Walking Spirit in a Native Way

  Corn Soup was good By Peter Schuler        Corn soup was good Singing and dancing better   When I got my second bowl I stood by the booth eating. The little girl who took my money said "you have to go now there is a line' Everyone laughed Then she said, "You have lots of ghosts around you" There was silence I smiled at her and said that was okay I walked to a tree taking the silence with me    Corn soup was good  Singing and dancing better The ghosts have been with me all these many years since I was a boy First time anybody mentioned them to me   The very young speak with a clear mind  They have not been taught to be afraid to speak of what they see. It's too bad that the old no longer see the spirits of their ancestors Nor do they hear them as they point the way to a return of the quiet ways   Corn soup was good   What the children see! - Otter Manitou       ...

Honor the Spirit of the FIRE! Community Circle Gatherings Gathering Circles at Crotchet Mountain  Circles are being held at 495 Mountain Road in Francestown NH For schedule click here    To honor all life!   Sit by the fire and share in the stories told by the storytellers. Come and hear stories told to share the values that sustain a culture.   The value of teaching, sharing, giving    Article By: Cheryl Roth    For a few relaxing hours we sat around a campfire and listened. I felt like I was being bathed in truth and goodness. Noodin invited others to speak several times, but most of us just wanted to listen, to absorb whatever we could glean from his teaching, realizing that there was so much that we still didn’t understand. Everything that was being taught had to do with living for the sake of others, the inter-connectedness of all life, and allowing spirit to lead the way. I was reminded of how important our spiritual l...

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...