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 20

"When you begin a great work you can't
expect to finish it all at once; therefore,
do you and your brothers press on and let
nothing discourage you until you have en-
tirely finished what you have begun."
--Teedyuschung, DELAWARE

All things have their seasons. All thoughts are real. We must think
to cause action and each action creates results. Big visions require
many thoughts.

It takes a series of thoughts to create a series of actions. A series
of actions creates a series of results. These results are what makes
vision become real.

If we are here to serve the Creator then we can expect to be accom-
plishing big visions. How do we do this: One step at a time.

Let me focus on what needs to be done today. Give me clear thoughts
to accomplish the results that you, my Creator, would have me accom-
plish.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 21

"You must speak straight so that your
words may go as sunlight into our hearts."
--Cochise "Like Ironweed" CHIRICAHUA APACHE

Come into my heart this morning. Allow me this day to live in
the now.Help me to see all the beauty You have created in all
things.

Let me know myself. Today, as I make mistakes, let me see
them as lessons. Guide me. When I see others make mistakes,
let me honor them for where they are.

Let me realize that they are Your children and only You, my
Grandfather, knows what is really going on. When my lips move,
let the words be Your words.

Allow me to have the courage to speak Your truth.