Walking Spirit in a Native Way

Sometimes we forget that gifting is a daily practice!  The Art of Gifting! Some think we learned it from Native Americans ~ then again ~ maybe it is the American way. Native American gifting is a practice that goes back through the very thread of the culture. It is the cohesiveness of the people. When a gathering happens, it is an accepted practice that the host will put out a blanket in the center of the gathering, called a giveaway, miigiwe, and put various items on the blanket. Each guest from eldest to the youngest will in turn go to the blanket and take one item of their liking. This will continue until there is nothing left on the blanket. Sometimes the blanket itself will also go as a part of the gifts offered. Some people have been known to give everything they have because they feel so honored by the people who visit them. Ongoing gifting is a normal part of this practice. It is a custom to gift anyone that comes to visit. Often the host will gift something of significance...

  INRODUCING THE BOOK ~  WALKING SPIRT IN A NATIVE WAY By James B. Beard What Stands Out     ·            Authenticity:  Beard's humility reinforces the integrity of the teachings shared ·            Cultural Respect:  The book is careful, reverent, and avoids appropriation—an essential strength ·            Wisdom & Practical Insight:  Readers walk away with a deeper understanding of balance, wellness, and spirit ·            Narrative Flow:  The stories are vivid and engaging, making the book both reflective and enjoyable   A beautifully written, spiritually rich journey that honors Indigenous wisdom while inspiring readers to seek greater harmony in their own lives. Walking Spirit in a Native Way is not just a book—it is an invitation, a reminder, and in many...

  Anishinaabe Healing   When someone leaves this world, we do not say they are gone. We say… they are traveling. For four days, we build a fire that must not die. Not because we fear the dark— but because we understand it. The spirit has begun a journey that the body cannot follow. A path older than memory. A road our ancestors walked before names were written. And for those first four days… they are still close. Closer than breath. Closer than tears. So we light the fire. Not just with wood— but with intention. Every spark is a prayer. Every crack of the flame is a voice saying: “You are not alone.” They say the spirit watches. They come back to see who is there. To feel the love one more time. To hear the laughter through the grief. To know… they mattered. The fire becomes a beacon. In the dark between worlds, light is everything. The flame tells them where home is. Where their people are. Where their name is still being spoken with love. We sit with that fire. We don’t rush...

You of little brain! Smarter than we think! The great minds of science know so much and yet ~ Do they really? I read an article recently where researchers determined that animals don’t really reason or think. They only respond instinctively to their habitat and in accordance with the particular evolution of their species. Some scientists disagree but this is the generally accepted thought. In the spring the park where I worked received our firewood packs to offer to campers. We keep a large supply at headquarters and a usage supply near our store for customers. The day the firewood was delivered I was on duty as ranger at the gate of the park. The truck rolled up with the firewood. I asked him to leave a couple of pallets of the firewood at the gate and then unload the rest of the supply in our storage yard. The driver unloaded three pallets and left the gate to deposit the rest of his load. I opened the shed and began putting the firewood packages in the storage shed. I unloaded the f...

  Ancient Celtic Sweat Lodges • Scotland, the Islands & Ireland Geromy Gordon is in Orkney Islands. February 11 at 2:19 PM  · Many people are surprised to learn that the Celtic peoples of Scotland, the Hebridean islands, and Ireland had their own form of sweat lodge. These small stone structures were used for healing, purification, and sometimes before important events or seasonal changes. The old belief was that steam could cleanse the body and spirit, and help restore balance. In Irish Gaelic they are called Teach Allais (“house of sweat”), and in Scottish Gaelic Taigh-fallais. Archaeological evidence shows many of these sweat houses date to the medieval period, with some sites possibly going back as early as around 500–800 AD. Most surviving examples were in use from the 1600s–1800s as part of traditional folk healing. These stone huts were small and low, built to hold heat and steam from hot stones and water. They were often located near streams or wells...