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Walking Spirit in a Native Way - James B Beard, author ~ Book Haven Review

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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bookhaven__ 's review Nov 14, 2025 it was amazing!!! “Walking Spirit in a Native Way” is the first book I’ve read by James B. Beard. Although James believed he was living the American dream, he still felt an inner void—something essential was missing. This sense of incompleteness led him on a search for deeper meaning. His first teacher on this journey was Misho, an Ojibwe elder. Misho guided Noodin, helping him learn more about who he truly was. Over the years, Noodin absorbed Misho’s teachings, which ultimately shaped the person he would become. When Misho once asked him, “Who is Noodin?”, the question unsettled him—he realized he couldn’t answer something so fundamental. Even during his childhood...
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The telling of ~ The Life Stick: by James B Beard

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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  Noodin The telling of ~ The Life Stick: by James B Beard The Life Stick Told by Noodin -  July , 2014   James Beard aka Noodin                Cultural Storyteller, Educator, Speaker,                Author Walking Spirit in a Native Way James Beard is a speaker on topics such as traditional living a...
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OMG ~ It's a Skunk! By: James B. Beard aka Noodin

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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  It’s a Skunk! ! OMG ~ It's a Skunk! By: James B. Beard aka Noodin A common resident of the New England woods is Skunk. Monadnock State Park is no exception to this fact and has a well rounded population. It is not uncommon to hear a noise rummaging through food supplies or sniffing around a campsite and realizing that your visitor is Skunk. The first time I encountered Skunk was while going up the mountain at night on a rescue several years back. I saw two eyes looking at me from up the trail as my headlight focused on Skunk. I stopped and waited for him to mosey off the trail before proceeding up the mountain. One evening as I was walking around the campground area in the early evening to make sure everything was quiet. I looked over at a family enjoying their meal at the table in a site. They sat at one end of the table and were completely unaware that Skunk was at the other end of the table enjoying his meal as well. I went in to the campsite and pointed to the ...
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Honouring those that honour you!

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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Honouring those that honour you! by James B. Beard, author     anishinaabe water walkers Authors note: The feeling I had as I watched the people pack and leave the ceremonial area after Spring Ceremonies in Manitoulan Island.   They are going home today!   They came to visit with the people honouring them. On the first night they visited some of the people in the ode swan / sweat-lodge, and helped the people to heal. The next morning 🌅 the people gathered to greet the sun and a new day. A new 🆕 day, a new beginning. They were pleased to see all the people gathered to honour them. There would be much work for them to do to help the people. They listened to the prayers and intentions of the people and were happy. As the ishkode 🔥/ fire awoke, they came to stand amongst the people. They watched as the people worked to make preparations to ask for renewal and oshkibimadzwin🧬 / new life. All the people did, was to honour them and prepare, they the people, for renewal...
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This book written by my uncle James beard is a must read!!

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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  I really don't like to promote my book I think people will see the title and want to read the message that it carries. I know it doesn't work that way but I wish it did. I was checking the comments on some of the adds I post and came upon a re-post by my niece, Neemin. What she posted melted my heart. It reminded me of the closeness of family, even by adoption. It brought back so many memories of Neemin growing up in Sault Ste. Marie.  Here is what she said: "This book written by my uncle James beard is a must read!!... James is a life long friend of my grandpa Larry Matrious and my dad Brian Matrious... so most of the teachings you will read about in this book come from my family... James not only is a life long friend of my family but he has earned the trust of my misho and my dad to share these teachings.. James became our uncle brother and son to my family years ago...  it makes me so proud to have my grandpa's teachings an my father's together in this book.....
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TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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  TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE   1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!   First, we survived being born to mothers  who smoked and/or drank while they were  Pregnant.  They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing,  Tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.  We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles,  locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode  our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.  As infants & children,  we would ride in cars with no car seats,  No booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes. Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day w as always a special treat.  We drank water  From the garden hose and not from a bottle.  We shared one soft drink with four friends,...
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Excerpt from book: Walking Spirit in a Native Way

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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Excerpt from book: Walking  Spirit in a Native Way                                                       Man or Spirit Drawing by Brian Matrious aka Nish Nung Ojibwe Elder It was still dark out.  I thought I heard something outside my tent and awoke with a start.  What was that I wondered?  Then I heard a crackling of a fire and saw light on the side of my tent.  The crackling was close.  That is my fire!  I had put it out last night so how could it have started up with no wood.  I heard someone pick up a piece of kindling and put it into the fire.  It couldn’t be the kids?!  “This is my camp!” I said, in as strong and firm a voice as I could muster.  “Can I help you?”  I tensely waited for a response. A quiet, yet also strong, male voice came back.  “Are you looking f...
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