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 / Nigiig Manitou   ...

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...

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...

Bald Eagle - Messenger of love WOW!!  Thank you for what you are doing! Freedom to speak is the strength of the people to make a better world honoring our earth. Elders teach that the power of the masses in this time will be the path to a new man going forward living in peace with one another. They offer Seven Gifts given by Spirit to man as a guide. These gifts should all be applied together! The Seven Grandfather Teachings Wisdom ~ Nbaa kaa win ~ Use the wisdom for the people. The understanding that is gained through interacting with all things that is of the creation. Respect ~ M’naa den d’mowin ~ Respect everyone, all humans and all things created. Regard each with esteem and consideration. Allow others to believe in their reality. Bravery ~ Zoon gide’iwin ~ Do things even in the most difficult times. Be ready to defend what you believe and what is right. Always stand up for the people. Honesty ~ Gwe kwaad ziwin ~ Be honest in every action and provide good feelings in the heart...

           L ook, Listen, Feel, Sense Did that just happen? Spirit is always with us! You already know this. I do not know a whole lot and certainly do not hold pretense that I understand the presence of Spirit. I am only a man walking a journey in this realm. I do know this. There are moments when Spirit chooses to appear to us, and for me, they are not happenstance. I believe that Spirit will show a sign or act as a guide in a time when there is need. Our task becomes the challenge to understand the message. Many years ago when I was still a young father in my late twenties, I had such a visit. I should say my second oldest daughter had a visit. It was around midnight, and everything was silent through the house. My oldest daughter was ten and sleeping soundly in her room. I awoke and went to the bathroom. Our bedroom had a bathroom connected to the master bedroom and knowing my way I did not use a light. As I re-entered the master bed...