|
|
|
American Indian Woman Power
All females must develop their womanhood power if
they are to survive the world we live in today. From my
cultural background, I learned very early in life what I
must do to survive and grow into a strong woman. By
the time I was a young teen, I was well versed in the
power of a Womanhood Ceremony.
When the Europeans discovered the Americas they
created their own version of what an Indian woman
was. They perceived her as being very docile. She was
treated with prejudice, then pigeonholed into the image
of an inferior, subservient, lazy, wild and lustful woman.
Many demeaning statements were used against the
Indian woman, and most of these newcomers believed
her to be a stupid, drunken thief and whore. But, if an
Indian woman chose to marry a white man, her name
immediately became "Princess." That is, if she forgot
her heathen ways and became a loving and devoted
Christian wife.
So, what is the real version of an Indian woman?
Not all tribal women were trained the same. There
were some similarities but those varied from tribe to
tribe. From childhood, the Indian woman knew she must
always work for the well-being of her family and tribe,
keeping in mind that what is good for the one is good
for the whole. They were faithful and devoted to their
husbands, children, extended families and tribe. It was
an unspoken knowledge that all female children would
someday become a good daughter, a good wife, a good
mother, a good auntie, a good grandmother and over
the years of many experiences she would be honored
and respected as a very wise woman.
|
|
Life-Giver |
 |
Women are the life-givers and sustain that life
until it reaches the age of adulthood. Our sacred pipe
was given to us by a WOMAN. Our culture teaches that
our belief system stems from Woman. Most tribes have
women societies that teach the young females how to
go through all the stages of life and accept the power
of womanhood.
I learned these ways from the wise women of my
family.
When I was a mere child, I was introduced to the
Grandmother Lodge, a safe place that leads us
to the
responsibilities of our power from childhood to
womanhood. This continuous study helps us through
every stage of life. I was placed on this road by my
grandmother. She deemed it imperative that I learn the
structured culture and have the necessary training to
prepare me to become a strong woman before I could
take my place in my original family circle.
In the old traditional ways, when a child is born, it is
considered a sacred gift from Wakan Tanka, Creator.
Seventy-three years ago, I was born a female soul.
While
waiting to pass through the birth canal before entering
the physical body, I ever so gently heard Tunka'shila,
Grandfather, whisper about my future life on Mother
Earth.
"Granddaughter, the birthing rite is a sacred ceremony.
You are taking a wonderful earthly journey to complete
the many steps of your growth and correct the needed
mistakes accumulated from your many mortal lives.
Since you have a soul agreement with your mortal
parents, both must serve each other to fulfill this
contract. It is a necessity to execute this birth life
agreement in a good way, all the while maintaining your
true purpose of birth on Mother Earth." As Tunkashila's
voice vanished, I, the female soul entered the physical
body and as I grew in the mortal body, the instructions
given by Grandfather slowly faded away.
Long ago a woman knew these things. When the soul
was near mortal entry, the birthing mother was given a
birthing rack, made of two vertical poles with one
horizontal pole stretched between the two. This woman
was helped by a midwife and medicine woman, along
with a chosen apprentice. They each prayed and spoke
to her with encouraging soothing, yet soft words as
they messaged her large belly. Each time her pains
came, the new mother would rise to her knees and
hang between the birthing sticks pushing hard to assist
the child through the birthing chamber. At the end of
each pain, she would rest as the women continued to
help her stay relaxed and prepared for the next
contraction. Many relaxing teas were given to her along
with certain herbs that would help expel the afterbirth.
Once the child was delivered, it was gently handed
through the tipi door to the father. He in turn held the
newborn up to Father Sky offering a special prayer to
Wakan Tanka as he watched for signs that would help
him give this infant a name. This moment with his baby
would help the father understand the sacred walk of
this particular child. During this time, he paid close
attention to the seasons, the morning or evening star.
