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Here is one for the Ghost Dance. The music is awesome in it.

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Vance, I love these links! I want to get that music for the Ghost Dance and the video - that really is awesome!!!

I, too, loved the links, Vance! As Phyllis said the music was 'kili'! (awesome) Pila Mita!

Le Mita Cola, Phyllis, I thank you so much for the information.
Especially the prayer. I have a small collection of prayers for my Medicine Wheel and shall include yours.

I was unable to locate the book you recommended at Amazon. Out of print, I would guess. However, there were several others that interested me which I may purchase.

Twice I have gone back to your note, Phyllis, and lost what I had written here.....so, I'll not do that again! And I just know I'm going to forget what I wanted to reply to. *grin*

I do know of my totem. I have studied it and learned much about myself just from that. I found it fascinating and believe we could all benefit from reading and learning about our totems.

My sage is ready for smudging, although my Medicine Wheel is not.
I have put one together that I am not too pleased with it and since I have not yet smudged it, I feel it is not 'real'. Does that make sense? I feel that in each step I make during this process, I am gaining Blessings from the Great Spirit. I do hope this is true.

Until another time, I offer:
Wakan Tanan Kici Un to all my friends here; May The Great Spirit Bless You.

nayeli,
kimi kaya

Hi Kimi,

I got the name of the book wrong, sorry -
The correct title is:

Honoring the Medicine: The Essential Guide to Native American Healing (Paperback)
by Ken Cohen (Author)

You can find it at the end of my article titled: Healing The Spirit, or you can go directly to Amazon.com to find it. I highly reccommend it for anyone interested in the Native American ways of healing - Cohen covers so much in this book in great detail. I check it out of the library often and have finally decided to buy my own copy because I refer to it often. It is well worth studying and a good read.

Blessings to you.

Vance, I am going to get that music to listen to when I am writing my articles - it is so inspiring!

Wakan Tanan Kici Un, May the Great Spirit bless you. (I am learning some great things from Kimi.)

"Sometimes dreams are wiser than waking."

Black Elk

Every achievement starts with a dream.

Doe Ksh Kay Va Oun Hey, Phillis (How are you?),

I just wanted to say that I have completed my Medicine Wheel.
It was a very pleasant experience in doing the reasearch.....
I have learned much.

I also made a booklet of prayers, adding the Native American Code of Ethics, because I thought it was important to read often.
Very wise words!

I included some graphics and that was a bit of a challenge as I was using both sides of the paper, and in half.
Anyway, I am proud of how it came out. So much so, that I sent a copy to my Dear Spirit Sister. I am waiting to see what she thinks! *grin*

As per your suggestion, Phyllis, I smudged myself along with the Medicine Wheel. I feel it, and I, are now ready for the Great Spirit to listen and accept my prayers. Pila Mita, Phyllis.

Is it not past time for someone here around the campfire to tell a story, lore, poem or prayer?
Or, has everyone left.....?

Wakan Tanan Kici Un!
Nayeli,
Kimi Kaya

Kimi, how very exciting and inspirational for you to have completed your Medicine Wheel. I am very impressed and you have motivated me to try creating one for myself. And the booklet of prayers is a wonderful treasure to keep - this really makes me feel inspired. Thank you so much for your Spirit and example. I am sure your Spirit Sister will be extremely proud and happy.

Yes, it is time for some more stories or lores. I will enter one and try to get Vance over here to post something - he is a very good storyteller. Can you post the Code of Ethics for us?

Wakan Tanan Kici Un, Dear Friend.

I love the Creation stories, here is one from the Choctaw People:

Grandmother Spider Steals the Fire
(Creation story of the
Choctaw People of Tennessee and Mississippi)

The Choctaw People say that when the People first came-up out of the ground, People were encased in cocoons, their eyes closed, their limbs folded tightly to their bodies. And this was true of all People, the Bird People, the Animal People, the Insect People, and the Human People. The Great Spirit took pity on them and sent down someone to unfold their limbs, dry them off, and open their eyes. But the opened eyes saw nothing, because the world was dark, no sun, no moon, not even any stars. All the People moved around by touch, and if they found something that didn't eat them first, they ate it raw, for they had no fire to cook it.

