logo
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 33 of 46 1 2 31 32 33 34 35 45 46
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
OP Offline
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Grandfather Great Spirit
All over the world the faces
of living ones are alike.

With tenderness they have
come up out of the ground.

Look upon your children
that they may face the winds
And walk the good road to the Day of Quiet.

Grandfather Great Spirit
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand,
And the eyes to see.

Teach us to walk the soft Earth
as relatives to all that live.



Walk in Peace and Harmony.
Phyllis Doyle Burns
Avatar: Fair Helena by Rackham, Public Domain
Sponsored Post Advertisement
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 72
Amoeba
Offline
Amoeba
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 72
Ya Ta Say Le Mita Cola, Phyllis,

What a nice prayer to Grandfather!

We all need to learn to walk the 'Red Road' to the
'Day Of Quiet'.

Pilamaya.
Wakan Tanan Kici Un.

Wowastelaka,
Kimi Kaya

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
OP Offline
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Thank you, Kimi Kaya. I find a lot of good poems and prayers at one of my favorite sites, which is:

First People U.S.


Walk in Peace and Harmony.
Phyllis Doyle Burns
Avatar: Fair Helena by Rackham, Public Domain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
OP Offline
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
A Blackfoot Legend

Thunder you have heard him, he is everywhere. He roars in the mountains, he shouts far out on the prairie. He strikes the high rocks, and they fall to pieces. He hits a tree, and it is broken in slivers. He strikes the people, and they die. He is bad. He does not like the towering cliff, the standing tree, or living man. He likes to strike and crush them to the ground. Yes, yes! Of all he is most powerful; he is the one most strong. But I have not told you the worst: he sometimes steals women.

Long ago, almost in the beginning, a man and his wife were sitting in their lodge, when Thunder came and struck them. The man was not killed. At first he was as if dead, but after a while he lived again, and rising looked about him. His wife was not there. "Oh, well," he thought, "she has gone to get some water or wood," and he sat a while; but when the sun had under-disappeared, he went out and inquired about her of the people. No one had seen her. He searched throughout the camp, but did not find her. Then he knew that Thunder had stolen her, and he went out on the hills alone and mourned.

When morning came, he rose and wandered far away, and he asked all the animals he met if they knew where Thunder lived. They laughed, and would not answer. The Wolf said: "Do you think we would seek the home of the only one we fear? He is our only danger. From all others we can run away; but from him there is no running. He strikes, and there we lie. Turn back! go home! Do not look for the dwelling-place of that dreadful one." But the man kept on, and traveled far away. Now he came to a lodge, a queer lodge, for it was made of stone; just like any other lodge, only it was made of stone. Here lived the Raven chief. The man entered.

"Welcome, my friend," said the chief of Ravens. "Sit down, sit down." And food was placed before him.

Then, when he had finished eating, the Raven said, "Why have you come?"

"Thunder has stolen my wife," replied the man. "I seek his dwelling-place that I may find her."

"Would you dare enter the lodge of that dreadful person?" asked the Raven. "He lives close by here. His lodge is of stone, like this; and hanging there, within, are eyes, the eyes of those he has killed or stolen. He has taken out their eyes and hung them in his lodge. Now, then, dare you enter there?"

"No," replied the man. "I am afraid. What man could look at such dreadful things and live?"

"No person can," said the Raven. "There is but one old Thunder fears. There is but one he cannot kill. It is I, it is the Ravens. Now I will give you medicine, and he shall not harm you. You shall enter there, and seek among those eyes your wife's; and if you find them, tell that Thunder why you came, and make him give them to you. Here, now, is a raven's wing. Just point it at him, and he will start back quick; but if that fail, take this. It is an arrow, and the shaft is made of elk-horn. Take this, I say, and shoot it through the lodge."

"Why make a fool of me?" the poor man asked. "My heart is sad. I am crying." And he covered his head with his robe, and wept.

"Oh," said the Raven, "you do not believe me. Come out, come out, and I will make you believe." When they stood outside, the Raven asked, "Is the home of your people far?"
"A great distance," said the man.

