Walking Spirit in a Native Way

  JITHU | INFLUENCER     Book Review: Walking Spirit in a Native Way: White Mocs on the Red Road by James B. Beard     Walking Spirit in a Native Way: White Mocs on the Red Road by James B. Beard is a profound and moving exploration of spirituality, identity, and transformation. It is more than a personal story—it is a reflection on what it means to live in harmony with nature, spirit, and oneself. Through his journey, Beard, known by his Native name Noodin, invites readers into a world shaped by the teachings of the Ojibwe people and guided by the wisdom of his mentor, Misho, an elder whose insight and patience illuminate every page.     The narrative begins with a deceptively simple exchange. When Misho asks Noodin, “Who are you,” and Noodin replies, “I am just a man,” it marks the beginning of a lifelong spiritual awakening. From that moment, Beard begins to see life through a different lens—one that values humility, reflection, and the understand...

  James B Beard, author             A Town     A town in the south And the west of the state Makes special for livin At this modern date When cities and travel And politics high Make people be crazy And just want to fly Its been there for years And never was great Though cowboys and injuns New it to rate So quiet and peaceful That town seems to be Down by a river That flows on so free A train and a crossroad Draw people by They stop and they visit This town by and by They talk of its beauty And all of its ways Then back to the cites To spend all their days The buildings stand old Though well built and true The Strater the General To name just a few The bars are still lively And scenting of beer Since Cisco and Doc And the cattlemen year To my way of bein Their passins okay These people of cities That come here today My hats off to towns That a...

Walking Spirit in a Native Way 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Walking Spirit in a Native Way: White Mocs on the Red Road 📚 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: James B. Beard ✍️ . . “Walking Spirit in a Native Way: White Mocs on the Red Road” by James B. Beard is a truly unique and insightful read. Through the voice of James, also known as Noodin, the author shares his transformative spiritual journey under the guidance of an elder from the Ojibwe tribe. In this book, Noodin recounts his years of learning from Misho, a wise Native elder. During one of their early conversations, Misho asked him, “Who are you?” to which Noodin replied, “I am just a man.” This simple yet profound exchange sparked deep introspection in Noodin, setting him on a path of self-discovery and spiritual growth. As he reflects on his life, Noodin shares how his faith in Christianity began to waver, leading him toward a more spiritual path. Under Misho’s mentorship, he embraced teachings rooted in Indigenous wisdom. On...

A man named John By James B Beard Cultural Speaker, Author October 22, 2025    I first met John at a gathering to listen to an Ojibwe Elder speak in Massachusetts back in 1994. He and his wife, Rhona, had been attending with a small group of people to hear the teachings of this Elder and to study those teachings. It was my first time at this gathering. John was a very quiet man and one would ...

  Must be time to get up! Winter in New Hampshire A flash of bright light and I am awake. Another flash and the forest is like day. I walk out of my cabin and feel the gentle moist rain in the fog that is drifting through. Another bright light yet no sound. All is silent in the night excep t the brook as it sings it’s never ending song of life to mother earth nearby. Must be heat lightning I think, and then it comes. A great flash lights up the fogged in forest and shows every tree with the clarity of a drawing outlining every branch. A crash of thunder so close that the ground shakes. I go back into the cabin. It is three thirty in the morning and the rain is now pounding the ground. Must be time to get up! It's funny. When I was young, I thought about being a park ranger or some other outside kind of job. As I grew up life seemed to steer me in another direction. I never thought I would wind up doing something I thought about when I ...