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FEAR:- False Evidence Appearing Real
FEAR:- False Evidence Appearing Real. This is one of the teachings of Rabbit - to look at fear in a different light, a light that shows it for what fear is, an illusion. In the Cherokee teachings, Rabbit is a trickster and fear is a tricky teacher. Like Rabbit we can become immobilized by what we perceive as real or we can see it for the distraction it really is and hop beyond it's shadowy confines. Rabbit makes sure we are paying attention, not letting fear take control of our emotions and thoughts. If we're not paying attention to the roots and hillocks on our path that Rabbit has conveniently left for us, we'll trip over them every time until we learn to sort out what's real and what only looks real. Rabbit usually gets the last laugh at the silliness of our fears!
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Green Spirituality
April 09, 2009
| peace, Mother Earth
| Permalink
"Oh, Mother Earth, beautiful and bountiful mother, we are so grateful to you for our lives. Thank you for the good way you nourish and sustain us, for the life-giving waters that fall upon us, for the winds that bring us new seasons and the changes of life that support us. We honor all the creepy-crawlies who create such good soil and take care of all the physical waste of the world, for the winged ones who inspire us, the finned ones who teach us how to dive deep within ourselves, the four-legged ones who give of themselves so we can have full bellies and those four-leggeds who have agreed to be close companions to us two-leggeds so we learn better how to love unconditionally. We honor the plant beings - oh what great diversity - for sweet smells, energizing colors, medicines to heal ourselves and such wondrous tastes to feed our bodies. We honor the tall standing ones - those tree beings and all the stone people who help us build our lodges and creations. Our hearts are full of gratitude, Mother, for your wisdom and for this beautiful life that is available to us all, filled with grace and ease. Ah Ho."
Living in Peace
This is the Year of Living in Peace and to do that we need to look at the ways we are violent with ourselves. When my teacher, Will Rockingbear (Cherokee) first told me I was violent, I have to admit I was bewildered - I wasn't a violent person. I didn't go around hitting people or shouting obsenities to their face, I didn't hurt animals or suddenly lash out in anger without provocation. But I did say things to myself like, "you are so stupid," or "can't you do anything right" or "what's wrong with me?" or . . . the list could go on and on.
Why do "bad" things happen to "good" people (or vice versa)?
Ah dualities! They look so solid and real but what an illusion they are. In the native worldview, all of life is encompassed in a circle. Seen 3 dimensionally it looks like a never ending spiral. This Circle of Life holds all feelings, thoughts, events, dualities, past, present, future, everything that we can conceive of and everything that we can not. Here's an exercise so you can experience what this teaching is all about. Hold your arms out like an airplane, with your arms horizontal to the ground. Assign one duality to the end of one arm with the other duality to the other. Let's pick good and bad to start with. Now keep holding your arms as you feel the linear continuum from one end of Good all the way to the other end of Bad. Of course, we are in between the ends, somewhere on that continuum of good and bad, sliding along this scale we have set up.
Generosity
December 12, 2008
| generosity, Gratitude
| Permalink
So many of the Native teachings, stories and traditions involve generosity - true generosity of the heart and spirit, not only in the form of being generous with our physical possessions, but also with our time, friendship, love, creations, words, feelings, knowledge and wisdom. Often a thing of beauty is created just to leave on a tree, by a river or set upon a stone, freely offering hours of work and effort to give back some part of ourselves to Creator, one way of saying thank you. When you think about it, we only have a few things that are truly of our own making - our breath, our voice through words or song, our ability to hold each other in our arms, our tears. So give freely of these things that are totally yours to give.
What Provides Shelter When We Are Hurting
Plumbing the depths of my feelings and experiences about what and who is the shelter in my life amidst the sorrow, grief, guilt, anger, fear, judgment, loneliness, confusion that can be a part of all of our lives – is a healing at this time for me individually and for all us collectively as we continue to envision a new way of living a sacred life in harmony and respectful connection.
The Tenets of the Beauty Way Path
October 06, 2008
| beauty way, planetary family
| Permalink
1. How does one learn the teachings of your tradition?
I was first introduced to native teachings through several books - "The Medicine Cards" by Jamie Sams and David Carson, "The Sacred Path Cards" by Jamie Sams and "The Thirteen Original Clan Mothers" by Jamie Sams. These books and cards were a terrific way to learn some of the basic foundational concepts of Native American traditions, teachings and beliefs. Along the way many other books reached out to me to continue to feed my hunger for these teachings. Because this new "language" of native spirituality spoke so sweetly to my soul, I was able to incorporate many of the teachings into my daily life, empowering my individual spiritual practice. When I looked around me for teachers, there weren't any that were in my line of sight so I began sharing the teachings as I was working with them with others who were interested.
I was first introduced to native teachings through several books - "The Medicine Cards" by Jamie Sams and David Carson, "The Sacred Path Cards" by Jamie Sams and "The Thirteen Original Clan Mothers" by Jamie Sams. These books and cards were a terrific way to learn some of the basic foundational concepts of Native American traditions, teachings and beliefs. Along the way many other books reached out to me to continue to feed my hunger for these teachings. Because this new "language" of native spirituality spoke so sweetly to my soul, I was able to incorporate many of the teachings into my daily life, empowering my individual spiritual practice. When I looked around me for teachers, there weren't any that were in my line of sight so I began sharing the teachings as I was working with them with others who were interested.
Sharings from the Heart
September 10, 2008
| beauty way
| Permalink
What most attracts you to your chosen path?
Back in 1988 when I asked Spirit for a new spiritual path, I requested a path that was more earth-based and honoring of the feminine than what I had been working with through the Inner Peace Movement. When Dragonfly caught my attention and led me to the native teachings through the Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson and then the Sacred Path Cards and The 13 Original Clan Mothers (both by Jamie Sams), it was clear that the core of the native teachings on which everything revolves is reverence, respect and being in an intimate relationship with Mother Earth and all our relations that live upon her. This basis creates a sturdy foundation on which to build a spiritual path, as by its very nature, that shines with the truths of interconnectedness, interdependency, being accountable for our thoughts, words and actions, and our equality with every manifestation of Life Force.
Back in 1988 when I asked Spirit for a new spiritual path, I requested a path that was more earth-based and honoring of the feminine than what I had been working with through the Inner Peace Movement. When Dragonfly caught my attention and led me to the native teachings through the Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson and then the Sacred Path Cards and The 13 Original Clan Mothers (both by Jamie Sams), it was clear that the core of the native teachings on which everything revolves is reverence, respect and being in an intimate relationship with Mother Earth and all our relations that live upon her. This basis creates a sturdy foundation on which to build a spiritual path, as by its very nature, that shines with the truths of interconnectedness, interdependency, being accountable for our thoughts, words and actions, and our equality with every manifestation of Life Force.