This helped him gather the information he would need
later in life to make wise decisions regarding the
purpose, talents and spirit walk of his new child. Once
this was accomplished, the baby was then handed back
to the medicine woman who in turn cleaned the child
and handed it to its mother, all the while offering
sacred prayers to Great Spirit.
|
|
|
New Life |
|
In the old ways, a medicine woman knew the fetus
developed to full size in a very small womb. She would
wrap the baby tightly into a blanket to make sure the
newborn felt safe and secure as if still in the womb.
The infant's face was always kept covered to keep the
harsh light from its eyes. In some tribes they keep the
baby in a dark room up to twenty-two days. On that
ceremonial birthing day, the child is introduced to the
people.
All newborns remain close to the spirit world, yet are
totally aware of their helplessness as they desperately
try to communicate to their family members by using
body language, cries and grunts. In time they learn to
recognize their mother's face, her smell, her voice and
the strong, yet gentle, hands that hold them with great
loving care. These actions create a trust between the
two. But if the baby's nurturing needs are not met
during this time, a relationship of indifference is created
between mother and child.
As the young child grows in strength, it should develop
a strong independence. Giving the youngster a certain
freedom during this learning process helps it flower with
a sense of awareness. When the child takes its first
step, the family knows it is time to start teaching
the young one all the responsibilities of learning the
sacred ceremonies.
At about eighteen months old, the toddler is taken to
the fire council where an elder places it on a three-
legged stool while explaining the importance of holding
on tightly. The medicine person then rapidly spins the
stool around four times in a clockwise manner. All those
attending watch with baited breath, as the elder
speaks in great detail about the child's life journey. If
the young one should fall from the stool, it would mean
that the child will become weak and sickly, or even die
at a young age. If the youngster remains on the stool
without falling, everyone knows this is a good sign and
the child will be strong, intuitive and intelligent. Once
this is accomplished, the toddler is removed from the
stool and considered a full-fledged member of the tribe.
A giveaway celebration is immediately held to
establish
an honorable place within the family for this child.
Everyone is happy knowing this young one has stepped
into its first power. After the ceremony, a transition
immediately begins. From that day forward the child
must abide by the rules and follow the structure of its
family circle. Certain rules will be enforced and if not
obeyed, the adults will dole out the proper punishment
for the crime. Once the youngster learns its place and
respects the rules, the adults are pleased as they
realize the power of reasoning is being established and
the toddler will grow to stand strong in its mental
thought processes. These good traits are exposed to
everyone through its behavior and personality traits. As
the child grows older, it is taught through story telling.
It is up to the pupil to find the meaning of the story
and the lesson in how it is expressed to them.
I grew up under these strict rules. I always knew at
any time the members of the Grandmother Lodge
could
tell me another story and it was up to me to find the
answer and correct my mistake, otherwise there would
be punishment. I knew my shortcomings would never be
discussed with anyone outside of the lodge members so
I felt a safety in this method.
|
|
|
EXCERPT - Womanhood Ceremony |
|
I have inserted the Womanhood Ceremony to help you
feel and understand more about the preparation for any
young woman to step into her womanhood. This is an
excerpt from the book, WIND WOLF WOMAN,
Chapter Four, Page 101, Life With Sam.
THE WOMANHOOD CEREMONY
"A week later, Sam and Sunny were in the truck
heading
for the reservation. Bursting with excitement as the
landscape grew more familiar, Sunny could hardly
contain herself. Looking over at Sam, she saw a new
calmness on his face and knew he too was glad to be
returning to his old home.
Before they left Sunny had written a long letter to
Shung' confirming that they were coming. Shung' and
Otis stood waiting on the front porch as the old truck
pulled up to the house where Sunny had spent so many
happy years. Shung' had prepared everything for her
arrival, and there was a steady stream of visitors
throughout the afternoon and evening wanting to see
them. Sam and Sunny were very pleased to hear
Cheering Woman's name being mentioned with great
love and respect as the people told stories about her
sacred work.
Sunny could feel Cheering Woman's presence in the
people and was proud to see her grandmother's
medicine work was continuing through Shung' and Otis.
