ELDER'S MEDITATION

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 22

In this universe, all activities, events, and
entities are related. Indians believe that
everything in the universe has value and
nstructs us in some aspect of life. Every-
thing is alive and is making choices that
determine the future, so the world is con-
stantly creating itself. With the wisdom and
time for reflection that old age provides, we
may discover unsuspected relationships.
---Vine Deloria, Jr, STANDING ROCK SIOUX

We are all connected. This is what the Elders have told us for a
long time. If we are connected to all things, then whenever we
harm anything, it causes harm to ourselves.

If we destroy the air, then we will be affected by what we breathe
in. If we poison the earth, we poison ourselves. We must respect
our Mother Earth and She will respect us in return.

We must open our eyes and obey the spiritual laws that govern the
earth and ourselves.

Grandfather, today allow me to honor and respect the things You
have made. Let me see the beauty of all things.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 23

"...the greatest strength is in gentleness."
--Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

Our Elders have taught us many lessons about becoming a Warrior
and how to think and act like one. We have been told about the
power of gentleness.

We have been told about the power of the stillness. Physical power
is about effort. Mental power is the opposite. It's about being effort-
less or less any effort. Gentleness is one of the greatest attributes
of the Warrior and one of the greatest mental powers.

It takes a lot of love to be gentle. Gentleness is not an ego word.
Gentleness is the weapon of the Great Spirit.

My Creator, today I will be gentle with myself and with others. I will
listen to the whisper of my heart and learn the power of being gentle.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 24

"Life is like a path...and we all have to walk
the path... As we walk...we'll find experiences
like little scraps of paper in front of us along
the way.

We must pick up those pieces of scrap paper
and put them in our pocket... Then, one day,
we will have enough scraps of papers to put
together and see what they say... Read the
information and take it to heart."
--Uncle Frank Davis (quoting his mother), PAWNEE

The Creator designed us to learn by trial and error. The path of life
we walk is very wide. Everything on the path is sacred - what we do
right is sacred - but our mistakes are also sacred.

This is the Creator's way of teaching spiritual people. To criticize our-
selves when we make mistakes is not part of the spiritual path. To
criticize mistakes is not the Indian way. To learn from our mistakes
is the Indian way.

The definition of a spiritual person is someone who makes 30-50 mis-
takes each day and talks to the Creator after each one to see what
to do next time. This is the way of the Warrior.

Today let me see my mistakes as a positive process. Let me learn the
aha's of life... Awaken my awareness so I can see the great learning
that You, my Creator, have designed for my life.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 25

"People need to wake up. They can't hear
God's voice if they're asleep."
--Vernon Cooper, LUMBEE

Black Elk, a Sioux, talks about the hoop of many hoops. He says
that above the people is a hoop, a conscience, the total belief
of the people.

If the hoop is sick, meaning dysfunctional, co-dependent, a lot
of alcoholism, family abuse, violence, racism and sexual abuse,
the people can get used to this and think this is normal. In other
words, the people are asleep. If we have left the spiritual way
of life, the people are asleep.

If we are giving our power to another entity, the people are asleep.
In most tribes, there are Coyote Clans. The job of the Coyote Clan
people is to wake the people up. They need to become a nuisance
and irritate the people. We must return to the spiritual walk.

Oh Great Spirit, keep me awake today. Let me hear the voices of
our ancestors...let me hear the voices of the Grandfathers. Be-
cause everybody is doing it doesn't make things right.

Let me hear the truth today and become a coyote for the people.
Give me the courage to be willing to be different. Let me walk straight
on the Red Road.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day July 26

"These are our times and our responsi-
bilities. Every human being has a sacred
duty to protect the welfare of our Mother
Earth, from whom all life comes. In order
to do this, we must recognize the enemy -
the one within us. We must begin with
ourselves..."
--Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

The outside is merely a reflection of our insides. My mind is designed
to tell me that I'm not crazy for thinking what I am thinking. Even if
I have angry thought, my mind is giving me excuses and reasons why
it is OK to think what I'm thinking.

I need to be knowledgeable about the laws of harmony and balance. I
cannot twist the laws to serve me but I can adjust my life to serve the
laws. This is the law - I am here to serve the earth. The earth is not
here for me to misuse and abuse.

Oh Great Spirit, allow me the insight and knowledge of how to live in
harmony and balance with my surroundings. Grant me change from
within.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 27

"Let us put our minds together as one."
--Irving Powless, Sr., ONONDAGA

If we sat in a circle and put an object in the center of the circle
and we all described what we saw, everyone would see different
points of views from each other.

Some would even see opposites because they would be sitting on
opposite sides of the circle. In other words, you don't have to see
what I see for you to be right. In fact, everyone in the circle is right
based on their own point of view.

If we are willing to listen to everyone's point of view, then we can
get a more accurate description of the object in the center. This is
one way to put our minds together. When we get the clarity from
each other, we should give thanks and be grateful to each other.

