PRAYERS AND MANTRAS
I Speak in Dignity not in Anguish
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THE AUDACITY OF HOPE A message from Tsimshian Elder, Shannon Thunderbird I first heard the phrase "audacity of hope" when President Barack Obama said them in his inaugural speech, January 20, 2009. The words ploughed into me like a runaway train. "Well," I thought to myself, "There is am actual term for how I feel." I have lived a relatively long life that has been full of challenges, and many days I've simply wanted to roll into a little ball and give into the despair that often haunted my soul. And, if the truth be told, I did just that on more than one occasion railing away at the Ancestors and their perceived abandonment of me in my time of great need. Yet, even at my lowest there was this ridiculous and persistent streak of hope that kept flickering. "Leave me to my angst." I despaired. "It is what I know, what I can revel in, for I know the same old responses that I give myself and I am comfortable with the predictable outcome. Leave me wasting away in the black void of my spirit, I am really good at this, and have I not told myself often enough that I should always do what I am good at?" And yet.....There it was, the starlight of hope flickering softly Damn! I spent so many years as a desperately unhappy child, and young woman crying for my spirit to be fed, my emotions weeping to feel safe, my tumbling mind begging for relief from the darkness of my soul. Everything about my mind, emotions, spirit, body were clouded. I could not (would not) see the signs and gifts of healing that were lovingly placed around my heart like soft, peaceful down from under Eagle's wings. I was a victim. And Father Sky turned many times (years went by).... There came a day when my Ancestors upped the ante so high I could no longer ignore their messages. Finally, I understood the honour that was being offered to me, to do their work and make it the work of my life. I listened, reluctantly at first, but I listened and in so doing saved my own life all because the audacity of hope stoked the fires within me. 'Audacity', what a great word, bold courage, daring to go beyond the damaging patterns that had defined my life -- a quantum leap from fright to fearlessness. I moved from Victim to Survivor. I accepted that all that happened in the past had brought me to this moment in time shaping me, molding me, making me, despite my best effort, stronger and stronger. To give into the old patterns would dishonour the Ancestors who suffered and went before more and also it would dishonour me. I have been gifted with deep Ancestral knowledge, I have taken up the mantle of Cultural Guardian all because Hope chose to be audacious in my soul. I moved from Survivor to Person. And Father Sky continued to turn.... At this point in my life I have bee gifted with Eagle Feathers, Sacred Pipe and Drum. I am humbled by how much the Ancestors believed in me, before I believed in myself. I trust them absolutely that I am strong enough to carry these sacred items, speak their words in dignity not in anguish, and to conduct myself in a manner that pleases them despite the occasional challenges from those who have not done their spiritual work and seek to bring me down. It took me years top accept that I had not made any mistakes, but made decisions using the tools I had at the time which resulted in 'right' and "not so right" action. Such is the tapestry of human life. I now concentrate not on what needs to be changed in others, as what needs to be changed in me. I judiciously practice the Ethic of Non-Interference because I know the only person I can truly influence is myself. As I walk my earth walk towards my day of quiet I pray to arrive at my destination, as the Great Spirit Prayers says, with "clean hands and straight eyes, so that when life fades as the fading sunset my Spirit can rest in the arms of my Ancestors without shame." Wilwilaaysk, All My Relations. Kopet, that is all.
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GREAT SPIRIT PRAYER
Oh
Great Spirit whose voice I hear in the wind, Hear me |
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May all who enter, rest in peace and safety beneath my wings. May all who leave, take with them wings of comfort (Tsimshian Prayer) GIVE THANKS NOW The cycle of abundance is complete only when we give thanks for the abundance we have been given. But giving thanks is not linear, it is part of a circle. Therefore, in any moment in the circle of timelessness, thanks can be given, although it appears the abundance has not yet come forth. A circle must be unbroken and each part of the whole is essential but has no order. (John McIntosh & Jo Ann "Ananda" Polito) TRUE SELF I see myself as part of the larger order of things.I accept my role in humbleness for I do not need accolades to know that I am an integral part of the whole. I accept that it requires courage to walk my earth walk and wisdom to know when I need to make changes. Yet, each day I awake, my day is a blank canvas upon which I can paint a new reality for myself.
My goal is
to walk towards perfection so that I can go to the spirit world
with 'clean hands and straight eyes' as the Great Spirit Prayer
says. I will face my options, make my choices. Each day I see and embrace more of my inner beauty because this is the essence of who I am. I do my best to walk and talk the talk softly, sincerely and in truth. I am guided by my Ancestors and that which is greater than myself and I walk my path in peace. Wilwilaaysk, All My Relations. |
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TODAY
Today, I ask for the presence of my Ancestors to come and touch my face & heart. I ask that they return to me balance & harmony which will lead me to discover my own spirituality & return me to a state of respect & oneness with the Universe I place myself under the guidance of my Ancestors & Mother Earth. I surrender myself to their loving & protective embrace. I am integral part of a peaceful & harmonious universe. The Ancesotr's divine wisdom & love are dominant within me & around me. I give thanks to them for being patient as I make my way through my life. I give thanks for understanding that belief and tradition do not have to be written upon tablets of stone by the iron fist of God. The Ancestor's way is through dreams in the solemn hours of the night or day. These teachings are written on my heart and I am grateful. Wilwilaaysk, All My Relations |
JOURNEY OF LIFE
MMy Cycle of Lie is perfect, whole & complete. There is a time of beginning, a time of growth, a time of being, a time of withering or wearing out, and a time of leaving. I accept these cycles and rhythms as normal & sacred. There are always wondrous beginnings with no ends, only a constant cycling & recycling of substance & experience. Life is never static or stale for each moment is new & fresh. An ending is a new point of beginning. There is always time, in other words, to right wrongs or change directions. I am flexible & flowing & at peace with the natural order of things. I trust in the power of that which is greater than me to protect me at all times & under all circumstances. I am empowered by all that is sacred to live my life with meaning and kindness. Wilwilaaysk, All My Relations |
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NATIVE TEN COMMANDMENTS
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THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS S When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound, in fear of what my life & and my children's lives may be. I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water and I feel above me the day blind stars waiting with their light for a time.
