Hello everybody. Those who know me, know that I visit every weekend not far from where I live a Native American Reservation. I have made some great friends that I take to heart and will truly miss when I return back home to Europe. I want to share with you some spiritual quotes, maybe some history, and short stories of various tribes around the nation. If you have also something to share concerning Native American Spirituality then please add them here by all means. I am not a expert in the studies as I didn't have extensive studies on it in Europe, yet I am willing to share what I know.

Here is what I have gathered thus far about the intentions of Native American Spirituality.

The intention of 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 ancestory. This is an invitation to be good stewards 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 - 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.

Information and knowledge is a powerful tool in a world that is need of some direction. A direction of love and peace for Earth and her inhabitants. Such is the way of Native American Spirituality.

This vision starts with ourselves, biases must be removed for all of life is connected. A weak thread weakens the whole net. The native teachings can strengthen us in many ways. When we work together the Sacred Hoop will be strong. Such teachings, when shared with good intent and with a good heart and are dedicated to manifesting peace, will help nourish the Sacred Tree of Life.

There are many native ways within the 700 nations in the Americas alone. Some ways are specific according to the tribe/nation location. There are no generic traditions of living, being and dying. All should be viewed with respect and honor as would when learning about any other belief system. There are no definitive right or wrong ways to practice this style of belief for it represents the way to live, love and respect all things. There are customs, rites and ceremonies that are sacred to that particular philosophy within that particular tribe/nation. We must practice Respect, Will and Active Intelligence. Peace, Love and Tolerance of understanding along with harmonizing the mind, body and spirit is the epitome of this ideal and marks the Beauty Path.

As a humanatarian at one time, I always had the chance to understand the importance of peace. I am sure most agree on the concept of peace. The problem is that everyone has a different idealogy of how to achieve it. I so happened to have the opportunity to experience the meaning of peace in a different perspective from a native american.

I believe we as humans have much to learn. Perhaps Native American Spirituality will help me find a deeper understanding of my soul. I believe one way or another we are all related in some way.

I was told that Native American Spirituality teachings are not for us to "become" Indian, but to become the best person you can be for the good of all things. In the first month I truly was trying hard to become a indian doing traditional dances making a fool out of myself and having the children laugh at me in a good way. Eventually the chief sat down with me and talked about the true intent of Native American Spirituality.

He said that it is important to transform fear, anger, shame and hate into peace and harmony for the sake of all of our relations, those above and those below. It doesn't matter if you are a indian or not for we are all brothers and sisters in one way or another.

I took this information to heart that day and always wait anxiously for the weekend to arrive so I can go visit him again to sit down and have the opportunity to talk more about the wisdom of Native American Spirituality including the traditions they carry.

He is 92 years old right now. A bit frail, but you can see much in his eyes, showing he has much to share. I will take the opportunity to listen to his knowledge and hopefully have the opportunity to share it with my daughter when she grows older.

Peace...comes within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, ane when they realize that at the center of the Universe dwells, Waka Tanka, and at this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

Black Elk, quoted from the Sacred Pipe J.E. Brown

Luther Standing Bear
(Ota Kte, Mochunozhin)
(1868-1939) Oglala Sioux chief



"Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom - an intense and absorbing love for nature; a respect for life; enriching faith in a Supreme Power; and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations."
"As a child I understood how to give, I have forgotten this grace since I have become civilised."

"Praise, flattery, exaggerated manners and fine, high-sounding words were not part of Lakota politeness. Excessive manners were put down as insincere, and the constant talker was considered rude and thoughtless. Conversation was never begun at once, not in a hurried manner. No one was quick with a question, no matter how important, and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation. Silence was meaningful with the Lakota, and his granting a space of silence to the speech-maker and his own moment of silence before talking was done in the practice of true politeness and regard for the rule that, “thought comes before speech.”

"We did not think of the great open plains, the beautiful rolling hills, the winding streams with tangled growth, as 'wild'. Only to the white man was nature a 'wilderness' and only to him was it 'infested' with 'wild' animals and 'savage' people. To us it was tame. Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery."

"If today I had a young mind to direct, to start on the journey of life, and I was faced with the duty of choosing between the natural way of my forefathers and that of the... present way of civilization, I would, for its welfare, unhesitatingly set that child's feet in the path of my forefathers. I would raise him to be an Indian!"

"From Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, there came a great unifying life force that flowed in and through all things -- the flowers of the plains, blowing winds, rocks, trees, birds, animals -- and was the same force that had been breathed into the first man. Thus all things were kindred, and were brought together by the same Great Mystery.

"Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water was a real and active principle. In the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them. And so close did some of the Lakotas come to their feathered and furred friends that in true brotherhood they spoke a common tongue.

"The animals had rights -- the right of man's protection, the right to live, the right to multiply, the right to freedom, and the right to man's indebtedness -- and in recognition of these rights the Lakota never enslaved an animal and spared all life that was not needed for food and clothing. For the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them."

"This concept of life and its relations was humanizing and gave to the Lakota an abiding love. It filled his being with the joy and mystery of living; it gave him reverence for all life; it made a place for all things in the scheme of existence with equal importance to all."

"The Lakota could despise no creature, for all were of one blood, made by the same hand, and filled with the essence of the Great Mystery. In spirit, the Lakota were humble and meek. 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' -- this was true for the Lakota, and from the earth they inherited secrets long since forgotten. Their religion was sane, natural, and human."

"The old Lakota was wise. He knew that a man's heart away from Nature becomes hard; he knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon lead to a lack of respect for humans too."

"The old people came literally to love the soil and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power."

The growing and dying of the moon reminds us of our ignorance which comes and goes- but when the moon is full it is as if the Great Spirit were upon the whole world.

-Black Elk, Oglala Sioux

You have noticed that everything as Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round..... The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours... Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.

-Black Elk, Oglala Sioux

The Great Spirit is in all things: he is in the air we breathe. The Great Spirit is our Father, but the earth is our mother. She nourishes us; that which we put into the ground she returns to us

- Big Thunder (Bedagi) Wabanaki Algonquin

"Our wise men are called Fathers, and they truly sustain that character. Do you call yourselves Christians? Does the religion of Him who you call your Savior inspire your spirit, and guide your practices? Surely not. It is recorded of him that a bruised reed he never broke. Cease then to call yourselves Christians, lest you declare to the world your hypocrisy. Cease too to call other nations savage, when you are tenfold more the children of cruelty than they. No person among us desires any other reward for performing a brave and worthwhile action, but the consciousness of having served his nation. I bow to no man for I am considered a prince among my own people. But I will gladly shake your hand."

Joseph Brant to King George III

The Wise Man believes profoundly in silence - the sign of a perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind and spirit. The man who preserves his selfhood ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence - not a leaf, as it were, astire on the tree, not a ripple upon the surface of the shinning pool - his, in the mind of the unlettered sage, is the ideal attitude and conduct of life. Silence is the cornerstone of character.

Ohiyesa (Charles Alexander Eastman) - Wahpeton Santee Sioux

If you are a native american please email me so I can create a friendship with you.

Also if you are interested in more quotes or wisdom then email me and I will send one each day to your email if you desire.

May the Great Wanka Tanka Spirit watch over you

"If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both."

- Native American Saying

May the Great Wanka Tanka be of eternal happiness for everyone to enjoy