Elder's meditation

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day June 21

"The god that people reject is not
the true god, it is a god they have
conjured up apart from proper edu-
cation, and understanding.

In such cases, the least Fools Crow
will do is to call their assumptions
into question, and force them to re-
evaluate their position."
--Thomas Mails on Fools Crow, LAKOTA

Inside of every person - man, woman, and child - is the
knowledge that there is a Supreme Being. Many of us
have been taught that the Creator is a punishing God.

We have been taught about feelings of guilt and shame
when we do things wrong. We have been taught that
God gets angry and disappointed with us. The Elders
teach us that the Creator is a loving and forgiving God.

He loves us during our good days and He loves us during
our bad days. He doesn't know how to do anything but
love. If I really want to find out about the true God, I only
need to ask in prayer.

There is one thing that God cannot do and that is refuse
help to one of His children who asks.

My Creator, I ask You to be a part of my life today. Whisper
to me Your wisdom. Let me feel Your presence. If I am doubt-
ful and afraid, show me, in terms I can understand, You are
real.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day June 22

"The one who wishes to be a true
medicine person must be a person
of faith, and they can only work
successfully with those who also
have faith."
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

Medicine People are spiritual beings who have made a decision to
seek the Red Road. They sacrifice and seek the way of the Creator.

After many years of dedication, the Grandfathers teach them about
power, and about laws, and about how to use the medicine. The
Medicine People develop tremendous faith in their medicine and in
the Creator.

When we go to the Medicine People, we too must have faith so they
can help us. We can only be helped if we want to be helped. Because
the Medicine People know how to help - that is only one half of it.

The other half is up to us. We must have faith that the medicine has
powers to help.

My Creator, faith is belief without evidence. Today, give me the faith.
Let me trust that You are running my life. Let me know You are in
charge of all things. Let my mind not wonder; let me stand strong on
Your path today.

[Chy]

Thanks Laurie for posting these!

[laurie6781]

You are most welcome.

They have helped me so much over the years, so maybe they will help someone here also.

Love and hugs,

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 23

"He [Wakan Tanka] walks with us along
the pathways of Life, and He can do for
us what we could never do on our own."
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

With the Creator in our lives, we are everything. Without the
Creator, we are nothing. When the Creator is in our life, sud-
denly the impossible becomes possible.

The extraordinary becomes ordinary. Things we thought could
never happen start to happen. Talents we never know we had,
start to blossom. Resources appear.

Help arrives to give us guidance and direction. We become happy.
We have peace of mind and confidence.

Oh Great Spirit, today I want You in my life. The days that I know
You are with me are the days that are perfect. Let me be joyful
today.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 24

"Believing people can soar beyond
ordinary life."
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

We are created by God to be vision people. First we set the
goal and then we see. If we create within ourselves a picture
or vision and we hold that picture or vision in our mind, what-
ever we picture will show up in our reality.

If we can see ourselves being educated, then schools and
teachers will show up in our lives. If we picture in our mind a
positive, spiritual person to be in our lives, we will attract this
type of person in our relationships. How big can our dreams be?

Great Spirit, let my visions today be Your vision. Put within me
a vision of the being you would have me be. Then help me to
keep the vision in my mind.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 25

"We are called hollow bones for our
people and for anyone else we can
help, and we are not supposed to
seek power for our personal use and
honor."
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

In order for us to use our power well, we must become a
hollow bone. We must prepare ourselves to become a
channel. Our channel must be clean before we can use
our power well.

We must be free of resentments, guilt, shame, anger, self
pity and fear. If these things are in us, we cannot be hollow
bones. These things block us from our power. The cleaner we
are, the more power we move. We must become a hollow
bone so the Creator can use us to do what he wants us to
do.

My Creator, remove from me today all resentment, anger, fear,
guilt and selfishness. Do not let my weaknesses stand in the
way of my usefulness to You. Make me a hollow bone so Your
power can flow through me.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 26

"...when faithful human beings or other
creatures called upon them for help, they
[the Powers of the Four Directions] must
send their powers..."
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

Each of the four directions has special powers. These powers or
Grandfathers are there to help us. The powers are from the East,
the South, the West, and the North.

To call upon the power we need to stand in the center and face
each of the directions and honor all forms of life in each direction.
Facing the East we honor all the two legged, four legged, winged
ones, plants' nation and the animals.

We repeat this prayer in each of the four directions. This allows us
to become centered. When we are centered, then we are ready to
call the helpers. It is said, when the student is ready, the teacher
appears. If we are to be ready, we need to remember to always get
quiet first. We do this by honoring and praying to the four directions.

