Native American Philosophy

[Edward Frank]

[Edward Frank]

Native American Comments & Graphics

[Edward Frank]

Native American Comments & Graphics

[Boldylocks]

Amen, the Tribal peoples have the perfect wisdom to teach everyone. The Earth is not ours to own., We are (supposed to be, but need to wake up to the fact) the guardians/caretakers of Mother Earth.

I especially love the first quote.. the Earth was loaned to us by our children!

Also, I agree with Chief Dan George's statement about the animals. I was out at Francis Slocum State Park today watching the starlings fly all over the area in circles looking for bugs in the grasses. I felt like I was a part of them, and I could feel some of them acknowledging my being there when they flew right over me... it was beautiful :-)

[James Robert Smith]

Just about all of the tribal groups around the planet had similar philosophies. When you lived in a largely untamed environment, you learned to live with it as part of it.

I was stunned when I did some minor study of the culture of the various Saami tribes in Finland/Norway and found their old belief systems and even their icons to be extremely similar to those of North American native peoples.

Of course they were forced into Christianity by the dominant cultures around them, to the point of execution if they didn't cave. Therefore, they lost most of their shamans to mass murder.

[Sky]

I didn't know where else to post an intro so I spose this thread is appropriate. Do ya'll do intro's here? Thank you Ed for the invite :) The hilltowns of western MA have finally entered the digital age and I was able to get dsl. YAY!

I'm Sky, I live on 32 beautiful acres 50 feet below the peak of Mt Rood. I am in love with the trees here. My land is mainly young forest from what I've explored thus far though one of my neighbors has some good older stands of trees. I have a couple of pasture trees that make me feel very very small. Looking out my window at my apple orchand right this very second I am in awe. We are in the middle of a supposed ice storm and the apple trees look like their branches are crystaline. If I can figure out how to get pics from my camera to my computer I'll try and get some pictures.

Oh, so why am I introducing myself in this thread? I'm have cherokee, I spent my early years in Birdtown, NC on the Qualla Boundary (which is not a reservation, it is the only reserve in the states).

[Boldylocks]

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 6

"We need to save those Elders who cannot speak for themselves -- the trees."
--Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders

The trees are the Elders of the Earth. Go to the forest or to the mountains and find a young tree. Then find an old tree. Spend time with each. Sit by the young tree and listen to your thoughts. Then move to an old tree and listen to your thoughts again. Just being in the presence of an old tree, you will feel more calm. Your thoughts will contain wisdom and your answers will be deeper. Why is this so? These old trees know more, have heard more, and are the Elders of the Earth. We must ensure these trees live so we can learn from them.

My Creator, help me to protect the trees and listen to them.