It seemed Cheering Woman whispered to her from every
life force on the reservation and it felt good to be
home. Sunny could even hear her grandmother's words
coming from Shung's mouth. She honored Shung' and
felt a new respect for this medicine woman who had
once been Cheering Woman's apprentice.
Like Cheering Woman would have done, Shung' wasted
no time in getting Sunny prepared for her Womanhood
Ceremony. Sunny spent a great deal of time sitting
under the arbor with different medicine people preparing
for another Hanblecheyapi and learning her role in the
upcoming ceremony.
Sam helped Otis with the chores and admired Sunny
from a distance as he watched her gentleness and her
respect toward Shung' and the elders. His daughter
was turning out to be a lot like his mother. He was glad
that Sunny had forced him to return to the reservation
and realized that the raw wound of losing his mother
was beginning to heal.
Everyone was up before dawn the following morning,
excited that Sunny was going to go and lament for her
second Hanblecheyapi. When Sam joined her in the
Inipi, Sunny was both surprised and pleased. When the
last round was over and everyone had left the sweat
lodge, Shung' took Sunny to her private quarters.
"Have you had your first moon?" Sunny nodded as
Shung' continued. "The Ishna Ta Awi Cha Lowan, the
preparing for womanhood, is a ceremony that you must
observe each month during your moon time. It's a
transitional change, and a very sacred thing for all
women. Since you have had your first moon time, you
are now the same as your sacred mother, the earth.
You too will bear children and train them in the sacred
manner of your pipe. Understand this is to make you
aware that you are leaving behind your girlhood ways
and learning how to become a strong woman. As
woman, you will know pain and hardship. You will be as
Buffalo and train your children in a sacred manner to
follow the old ways. You will nurture and help the
needy while sharing your knowledge to help others grow
strong and happy.
"Once long ago we had a grandmother lodge for our
women. It was there that girls your age learned how to
be a good wife and mother. It was there that the
grandmothers shared their secrets as they taught the
young women to become industrious and beautiful
artists. They learned how to make hides soft and sew
their tipis and clothing, placing their power in every
bead and bone used in decoration. As they worked
together they shared their stories of how they had
walked in honor as women.
"If you had lived then, you would have been excluded
from the tribe during your moon and required to live
separately from your husband and family at this
powerful, sacred time. As a woman you may have a
husband that will bring you heartache. As a mother you
will know pain. These many sufferings must be done in
silence so that you will grow into a strong, spiritual
woman. Since you will be living in the white world for
many years before you return to us, you must keep a
moon room for yourself during this sacred time. A
woman is very powerful during this time and she must
be careful around all men, particularly medicine men, as
she will take away their power.
"Auntie Rose has been through this ceremony. I've
spoken to her and she will become the older woman
that will teach you all the virtues and the comfortable
beauty in being a woman of power. She will be with you
until you understand all the responsibilities of a
woman's life. During your Hanblecheyapi call upon White
Buffalo Calf Woman, the bringer of our pipe, and ask her
to guide you to become a powerful woman.
Long ago we knew that Tatanka was our closest
relative. We call upon Mother Buffalo to ask her to
breathe upon our young girls during this transition just
as she does for her newborn. When Mother Buffalo
gives birth she always blows a red film over her calf.
This keeps it warm and safe. Pray for her to come and
give you this blessed gift so you may be born as a kind,
giving, patient, persevering woman.
"When you were a mere toddler, your grandmother told
me that you would leave the reservation, but when you
returned you were to do a Hanblecheyapi before your
Womanhood Ceremony. Smiling, Shung' handed Sunny a
beautiful pipe wrapped in buffalo hide. "I was to tell you
that she had awakened this medicine pipe for you and
that I should present it to you for the completion of
these two ceremonies."
Tears of joy stung Sunny's eyes as she took the sacred
gift, then headed up the hill to begin her second vision
quest. This time it seemed easier to settle down and
get to work. She recalled her first Hanblecheyapi in
great detail and found nothing had changed. It was as
though she was beginning from where she had left off
the first time, except that this time she felt much
wiser.
