Native Americans often speak of
a Great Spirit ,the Father, as the Divine
Often shown as the Sun

The Great Mother as the Earth
Estsanatlehi is one

That the Mammals and Fish and Flying things
are not animals , they are other Nations

Their tales of Creation read,
like good Goddess stories Ive Read

Reverence for their ancestors,
and for the Current day Elders
is of great importance

To the Native American...
The tribe is paramount

Which is vastly over simplifying.. :)

They have A Diversity and complexity
I am only now beginning to really learn
and Loving every moment of it
Here I share some of that Journey, with you

There is no one God or Spirit
in the Native American World
There are as many depiction's of God,
as their are nations as far as I can tell

Each with their own rich history and belief systems
The Other nations of Animals
are Guides and Spirit helpers,
Teachers and Mentors ... in Many Tribes

Respect for the Earth is Central
to all I have ever heard,
that she be treated with respect
and reverence for the bounty she provides

For Example:
The Tohono O'Odham.. "The desert People"
of Arizona ,which was my home for 20+ years

Several Apache Tribes
make their home there
along with Navajo, Hopi ,
Pascua Yaqui and Yavapai
to name just a few.
There are many more

The Tohono O'Odham I know the best,
Nearly all Native Peoples I
have ever met personally,
belong to this Nation

The Sonoran desert has been
their home for some 2000 years ,
unlike many Indians,
who make Arizona their home,
they are not from somewhere else,
it has always been their home

Most Tohono O'Odham are officially Catholic now,
due to it's introduction in the 1600s,
but many of the traditional forms
are still practiced today...

Like "Singing down the Rain"
in June to bring Arizona's Monsoons,
which are a sight to behold :)
The Ceremony and the Rains that follow :)

The fruit of the Saguaro Cactus
is gathered and it's juice
made into a simple wine,
that is drunk for this Ceremony

The baskets made by the Tohono O'Odham
are some of the finest in the world
and beyond their practical purposes,
are much used in rite and ritual
for holding sacred things, or are
sacred in of themselves

The Man in the Maze,
The flat coiled basket which shows..
The path through life
The dark center being Death,
But this is not seen as an ending,
but a beginning anew

The Hoop Dance
Of which I have been privileged
to watch some masters at work
Especially this young man .. :)
Brian Himmal.. ( Ho Chuck )
who tells you what its all about,
as he does this very complex dance

The Hoop dance, shows all the Gifts
and bounty of Mother Earth in Action


http://www.nativespiritproduction.com/

I highly recommend
the video available at this site
for this and many other dances
of the Native American traditions
Most of which I have had
the privilege to watch
live, as Many large Pow Wows
are held in Arizona

Most Native Americans Honor
The Four directions and the Four colors
in blessing and prayer
They are the Medicine Wheel
one walks around during life

East / Red /success, triumph
North/ Blue/ defeat, trouble
West/ Black/ death
South/ White/ peace

There are three additional sacred directions
Above / Yellow
Below /Brown
Center/ Green

Life begins in the East
Youth in the South
Mid-life the West
Old age is the North

The journey does not end in the North
because one goes to the Spirit World at death,
and the cycle continues

Each person must walk
the spokes of the wheel
and learn the lessons to be learned

Which is why to criticize another is a fools act
as you are not standing in their shoes

" May I not judge my brother,
until I have walked a mile in his moccasins "

Is how I heard it said first many many years ago
And it still holds true today

The concept of the World Tree, is common to
many Native peoples. The underworld,
the middle plane where man lives
and the tops of the tree where the Spirits live

The rainbow is the pathway
to the realm of the Spirit
and all that dwell there ...
A visible gift to show that man
is blessed by the Gods

Smudging, the act of purifying by smoke
is an aspect we share,
as on the Pagan path this is common too

The sweat lodge for purifying the body and heart
which I have never been able to join in,
but someday hope to

The Great Drums for joining the peoples,
And letting their voices be heard,
which is a very moving experience

The smoke of the Sacred pipe .. and more
All aspects of grace and holiness

There is so much more .. and for now ..
I will let others
take up the tale ..
as they tell it so much better than I can :)
Until I learn more !

More Information

Lady Wolf's Den

Wonderful site by a Dear Lady
who can explain some of these much better than I
As she has had the privilege of being a part of them
Not just an observer from the outside like me :)

Also see..
The Ten Comandents Of Earth

Blessed Be all the Peoples
The Winged Peoples,
The Crawling Peoples
The Swimming Peoples,
The Four Footed Peoples
And all Men of Good Faith and Honor

May Our Tribes Be One in Spirit

Blessed Be

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