Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 17

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 17    

"The old people must start talking and the young people must
start listening."  
-- Thomas Banyacya, HOPI          

We are at a critical time in transferring cultural knowledge and spiritual ways. During
the last few years the young people have not been interested in learning the old ways.
The only place this knowledge is found is among the Elders. We must encourage the
young to visit with the Elders. The adults need to think also about learning the culture.
The Elders are getting old and soon will go to the other side. Each of us must pause and
think about our individual responsibility to learn the culture and teach this to our young.              

Great Spirit, help us to learn and remember the old ways. 

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 16

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 16    

"To me, the wisdom the Elders have to manifest is in teaching
people how to live in harmony and balance with each other and
the Earth."    
-- Sun Bear, CHIPPEWA

You cannot give away what you don't have. You need to give away what you have in
order to keep it. Our Elders have lived their lives with a lot of trial and error. They
have experienced how to do things well and they have experienced what didn't work
for them as they grew old. They know things about living that we don't know. So,
through the years the Elders have gained wisdom. They usually have a whole different
point of view because of all their experiences. There are two ways to learn. Someone
tells us what they did and we do the same thing or someone tells us what they did and
we choose not to do it. Both of these paths will help us to live.        

My Creator, teach me about choices and decisions and consequences. Put an Elder in
my life to guide me

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 16

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 16    

"To me, the wisdom the Elders have to manifest is in teaching
people how to live in harmony and balance with each other and
the Earth."    
-- Sun Bear, CHIPPEWA

You cannot give away what you don't have. You need to give away what you have in
order to keep it. Our Elders have lived their lives with a lot of trial and error. They
have experienced how to do things well and they have experienced what didn't work
for them as they grew old. They know things about living that we don't know. So,
through the years the Elders have gained wisdom. They usually have a whole different
point of view because of all their experiences. There are two ways to learn. Someone
tells us what they did and we do the same thing or someone tells us what they did and
we choose not to do it. Both of these paths will help us to live.        

My Creator, teach me about choices and decisions and consequences. Put an Elder in
my life to guide me

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 15

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 15    

"Knowledge is a beautiful thing, but the use of knowledge in
a good way is what makes for wisdom. Learning how to use
knowledge in a sacred manner, that's wisdom to me. And to
me, that's what a true Elder is."             
-- Sun Bear, CHIPPEWA

We grow in wisdom by developing ourselves according to the four directions of the
Medicine Wheel - emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Let's say we started
drinking and drugging in our teenage years. Our emotional development will stop, but
we will grow older physically. We could then develop into an immature adult. As adults
we might be acting like we were teenagers. Once we stop drinking or drugging, our
emotional development will begin again. We need to grow and nurture ourselves in all
four directions. We need to involve the Great Spirit's guidance in our development. That's
the only way we  become wise individuals and live our lives in harmony and in a sacred
way.       

Oh Great Spirit, guide my thinking today. Let me walk in a sacred way on the Red Road.
Let me be a learner of lessons and give me Your greatest gift - wisdom! 

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 14

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 14    

"Follow the Old One's advise."  
-- Tom Porter, MOHAWK        
    
The Old One is called by many different names - Grandfather, The Four directions,
Father Sky, Mother Earth. We should seek the advice of the Old One to help us build
our vision. He will put inside of our mind and heart the vision that we are to follow.
This vision is recognizable by the feeling that it has with it. This feeling is hard to
describe. It feels right, it feels calm, it feels joyful, it feels warm, it feels sacred. The
Old One has a way of letting us know it really is His advice. Listen carefully!     

Grandfather, I'm listening.

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 13

 Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 13    

"The most important thing you can do during the course of
the day is to pray."
-- Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE   

There are many things we do during the day that are important. There are many
places we have to go and there are many things to accomplish. The old ones say,
the most important thing we can do is remember to take the time to pray. We should
pray every morning and every evening. In this way we can be sure that the Great
Spirit is running our lives. With the Great Spirit we are everything but without Him
we are nothing. All Warriors know their greatest weapon is prayer. To spend time
talking to the Creator is a great honor.               

Great Spirit, thank You for listening to my prayers