Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 14

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 14

"It's time Indians tell the world what we know... about nature
and about God. So I'm going to tell you what I know and who
I am. You guys better listen. You got a lot to learn"
- Mathew King, LAKOTA

A long time ago the Creator came to Turle Island and said to the Red People, "You will
be the keepers of Mother Earth. Among you I will give the wisdom about nature, about
the interconnectedness of all things, about balance and about living in harmony. You Red
People will see the secrets of nature. You will live in hardship and the blessing of this is
you will stay close to the Creator. The day will come when you need share the secrets with
other people of the Eath because they will stray from their spiritual ways. The time to start
sharing is today."

Oh Great Spirit, today I am ready for You to use me as a channel of Your peace. Let my walk
today be visible so the people will say, "There goes a man of God. I want to know what he
knows." If they ask, I will tell them to go into the wilderness and pray for You to guide them. 

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 13

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 13

"A bit of sunshine, a drop of rain, a puff of life from the
Great Spirit as He gently breathed upon that spot, created
the Native Americans. They were well formed and agile,
copper colored and proud"
--Harriett Starleaf Gumbs, SHINNECOCK

We are made in the image of the Great Spirit. A long time ago He breathed life
into our ancestors. He made the Indian strong. He created a warrior. Our ancestors
created more warriors. We have been tested throughout the seasons and we are still
here, stronger than ever. It is good to be Indian. We are proud of ourselves and our
ancestors. Mostly, we are proud the Great Spirit has never forsaken us, and continues
to guide us.

My Creator, let me live my life today in a way that would make my ancestors proud. Let
me remember, each month, that I am here to serve You. Today let me conduct my life in a
way that would also make you proud. 

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 13

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 13

"A bit of sunshine, a drop of rain, a puff of life from the
Great Spirit as He gently breathed upon that spot, created
the Native Americans. They were well formed and agile,
copper colored and proud"
--Harriett Starleaf Gumbs, SHINNECOCK

We are made in the image of the Great Spirit. A long time ago He breathed life
into our ancestors. He made the Indian strong. He created a warrior. Our ancestors
created more warriors. We have been tested throughout the seasons and we are still
here, stronger than ever. It is good to be Indian. We are proud of ourselves and our
ancestors. Mostly, we are proud the Great Spirit has never forsaken us, and continues
to guide us.

My Creator, let me live my life today in a way that would make my ancestors proud. Let
me remember, each month, that I am here to serve You. Today let me conduct my life in a
way that would also make you proud. 

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 12

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 12            

"With one mind we address our acknowledgement, respect,
and gratefulness to the sacred Cycle of Life. We, as humans,
must remember to be humble and acknowledge the gifts we
use so freely in our daily lives."  
-- Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA
    
The sacred Cycle of life - the baby, the youth, the adult, the Elder. Let us respect all
directions, the four directions of the Grandfathers; let us respect their power. Let us
remember we belong to the earth, the earth does not belong to us. Help us to be respectful
to all the gifts You have given us.     

Oh Great Spirit, help me this day to be humble. Let me not attack anything in deed or in
my thoughts. Let my thoughts focus on the beauty You have created in all things.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 11

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 11            

"May there be peace when we meet."
-- Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA
    
The Elders tell us the greatest gift we can seek is peace of mind; to walk in balance,
to respect all things. For us to do this, we must have peace within ourselves and peace
within ourselves cannot come unless we are walking the path the Creator would have
us walk. Sometimes the tests on this path are difficult, but we know that each test makes
us stronger.   
         
Oh Great Spirit, I ask You to whisper Your wisdom in my heart. You are the only one who
knows the secret to peaceful living and the mystery of harmony. Teach me of Your peace,
understanding and balance, and guide me onto your good path

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 10

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 10            

"Nature is the storehouse of potential life of future generations
and is sacred."               
-- Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA     

We need to honor and respect our Mother Earth. She is the source of all life. The sun
shines life to the earth, then the earth produces life in all forms and in a balanced way.
Everything is here to serve everything else. If we interrupt the flow in any way, we leave
nothing for the future generations.
Before every decision is made, we should ask, and answer, a final question; "If we do
this, what will be the effects on the seventh generation? What will we cause our children
to live with?" We need to have respect and love for all things and for all people. We need
to do this for ourselves and for all the children still unborn.    