All the People met in a great Pow-wow, with the Animal and Bird People taking the lead, and the Human People hanging back. The Animal and Bird People decided that dark was not good, but cold and miserable. A solution must be found!!! Someone spoke from the dark, "I have heard that the people in the East have fire". This caused a stir of wonder, "What could fire be"!!! There was a general discussion, and it was decided that if, as-rumor-had-it, fire was warm and gave light, they should have it too. Another voice said, "But the people of the East are too greedy to share with us". So it was decided that the Bird and Animal People should steal what they needed, the fire!!!

But, who should have the honor!!! Grandmother Spider volunteered, "I can do it!!! Let me try"!!! But at the same time, Opossum began to speak. "I, Opossum, am a great Chief of the animals. I will go to the East and since I am a great hunter, I will take the fire and hide it in the bushy hair on my tail". It was well know that Opossum had the furriest tail of all the animals, so he was selected.

When Opossum came to the East... he soon found the beautiful-red-fire jealously guarded by the people of the East. But Opossum got closer and closer until he picked up a small piece of burning wood, and stuck it in the hair of his tail, which promptly began to smoke, then flame. The people of the East said, "Look, that Opossum has stolen our fire"!!! They took it and put it back where it came from and drove Opossum away. Poor Opossum!!! Every bit of hair had burned from his tail, and to this day, Opossums have no hair at all on their tails.

Once again, the Pow-wow had to find a volunteer Chief. Grandmother Spider again said, "Let me go!!! I can do it"!!! But this time a bird was elected, Buzzard. Buzzard was very proud. "I can succeed where Opossum has failed. I will fly to the East on my great wings, then hide the stolen fire in the beautiful long feathers on my head". The birds and animals still did not understand the nature of fire. So Buzzard flew to the East on his powerful wings, swooped past those defending the fire, picked up a small piece of burning ember, and hid it in his head feathers. Buzzard's head began to smoke and flame even faster!!! The people of the East said, "Look!!! Buzzard has stolen the fire"!!! And they took it and put it back where it came from. Poor Buzzard!!! His head was now bare of feathers, red and blistered looking. And to this day, buzzards have naked heads that are bright-red and blistered.

The Pow-wow now sent Crow to look the situation over, for Crow was very clever. Crow at-that-time was pure white, and had the sweetest singing voice of all the birds. But he took so long standing over the fire, trying to find the perfect piece to steal that his white feathers were smoked black. And he breathed so much smoke that when he tried to sing, out came a harsh, Caw!!! Caw!!!

The Council said, "Opossum has failed. Buzzard and Crow have failed. Who shall we send"!!!

Tiny Grandmother Spider shouted with all her might, "LET ME TRY IT PLEASE"!!! Though the council members thought Grandmother Spider had little chance of success, it was agreed that she should have her turn. Grandmother Spider looked-then like she looks-now, she had a small torso suspended by two sets of legs that turned the other way. She walked on all of her wonderful legs toward a stream where she had found clay. With those legs, she made a tiny clay container and a lid that fit perfectly with a tiny notch for air in the corner of the lid. Then she put the container on her back, spun-a-web all the way to the East, and walked tip-toe until she came to the fire. She was so small, the people from the East took no notice. She took a tiny piece of fire, put it in the container, and covered it with the lid. Then she walked back on tip-toe along the web until she came to the People. Since they couldn't see any fire, they said, "Grandmother Spider has failed"!!!

"Oh No", she said, "I have the fire"!!! She lifted the pot from her back, and the lid from the pot, and the fire flamed up into its friend, the air. All the Birds and Animal People began to decide who would get this wonderful warmth. Bear said, "I'll take it"!!! but then he burned his paws on it and decided fire was not for animals... for look what happened to Opossum!!!

The Birds wanted no part of it, as Buzzard and Crow were still nursing their wounds. The insects thought it was pretty, but they too, stayed far away from the fire.

Then a small voice said, "We will take it, if Grandmother Spider will help". The timid humans, whom none of the animals or birds thought much of, were volunteering!!!

So Grandmother Spider taught the Human People how to feed the fire with sticks and wood to keep it from dying, how to keep the fire safe in a circle-of-stone so it couldn't escape and hurt them or their homes. While she was at it, she taught the humans about pottery made of clay and fire, and about weaving and spinning, at which Grandmother Spider was an expert.