"Can you tell how many days you have traveled?"

"No," he replied, "my heart is sad. I did not count the days. The berries have grown and ripened since I left."

"Can you see your camp from here?" asked the Raven.

The man did not speak. Then the Raven rubbed some medicine on his eyes and said, "Look!" The man looked, and saw the camp. It was close. He saw the people. He saw the smoke rising from the lodges.

"Now you will believe," said the Raven. "Take now the arrow and the wing, and go and get your wife."

So the man took these things, and went to the Thunder's lodge. He entered and sat down by the doorway. The Thunder sat within and looked at him with awful eyes. But the man looked above, and saw those many pairs of eyes. Among them were those of his wife.

"Why have you come?" said the Thunder in a fearful voice.

"I seek my wife," the man replied, "whom you have stolen. There hang her eyes."

"No man can enter my lodge and live," said the Thunder; and he rose to strike him. Then the man pointed the raven wing at the Thunder, and he fell back on his couch and shivered. But he soon recovered, and rose again. Then the man fitted the elk-horn arrow to his bow, and shot it through the lodge of rock; right through that lodge of rock it pierced a jagged hole, and let the sunlight in.

"Hold," said the Thunder. "Stop; you are the stronger. Yours the great medicine. You shall have your wife. Take down her eyes." Then the man cut the string that held them, and immediately his wife stood beside him.

"Now," said the Thunder, "you know me. I am of great power. I live here in summer, but when winter comes, I go far south. I go south with the birds. Here is my pipe. It is medicine. Take it, and keep it. Now, when I first come in the spring, you shall fill and light this pipe, and you shall pray to me, you and the people. For I bring the rain which makes the berries large and ripe. I bring the rain which makes all things grow, and for this you shall pray to me, you and all the people."

Thus the people got the first medicine pipe. It was long ago.



Walk in Peace and Harmony.
Phyllis Doyle Burns
Avatar: Fair Helena by Rackham, Public Domain
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 411
C
Gecko
Offline
Gecko
C
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 411
Oh, Phyllis! Your legend story made the goose bumps come to my arms! It wasn't long ago that I learned about the raven and shell creation story. Soon after that I met a woman who's name is 'Sings with Ravens' and she wrote a song called 'Crow Spirit'. That song led me to her and ultimately led my husband and I to a Lakota Elder who has been a blessed member of our family now for a year. He's taught us so much. We attended his Sundance in SD last Aug and will go again this year. Tears sting my eyes when I think about all the wonderful changes that have taken place in my life this last year.

Thank you for welcoming me back to the Campfire....it's good to see my friends.
Mitakuye Oyasin....

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
OP Offline
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Ya Ta Say! Connidee, and welcome back. Your story of this last year fills my heart with Wowastelaka - for it is love that keeps us alive and growing. I am so happy that you have found this Lakota Elder who has become such a loving part of your life.

I hope you visit here again and often. I would love to hear more about the Elder.

Wakan Tanan Kici Un. Mitakuye Oyasin.


Walk in Peace and Harmony.
Phyllis Doyle Burns
Avatar: Fair Helena by Rackham, Public Domain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
OP Offline
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
The campfire embers are burning low, but ever bright. Come join our never-ending circle of friends, add some sticks to the fire that burns within us all and share your stories, songs, poems and prayers. Take the Talking Stick and tell us what is in your heart.