Grandfathers from the four directions, guide me today with Your
wisdom from the east, from the south, from the west and from
the north.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 28

"A good heart and a good mind - those
are what you need to be a chief."
--Louis Farmer, ONONDAGA

The combination of heart and mind is very powerful. The Medicine
Wheel teaches that two worlds exist - the seen and the unseen.

The seen world is the physical and the unseen is the spiritual world.
Both of the worlds are necessary to discover true reality. The seen
world is easiest seen by the male side. The unseen is easiest seen
by the female side.

The heart is the unseen and the mind is the seen. Blessed is the
leader or person who has developed the heart and the mind. Truly,
the person is of tremendous value to the Creator and the people.

My Great Spirit, help me this day to develop both my female side and
my male side. Let me know all the feelings of each, let me develop
and grow my intuition and my mind. Let my development only serve
You.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 30

"You want to know who's a real medicine
man? He's the one who doesn't say 'I'm a
medicine man.'

He doesn't ask you to come to him. You've
got to go and ask him. And you'll find he's
always there among his own people."
--Louis Farmer, ONONDAGA

The Medicine Man is a role model of what it is like to live in har-
mony and balance with the Creator. It takes a long time, a lot
of sacrifice and discipline to become a Medicine Man.

A Medicine Man is humble and never crass about anything. He
knows he lives to do the will of the Great Spirit. He knows he is
to help the people. He lives very low key - the more low key he
lives, the more people seek him out - and such is life.

The more one serves the people and is quiet about it, the more
he is sought out. The quieter he is, the more powerful is his med-
icine.

Great Spirit, allow me this day to be humble. Allow me this day
not to seek attention, but to live quietly and keep my focus and

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 31

Look behind you. See your sons and your daughters.
They are your future. Look farther and see your sons'
and your daughters' children and their children's
children even unto the Seventh Generation. That's
the way we were taught. Think about it: you yourself
are a Seventh Generation."
--Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

The Creator designed us with a free will. That means we function
from choices and consequences. It is important that we practice
thinking about consequences before we make decisions about
choices.

Every choice I make is like setting up dominos one after the other
that produce consequences. Not just for me but also for my child-
ren and for the children that are unborn. My choices and decision
today will have consequences for seven generations.

For example, if I work on my own spiritual development and I walk
the Red Road, the odds are that my children will. They will marry
and their children will follow the Red Road and so will my grand-
children even up to the seventh generation. This will happen be-
cause of the choices and decisions that I make today.

Great Spirit, grant that the choices and decisions that I make
today will honor Your laws and values. May I live in peace today
that will ripple into the seventh generation.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 1

"Everyone got to find the right path. You
can't see it so it's hard to find. No one can
show you. Each person got to find the path
by himself."
--Charlie Knight, UTE

There are certain times in our lives when a voice whispers to us.
The voice doesn't always talk. Usually we hear it best when we
are sick an tired of being sick and tired.

Inside of every person is the knowledge that a Supreme Being
exists. Sometimes a restlessness occurs and it makes me feel I need
to be doing something or I need to be going somewhere or maybe
I start wondering who am I?

Often when this happens, I feel lost. Inside of everyone is the natural,
built-in desire to be walking the Red Road, or to be seeking a relation-
ship with the Creator. No one can force us to make this journey. We
must make this journey because we want to. This journey is not on
the outside. The path is inside of ourselves. It is inside that we must
begin our search.

Oh Great Spirit, help me this day to look within myself. If trouble
arises, let me realize that it's not what is going on but how I am
looking at what's going on. Give me Your power this day to con-
duct myself according to Your way of life.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 2

"When you get older and you are ready,
your ancestors will show up to guide you."
--Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

Many of us, when we are young, spend a portion of our lives in learn-
ing. Unfortunately, some of us spend this time learning the hard way.

When we are young we sometimes think we know everything. Some-
times we do foolish things. As we get a little older, we realize we don't
know anything. This is when we become teachable. There is a saying
that goes, when the student is ready, the teacher appears.

We usually aren't teachable unless we are ready. The ancestors are
waiting and willing to help. When we are ready, many beautiful teachers
start to come into our lives. Then we really start to grow and mature.
We are ready for the spiritual lesson.

Creator, help me to become ready and teachable.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day August 3

"Always remember you are Indian - do
things to make your people proud."
--Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

All our choices and decisions will reflect on our people. We need to
assume the accountability of honoring people. We must remember
to conduct ourselves in a sacred way.


Sometimes this is hard. But we must remember we have the assist-
ance of the Spirit World, and we have the principles and values by
which we should live written in our hearts. The Creator will help us
develop into a strong people if we just learn to depend upon Him.

Great Spirit, lead me on the path of the Red Road.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 4

"Telling our lives is important for those
who come after as, for those who will
see our experience as part of their own
historical struggle."
--Linda Hogan, CHICKASAW

How important it is for us to support one another. How important it
is for us to know our culture and to share our experiences with one
another. How powerful it is to be authentic. How important it is to
hold no secrets. I am as sick as my secrets.