Grandfathers from the four directions, come to me today with Your
powers. Give me Your gifts so I can serve the people.
__________________

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 27

"What could be greater than to be Wakan-
Tanka's mind, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, arms,
hands, legs, and feet here on earth?"
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

In order for the Creator to do His work on this earth, He needs
the human being to do it. How He guides us is through our eyes,
ears, hands, nose, mouth, arms legs and feet.

We are instruments of the Creator. We are His keepers of the earth.
We are the keepers of our brothers. We are to teach His children.
We are to respect the things He has made. We are to take care of
ourselves and treat our bodies and our minds with respect.

We are to do respectful things. We are to walk the Sacred Path. We
should have good thoughts. We should do only things that we think
the Creator would have us do. What an honor to be a human being.
What an honor that He would talk to us and guide us to perform His
wonders.

Oh Great Spirit, let me appreciate the role you have given me. Let
my sense be sharp to hear Your voice. Keep my mind clean so I can
do the things You would have me do.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 28

"Whenever you take anything from the
earth, remember to leave an offering."
--Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

We need to look at nature and its inhabitants as our brothers and
sisters. Whenever we pick plants or herbs, we should leave an of-
fering of tobacco.

We should talk to the plants and ask their permission to use them.
The plants will feel honored to be of service for each of them knows
they are here to serve.

Each of them knows they carry a special medicine and this medicine
is about continuing the cycle of life. We need always to be grateful
to our brothers and sisters.

Creator, I thank you for the opportunity of life.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 29

"We forget so we consider ourselves superior.
But we are, after all, a mere part of the crea-
tion and we must consider to understand where
we are and we stand somewhere between the
mountain and the Ant. Somewhere and only
there is a part and parcel of the creation."
--Chief Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA

Every human being gathers information from the center of a circle. If
we are not careful, we soon think we are the center of all things.
Therefore, it is easy to become self centered.

Once we become self centered we start to think we are above all things
and therefore superior. But we are really only one part of a great whole.
The universe is all connected. Each part is here to do something special
and according to its design.

We are here to honor and respect the job of each part. We are neither
above nor below anything. We need not be ruler over anything, we need
only to live in honor and harmony with the system.

My Creator, help me to view and conduct myself in a manner of re-
spect, dignity and honor to all creation. Let me see You in all things.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 30

"Words hypnotize and deceive everyone at
one time or another, but these hypnotic
words cannot last long in the hearts of true
warriors."
--Barney Bush, SHAWNEE

We are a part of an interconnected system. Words in themselves
have no meaning. It is the spirit and intent behind the words that
really show the meaning.

We are connected to each other at the center of the atom which
makes up the air and our body. The center of the air's atom system
is connected to the center of our body's system.

I am connected to you and you are connected to me in the center
of our being. If my words have no meaning, you can feel this through
the center of your being.

Great Spirit, help me make my word good. Let me do the things I say
I will, and let me say the things I will do - and do it.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 1

"I'm an Indian, I'm one of God's children."
--Mathew King, LAKOTA

My Creator, today let me remember the reason I'm here on Mother
Earth. Let me look into my own eyes and see the beauty You have
created. Let me have good thoughts.

Being Indian is not the color of my skin. Being Indian is to listen to
my heart, to think only the things You have taught, to watch nature
and live in harmony.

Being Indian is to walk in prayer, to talk to You constantly during the
day. Being Indian is to act and to walk in a sacred way.

Today, let me think in beauty, let me walk in beauty, let me pray in
beauty.

[laurie6781]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 2

"If I destroy you, I destroy myself. If
I honor you, I honor myself."
--Hunbatz Men, MAYAN

It is said, when we need love the most is when we deserve it the
least. Whenever I have secret thoughts about someone else, it will
put bad feelings inside myself. I will hurt myself.

If I secretly hold a grudge or resentment against my brother or sister,
I will be a slave to that person until I let them go. Let me remember
to look at my brother in a sacred manner.

Today, let me think like a Warrior. Let my thoughts toward my brothers
and sisters be good thoughts. Let me remember that You are in charge.

If I get upset at another person today, let me remember that the
most important thing I can do is to first talk to You because, when I am
right with You, it is impossible to be out of harmony with my brothers
and sisters.

My Creator, take my hand and guide me through today.

[laurie6781]

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.

[laurie6781]

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.

[laurie6781]

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.

[laurie6781]

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.

[laurie6781]

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.

[laurie6781]

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.