Walk in Peace and Harmony.
Phyllis Doyle Burns
Avatar: Fair Helena by Rackham, Public Domain
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 411
C
Gecko
Offline
Gecko
C
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 411
Hello Friends,
I've brought some sticks and limbs and would like to join the circle of friends. May I hold the Talking Stick for a while?
Evening is here. Dinner over, dishes done (nearly). I'm listening to my cat snoring - he's asleep in a basket on top of the computer cabinet, my old dog is sniffing around the floor; I call it snorkling...he makes such a funny sound when he sniffs. Another old cat is sleeping on my bed behind me. I love them all so much and they're all getting old. The stray cats come to me from all over and I feed them. Some look lost and afraid; wondering whatever happened to their humans. Others are feral, but still need a bite of good food sometimes. I feed them all. Right now a little cat has come that has stolen my heart particularly. An older cat, I think. She's been declawed so I have to assume she's been spayed as well. When she first started coming around for food she was so timid and I felt a great, great sadness around her. It made me cry. I cried for her. She looked so confused. She came here about 3 or 4 months ago. I call her Yellow Kitty. Anyway, I watched her courage grow, but the sadness still surrounded her. A few days ago we had a break through. She looks at me now with trust in her eyes. Trust and love, and expectations. She considers me her human now and I'm glad. She's come into the house, but I keep her separated from my other cats. She stays on the back porch and has an appointment with the Dr next week.

I see the same behaviour in some people. Fearful trepidation accompanies a new relationship so many times. Something that I've learned over the last year is to keep my heart open and not to be afraid. Even if getting hurt is inevidable, grasping the opportunity to be someones friend, sounding board, nurturer, 'mother', 'sister', is a risk I must take. Sometimes I get hurt....most times I don't and even the hurt has a strange way of feeling okay. It's part of my growth. I have so much to learn....so much to learn....the people I've met, and lost and the experiences I've had this past year are only just the tip of the iceburg. I know I have things to do and my path is becoming clearer and clearer. I wish I could describe the joy I feel in my heart.

Whew....not sure this is what you mean by sharing stories by the campfire...I do go on sometimes. I think I'll pass the talking stick to another and listen for a while.....

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
OP Offline
Highest Posting Power Known to Humanity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17,644
I think of you as that "Yellow Kitty", Connidee. You will find friends here at the campfire.

You are right about taking risks. One cannot find what they need in life without taking some risks. I have reached out often in the past (and sometimes this still happens) only to get slapped down - but, bounce right back up and keep looking or reaching out. Some things are just not meant to be, then some are and come in their own time.

... everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease a herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.
Mourning Dove - Salish


Last edited by Phyllis, NA and Folk; 02/27/09 10:00 AM.

Walk in Peace and Harmony.
Phyllis Doyle Burns
Avatar: Fair Helena by Rackham, Public Domain
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 411
C
Gecko
Offline
Gecko
C
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 411
You think of me as the Yellow Kitty? How so? (I'm certainly not offended at all....just wondering about the parallel)

(maybe I should bleach my hair.....LOL.....)

Page 33 of 46 1 2 31 32 33 34 35 45 46

Moderated by  Sacred Tobacco Woman 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Brand New Posts
Make It Sew Easier
by Cheryl - Sewing Editor - 03/27/24 04:34 PM
2024 - on this day in the past ...
by Mona - Astronomy - 03/27/24 01:31 PM
Planner Template Kit - Weekly Layout Template
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:39 PM
Planner Template Kit - Yearly Layout Template
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:37 PM
How to Use Digital Planner Template Kit
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:36 PM
Review - 20 Illustrator Color tips Helen Bradley
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:32 PM
March Equinox to June Solstice
by Mona - Astronomy - 03/26/24 12:27 PM
Hobotrader unleashes never seen opportunity with i
by Jamal molla - 03/26/24 11:55 AM
Psalm for the day
by Angie - 03/25/24 09:05 AM
Genealogy, Sort of
by Angie - 03/24/24 05:39 PM
Sponsor
Safety
We take forum safety very seriously here at BellaOnline. Please be sure to read through our Forum Guidelines. Let us know if you have any questions or comments!
Privacy
This forum uses cookies to ensure smooth navigation from page to page of a thread. If you choose to register and provide your email, that email is solely used to get your password to you and updates on any topics you choose to watch. Nothing else. Ask with any questions!


| About BellaOnline | Privacy Policy | Advertising | Become an Editor |
Website copyright © 2022 Minerva WebWorks LLC. All rights reserved.


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5