Grandfather, allow me today to be willing to share with my brother
and sister. Let my eyes see You in their eyes. Let me not judge them
but only love them. Grandfather, help me, for I am Your humble
servant.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 5

"It is a paradox in the contemporary world
that in our desire for peace we must willingly
give ourselves to struggle."
--Linda Hogan, CHICKASAW

The Grandfathers have taught us about sacrifice. We have been
taught to pray for the people in a pitiful way. Struggle and conf-
lict is neither good nor bad, it just is.

Everything that grows experiences conflict. When the deer is born
it is through conflict. When the seed first grows, it is through con-
flict. Conflict precedes clarity. Everything has the seasons of growth.

Recognize - acknowledge - forgive and change. All of these things
are done through conflict.

Great Spirit, give me the courage today to see that struggle and
conflict are here to teach me lessons that are a gift from you.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day August 6

"We have to have one mind for the Four
Directions. Until we reach that one mind,
we cannot be filled with understanding....
The Creator will not answer until you have
just one mind, just like if you have one person."
--Grandfather William Commanda, ALGONQUIN

The Elders have taught us to balance our lives emotionally, ment-
ally, physically and spiritually. If I am out of control emotionally, I
get angry, doubtful or erratic, I am out of balance.

If I trigger bad mental pictures of my brothers and sisters, I am out
of balance. If I get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, I am out of
balance physically. If I don't pray and talk to the Creator daily, I am
out of balance spiritually.

To be centered, I must be in balance. The Creator talks to me in the
quiet and still place. So if I get angry, what I should do first is to
pause and get still so I can hear the guidance of the Grandfathers.

Oh Great Spirit whose voice I hear in the winds, protect and keep
me safe today - hear my prayers.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 7

"Everything I know I learned by listening
and watching."
--Vernon Cooper, LUMBEE

Sometimes my mind is talking so fast about so many different things
that I can't slow it down. All day long I am judging and making as-
sumptions about everything.

Great Spirit, help me this day to slow down. Help me to listen - quietly.
Help me to watch carefully. Help me to listen to my inner voice. Let me
listen and watch only the thing You would have me observe. Guide my
eyes and my ears to be focused on You. Grandfather, love me today
and teach me to be quiet.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 8

"The Creator told everyone of us in our
tribal beginnings to look after our cere-
monies, and each other."
--Barney Bush, SHAWNEE

Our ceremonies are important and each has a purpose. They teach
us about the Creator and about each other. The ceremonies teach
us to be humble and teach us to pray. They teach us to look inside
ourselves. We should remember to pray each morning.

Ask the Creator to guide our thinking. Think only good thoughts. Think
good thoughts about our relatives and about our brothers and sisters.
Pray for our children in ceremony. Give thanks to the Great Mystery
for life. All life is sacred. Pray in a sacred way.

Oh Great Spirit, I come to You this morning in ceremony. I come
to this sacred place to talk to You. I thank You for Your guidance
and protection. Give me Your eyes today so I may see the beauty
in all things.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 9

"Praying to seek a vision, to seek truth
is always right. Truth builds upon itself -
as the true mark of a warrior who conducts
himself/herself accordingly - so that its
beauty may shine in the faces of our children."
--Barney Bush, SHAWNEE

We move toward and become like that which we think about. What
we think about creates our vision. If our thoughts are wise and good,
then our vision becomes strong and truthful.

If our thoughts are junk, then our vision becomes contaminated, so
it's important to be aware of what we are thinking about. As I live my
vision, my children watch and they will live their lives the same way.
We need to live the walk of the Warrior. We need to walk in beauty
and respect.

Oh Great Spirit, give me a vision for today. Let me see truth. Let me
walk in beauty. Let my heart guide me in truth. The law says the truth
shall set you free. Let me be free today.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 10

"Nature is the storehouse of potential
life of future generations and is sacred."
--Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

We need to honor and respect our Mother Earth. She is the source
of all life. The sun shines life to the earth, then the earth produces
life in all forms and in a balanced way.

Everything is here to serve everything else. If we interrupt the flow
in any way, we leave nothing for the future generations. Before
every decision is made, we should ask, and answer, a final question,
"If we do this, what will be the effects on the seventh generation?

What will we cause our children to live with?" We need to have re-
spect and love for all things and for all people. We need to do this
for ourselves and for all the children still unborn.

My Creator, let me look at nature today and let me have the highest
respect for all the things I see. All the two legged, the four legged,
the winged ones, the plants, the water, the air, the Mother Earth.
Let me have respect for myself.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 11

"May there be peace when we meet."
--Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

The Elders tell us the greatest gift we can seek is peace of mind,
to walk in balance, to respect all things. For us to do this, we must
have peace within ourselves and peace within ourselves cannot
come unless we are walking the path the Creator would have us walk.

Sometimes the tests on this path are difficult, but we know that each
test makes us stronger.

Oh Great Spirit, I ask You to whisper Your wisdom in my heart. You are
the only one who knows the secret to peaceful living and the mystery
of harmony. Teach me of Your peace, understanding and balance and
guide me onto your good path.