I rest in
the grade of the world, and I am free . |
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PONDER
As I move closer to the end of the world as I currently know it, I ponder those outworn habits & attitudes that no longer serve me. Many patterns of behaviour that once fit the soul of my awareness now drag me down & holds me back from my highest purpose. Let me ponder within, and listen for the direction from my True Self who has always known what parts should be retained and what parts I must let go of. The success of my personal earth walk can be sweet for a time, but only that which falls into the category of 'right thought & action' lasts forever & is worthy of my focus.
Only my True
Self knows the way through the labyrinth of my earth walk to
attain this most worthy of destinations. |
EMOTIONAL HEALING
Even after I have felt a healing occur, a remnant of the original sensitivity or fear still remains. With strength of purpose & belief in the 'right action' of my mind, body, spirit & emotions I can put the brakes on a return to darkness that surrounded me in the first place. I cannot always keep from reacting in the first place. I cannot always predict when I will engage in emotional fragility, BUT, I can decide how long it will last and this is all the Ancestors can ask of me on any given day.
I am Well Wilwilaaysk, All My Relations |
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MEMORIES
When I honour my memories, I am letting the truth of my existence into the light. I realize it is disrespectful to stifle memories no matter how painful they might be, for to do so, stifles the voices of my Ancestors & the Spirit World where my memories reside. My Ancestors speak to me from memory & when I walk in reality, I am remembering their lives. Their lives are the energy in which I resonate on a day-to-day basis. In my daily earth walk, in other words, I am a living memory. When I can honour the past & my memories, I am now in a position to understand them. When negative memories are put to rest, they no longer resonate in reality, they no longer control me. I honour them because they have helped bring me to this place, in this time & and I am stronger for all my experiences. I leave their previous hauntings of my spirit in the arms of my Ancestors.
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DIVINE DISCONTENT
Within me is Divine Discontent which constantly urges me to remember who and what I am. It is my inner voices that warns me when something is not quite right with the present picture I have framed & called my 'present-day reality'. My ego sometimes interprets this Divine Discontent as guilt and prompts me to take action that will quench the fire of my guilt. But, guilt is an unquenchable burning that leads only to a sense of unworthiness and often, 'not-right' action, as I slam the door to receiving the truth. Always, the ego seeks but never finds and always it leads me back into a dream-illusion I have created as my reality. I release my guilt so that my True Self can embrace my Divine Discontent and show me the way home. |
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MESSAGE FROM THE MOUNTAINS Warriors of this great land, Warriors of all races, Let your anger melt like the melting snow. For the melting snow brings new life in the spring. Let your hatred go to the Great Thunder. For thunder strikes only once and everything listens. Respect all people and all that you see, like Grandfather Sun. For when the Sun whines it shines on everything. To be a warrior of peace is to be yourself. (Author unknown) |
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? What would you do if you knew you could do anything? Imagine the freedom of thinking beyond limitations & doubts. What would you do? What brings you joy? What brings you peace? What brings your Love into full expression. Let go of the false restrictions of age, & allow the essence of your dreams to flow in and through your life. Now go within and ask your Inner Guide to show you the way to manifest your dreams.
Imagine you can do anything. In Truth --you can! (Author unknown) |
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LIFE AFFIRMING PRAYER No matter where I am there is only infinite good, infinite wisdom, infinite harmony & infinite love. It cannot be otherwise. There is no duality. Therefore, right here & right now in this place I declare that there are no problems that do not have solutions. There are no questions without answers. I now choose to be beyond the problem to seek the wisdom & guidance of that which is greater and me to provide solutions to any discord that my appear. I am willing to learn from the confusion & release all blame as I turn within to seek the truth. This is Bear Medicine. I enter the home of that which is greater than myself for it also the home of that which is not yet in form. I give myself up to the experience of a changing consciousness. This is Raven Medicine. I ask Raven to help form, shape & guide the magic of healing & my change of consciousness. I am willing to release old patterns of behaviour that keep me from my sacred mountain.
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LIFE AFFIRMING PRAYER Continued I choose to know the truth, no matter how painful in order to be free. The divine, wisdom, harmony with the Universe are dominant within & around me. I choose to work towards balancing my Mental self, the home of the Teacher; my Spiritual self, the home of the Healer; my Emotional self, the home of the Visionary, and my Physical self, the home of the Warrior. This is Eagle Medicine. I declare for myself and for each person I come in contact with, peace, security, harmony and a deep sense of purpose, love of self and the joyous willingness to love others. I am centred in truth and live in joy. This is Dear Medicine. I choose to use the power of gentleness to touch the hearts & minds of wounded beings, including myself, who are trying to keep me from my sacred mountain. Deer Medicine connects me to my centreing place of serenity & and I am guided by the Ancestors. Wilwilaaysk, All My Relations |
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