"Circle of Life"
Everything and everyone is connected in some way and we all go through the circle of life. Animals and plants provide us with nourishment. Trees provide us with shelter. Eventually, we return to the earth to provide nourishment for all of them, When we harm the earth and water, hunt animals to extinction, we are only hurting ourselves and showing disrespect for what God created for us. Native Americans have a saying, "I walk in beauty". What they mean is that all of God's creations are beautiful and we should appreciate it's beauty and when we do....we walk among beauty.
To start the life cycle is the South which is white, purity, natural things born into innocence. This is the direction we, our spiritual beings born into the flesh. Knowing this, children should be treated with respect, protected and nurtured in the knowledge that it is the children that are closest to knowing the wills and ways of the Father.
The
West is black, because of the early teachings of the darkened land. This
is where the sun sets.
The West represents our physical life. Our bodies, our competitive urges,
the things that become sacred in our lives and absolutely our "helping
others" in every physical mean. This might be thought of as our
adolescent years. This is where we are growing up after discovering the
ways of the world and trying to become a part of it. Beauty and ugliness
of the physical "skin deep" theory are gathered in by us as
individuals. If we aren't taught correctly before and during this stage in
life, these bad things will enter in and have more of an impact on that which
could disrupt the harmony needed to live a balanced life. The West also brings
out our competitive nature. It brings on humility in the areas where we
don't excel in and in reverse, gives us a little ego boost where our strengths
are. Through this, we will learn where to apply ourselves, how best to put
ourselves forward and know what to avoid.
The North, represented by the wonderful relaxing bluish colors of the snow while Mother Earth rests, brings us to the area/time of our lives...our adult years, This is where wisdom first begins. This is where we begin to learn and apply what we have learned then begin to share our lessons in life with others, teaching them our own lessons in life to help them with their paths. This is where we first become relaxed with ourselves and to begin to realize what our true purpose in life is to be and start applying it to our lives.
The East is of couse where the sun rises and associated with fire, represented by red. It represents the spiritual aspect of our circular path. The East actually refers to our "spirit" and the growth of our personal spirit. It is believed to be the direction from which our spirit first enters into this world to be joined with our bodies. The Cherokee begin their prayers of a morning..facing East, in this way acknowledging our spiritual direction and the Morning Star from where could be gathered wisdom. If the prayer time is more in depth than the morning prayer of thanks, then they would turn and face each direction praying for whatever guidance/strength they need.
It is from Father sky that rain comes to cause things to grow on Mother Earth and provide us warmth and enables all of nature the ability to prosper and be nourished. The sky is represented by the color yellow, as in the sun. It represents happiness and peace. The sky envelops the world in full, surrounding it on all sides and even reaching to the ground.
The
Earth is represented by the color brown, the color of the ground. It is
the Earth from where we find out life sustaining needs, especially the plants
and animals. The plants are here to provide medicine, shelter and
food. The animals provide food, shelter and companionship.
The Sacred Fire is represented by by the color green, This is how the Creator talks to us. The Sacred Fire resides in us, teaching us through our conscience, leading us away from wrong and into the right. Many times, we must stop and listen in a quiet place, being as one with the Creator's work. When we stop and really listen, we can hear his voice better. We should listen to his voice. The Sacred Fire touches every part of our lives, every part of the circle of life. That is why the Sacred Fire that burns in the Cherokee lands should not be allowed to go out. It is representative of God and his fire.
The sky, the heavens, are represented by the color yellow, while the Earth is represented by the color brown, representative of the ever changing world and the Sacred Fire which resides in us is green. Once the circle is completed by the spiritual aspect., then the journey starts again as pure, forgiven, fresh in the South and then we continue on through the circle of life enduring to, yet never completely reaching perfection in a balanced life. And in all this, the heavens, the Earth and the Sacred Fire all intertwine with every area of our lives as we are striving for harmony with all creation. And from here, we continue on the circle of life, starting again in the South, working with natural/pure, the physical, the mental and the spiritual and bringing them all together in harmony, understanding each of them and always being influenced by the Sky, Earth and the Sacred fire that resides in each of us.
Circle Of Light
I'm not
right
And you're not wrong
I don't know what this love
of ours is built upon
We are shadows
Tiny sparrows
Safe inside
Clear blue sky
Of another storm
Moving in and out of time
In and out of the Circle of life
We are children of the angels
Keepers of the fire
We are children of the angels
Reaching for the light
We are not Strangers
We are all brothers
I know we came here to love each other
Here, in the circle of life
Each one thinks
He has the answer
Each believes that he can see
The way, the only way
Truth lies waiting
Was always waiting
Like a love
A peaceful dove
Right there inside your soul
From another place and time
Moving into a circle of light
The Walela Group
Native American Spirituality is to strengthen ourselves, our relationships with our families, communities, nations and the Earth itself. The beliefs are for everyone "native" and "non-native" alike. We are all Earth's children with varying nationalities and ancestry. This is an invitation to be good people in this life, to respect such teachings along with honoring and respecting other "family" members and other's beliefs, all cooperating to work together for a united vision of peace. Peace is also seeing others with the eyes of the heart(Cante Ishte) - spanning race, color and religion. The Spirit considers all things sacred, we are all One, all connected. So what we teach our children will be carried into generations to come.
Mitakuye O'yasin.....We are all related !
Here is the link that will transport you to all my pages.
Shayna's Pages Created With Love
Please share your thoughts, feelings and ideas with me......
Please e-mail me at Shaniame@aol.com
or, if you see me online and would like to say hello....Please do......:)
Art Work - Dianne Millar