My Creator, let me look at nature today and let me have the highest respect for all the
things I see. All the two legged, the four legged, the winged ones, the plants, the water,
the air, the Mother Earth. Let me have respect for myself.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 9

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 9               

"Praying to seek a vision, to seek truth is always right. Truth
builds upon itself - as the true mark of a warrior who conducts
himself/herself accordingly - so that its beauty may shine in the
faces of our children."              
-- Barney Bush, SHAWNEE      
    
We move toward and become like that which we think about. What we think about
creates our vision. If our thoughts are wise and good, then our vision becomes strong
and truthful. If our thoughts are junk, then our vision becomes contaminated. It's important
to be aware of what we are thinking about. As I live my vision, my children watch and
live their lives the same way. We need to live the walk of the Warrior. We need to walk
in beauty and respect.   
           
Oh Great Spirit, give me a vision for today. Let me see truth. Let me walk in beauty. Let

my heart guide me in truth. The law says the truth shall set you free. Let me be free today. 

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 8

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 8               

"The Creator told everyone of us in our tribal beginnings to
look after our ceremonies, and each other."              
-- Barney Bush, SHAWNEE          

Our ceremonies are important and each has a purpose. They teach us about the Creator
and about each other. The ceremonies teach us to be humble and teach us to pray. They
teach us to look inside ourselves. We should remember to pray each morning. Ask the
Creator to guide our thinking. Think only good thoughts. Think good thoughts about
our relatives and about our brothers and sisters. Pray for our children in ceremony.
Give thanks to the Great Mystery of life. All life is sacred. Pray in a sacred way.     
          
Oh Great Spirit, I come to You this morning in ceremony. I come to this sacred place
to talk to You. I thank You for Your guidance and protection. Give me Your eyes today
so I may see the beauty in all things.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 7

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 7               

"Everything I know I learned by listening and watching."              
-- Vernon Cooper, LUMBEE     
   
Sometimes my mind is talking so fast about so many different things that I can't
slow it down. All day long I am judging and making assumptions about everything.        

Great Spirit, help me this day to slow down. Help me to listen - quietly. Help me to
watch carefully. Help me to listen to my inner voice. Let me listen and watch only the
thing You would have me observe. Guide my eyes and my ears to be focused on You.
Grandfather, love me today and teach me to be quiet

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 6

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 6               

"We have to have one mind for the Four Directions. Until we
reach thatone mind,  we cannot be filled with understanding....
The Creator will not answer until you  have just one mind, just
like if you have one person."    
-- Grandfather William Commanda, ALGONQUIN    
         
The Elders have taught us to balance our lives emotionally, mentally, physically and
spiritually. If I am out of control emotionally, I get angry, doubtful or erratic, I am out
of balance. If I trigger bad mental pictures of my brothers and sisters, I am out of balance.
If I get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, I am out of balance physically. If I don't pray
and talk to the Creator daily, I am out of balance spiritually. To be centered, I must be
in balance. The Creator talks to me in the quiet and still place. So if I get angry, what I
should do first is to pause and get still so I can hear the guidance of the Grandfathers.  

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 5

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 5               

"It is a paradox in the contemporary world that in our desire
for peace we must willingly give ourselves to struggle."                
-- Linda Hogan, CHICKASAW  
     
The Grandfathers have taught us about sacrifice. We have been taught to pray for the
people in a pitiful way. Struggle and conflict is neither good nor bad, it just is. Everything
that grows experiences conflict. When the deer is born it is through conflict. When the
seed  first grows, it is through conflict. Conflict precedes clarity. Everything has the seasons
of growth. Recognize - acknowledge - forgive and change. All of these things are done
through conflict.                

Great Spirit, give me the courage today to see that struggle and conflict are here to teach
me lessons that are a gift from you.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 4

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 4               

"Telling about our lives is important for those who come after
as, for those who will see our experience as part of their own
historical struggle."    
-- Linda Hogan, CHICKASAW  
     
How important it is for us to support one another? How important it is for us to know
our culture and to share our experiences with one another? How powerful it is to be
authentic? How important it is to hold no secrets? I am as sick as my secrets.     
     
Grandfather, allow me today to be willing to share with my brother and sister. Let my
eyes see You in their eyes. Let me not judge them but only love them. Grandfather, help
me, for I am Your humble servant.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 3

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - August 3               

"Always remember you are Indian - do things to make your people
proud."       
-- Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE   

All our choices and decisions will reflect on our people. We need to assume the accountability
of honoring people. We must remember to conduct ourselves in a sacred way. Sometimes this
is hard. But we must remember we have the assistance of the Spirit World, and we have the
principles and values by which we should live, written in our hearts. The Creator will help us
develop into a strong people if we just learn to depend upon Him.          

Great Spirit, lead me on the path of the Red Road