Honoring the Spirit of the Fire ~ Honoring the Spirit of Native American Traditions
Honoring the Spirit of the Fire
- By: Cheryl Roth ~ http://nhfaithfusion.com/2015/10/native-american/
Earlier this week I was invited to a Native American fire circle. I
really didn’t know what to expect but I said yes right away. As a matter
of fact I didn’t even completely read the description my friend sent
me, I trusted her, and the first four words sounded good to me:
“ To honor all life, all Veterans and warriors, all people, and all those who are traveling to the next realm. Sit by the fire and share in the stories told by the Native American Elders and by the storytellers. Come and hear stories told to share the values that sustain a culture.”
Hidden Beauty and Virtue
As I drove through the countryside just west of Manchester toward my
friends house I marveled at the life that is hidden in these woods.
Sometimes I feel like living in New Hampshire is like being part of some
secret society. There is so much heritage, so many people and
lifestyles, such beautiful scenery, but you will never see it from the
highway or in the movies or magazines. It is hard to describe, you just
have to come and drive through the hills and valleys. It’s like nowhere
else on earth.
This drive was a perfect set-up for the evenings event. I met my friend
and we drove another 10 minutes to her friends house, Noodin, a
storyteller and educator of Native American traditions. It was a very
casual gathering of about 12 to 15 people in his backyard, sitting
around a fire. It reminded me of the many years of family camping I did
while growing up.
Noodin began by telling us that it takes a very long time to get a good
understanding of Native American spirit teachings. He said that to
really understand you have to learn the language, because Native
Americans think differently and express themselves differently than
white people. He said that words and expressions can have many layers of
meaning so they are not easily translated. He also said that Native
Americans teach and learn by “doing”. The spiritual, ethical and moral
awareness comes through participating in the traditions and way of life.
Survival of the Human Spirit
Many things that Noodin said were like echos of things I have heard
before. There were similarities to the Shamanistic beliefs of eastern
cultures, as well as Buddhism and Taoism. Even the ‘Creation Story’ had
similar traits to the Judeo-Christian creation story. It amazes me how
there is this timeless worldwide connection to a belief in the invisible
human nature and the spirit world. Noodin also mentioned that Native
Americans do not put down other beliefs and traditions – but they would
also like to preserve their own.
“To Native American Aboriginal People there is no one way to honor the creator and the creation. The Elder will often say, “all of Spirit understanding is true.”
It’s not easy to preserve spirit traditions and teachings because life
offers so many external distractions. Add to that the historical problem
of one culture forcefully dominating another and I would have to say
it’s miraculous that spiritual values and traditions survive at all.
All religions struggle with this problem, and all religions have changed
over time. Unfortunately much of Native American traditions have been
lost due to the brutal treatment of the white culture. But Noodin is a
white man who is a living example of restoration in process. He was once
an insurance agent, the product of an Episcopal upbringing, a typical
white American business man – until he felt called to walk a different
path.
The value of teaching, sharing, giving
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 life is, and that
we have to work at understanding our spiritual nature and keeping the
internal in the subject position. I felt so grateful that this man was
offering his time to share his heart and wisdom with us.
The current American culture is so focused on material wealth, physical
beauty, having more, doing more, being more all the time. In very subtle
subconscious ways we are all affected by it in one way or another. But
one day those things will all go away and the only thing left will be
your spiritual heart and mind. Is your spirit beautiful, loving, caring,
giving and sharing?
By: Cheryl Roth - April 11, 2017
James Beard aka Noodin
Walking Spirit in a Native Way
James Beard is a speaker on topics such as traditional living and natural spirit teachings. His topics address many concerns to do with wellness and balance in life. He is a student of native teachings from Ojibwe Elders, Algonquin language based people, living throughout the Great Lakes Region of the US and Canada. The audiences for his presentations vary from youth to elderly.His work is dedicated to telling anyone who has interest about his native brothers.-- James B. Beard
Available at these on-line stores
James Beard aka Noodin
Available in stores and online!
Walking Spirit in a Native Way shares timeless teachings from Native Elders that remain as meaningful today as ever. For over thirty years, Jim has learned from Ojibwa/Chippewa Elders, presenting their wisdom to schools, communities, and Native tribes across North America. Respected for his knowledge and dedication, he walks the red road to honor and carry forward the original teachings of all people.
James B. Beard, Author of: Walking Spirit in a Native Way
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