The soil that she sat upon was rich with new life. The
everblowing winds embraced her with the sweet smells
of the flowering wild plants that graced the plains. The
nights were chilly and the days were hot, but Sunny
welcomed everything that appeared to her and was
thankful she no longer danced with fear. Her newfound
assurance created a certain power within her and it
was much easier to leave her body any time she chose.
To quench her thirst she would visit Father River; when
she was cold she went to Father Sun to feel the
warmth. Many spirits came and spoke of her future.
Sunny was especially happy when her Wolf came and
stayed with her until she stepped out of the pit on the
fifth day.
When Shung' came for her, both were proud of her
success as they walked down the hill for her final Inipi.
During the sweat, Sunny spoke in detail about what she
had seen and listened intently as the elders explained
her visions. These wonderful gifts helped her find a
grace in her peace. Sunny felt serene and secure with
her future walk on earth. Her Hanblecheyapi had given
her a direction and the power to walk in a spirit-guided
way. Sunny knew she was finally bonded to the Wolf
Clan and would always walk as Wolf.
Sam was proud of what she had accomplished. When
they left the Inipi, he watched her from afar as she
loaded his mother's sacred pipe and went to smoke it
with the elders who were waiting for her under the
arbor, Sam had tears running down his face.
Sunny's world seemed full of peace, and she felt strong
and whole as she entered the lodge to begin her Ishna
Ta Awi Cha Lowan. She was humbled when she saw
Sam and four generations of relatives waiting to help
her learn the value of all those yet to come.
Otis sat in the West with an altar of dirt in front of him.
Taking a piece of sweetgrass, he lit it from a hot coal
and prayed. "We have done as you have asked the
people to do so long ago, Tunka'shila. May all these
things we have done for this young virgin girl be held in
our hearts in a scared manner. May her ancestors help
her walk as a strong woman on Mother Earth. We ask
for the powers in our universe to come and help her
carry a strong pipe as she follows her destiny and
births the power of beauty for the children to come."
Otis called in all the powers from the West, North, East,
South and the four winds. He walked around the tipi six
times as a bull buffalo, chanting an old buffalo song. At
the end of each trip around, he blew a red liquid over
Sunny until the tipi was engulfed in a red mist. When
this was done, Otis dug a buffalo wallow and drew a
straight North-South line then an East-West line
through its center. Picking up the buffalo skull whose
eyes were filled with sage, he painted a red line around
its head from horn to horn. After drawing another red
line down the center he placed the skull on the altar.
Shung' handed Otis a bowl of sacred water and he
placed a handful of wild cherries in it before placing it in
front of the skull, asking Sunny to stand in front of the
altar.
Reaching his hands up to Wakan Tanka, Otis
prayed, "Hau, Tunka'shila. These cherries represent the
fruits of life. May their sweetness stretch from this
woman's heart to Mother Earth and to Father Sky."
Gently holding a cherry branch upward, he
continued, "See this buffalo hair that I found on this
branch? Buffalo is joining our ceremony and is offering a
piece of its hair to this young woman. Oh, Great Spirit,
no matter what comes, if anything stands over this
woman it must be sacred because she reaches from the
earth to the sky and touches all that is."
Sunny reached her hands upward to Great Spirit so
that she might become a branch on the Tree of Life as
Otis prayed, "You are as pure as a holy woman and you
will always be aware of where you place your steps as
you walk upon Mother Earth in a sacred manner." He
took a sacred bundle and rubbed it over her head.
Shung' smoked off a piece of buffalo meat then handed
it to him. He offered it to the four directions, saying to
Sunny, "You will be merciful to your children as Wakan
Tanka has been to you. If a child should come to you
hungry, you will take the food from your mouth and
feed it." He then placed the buffalo meat into Sunny's
mouth. "At the end of this ceremony you will leave your
girlhood innocence behind. You will walk as woman,"
said Otis as Sunny left the tipi with all of her relatives
following in a sacred manner.
Sunny, the woman, was taken to the arbor to sit with
the elders. Having already loaded Cheering Woman's
medicine pipe, she offered it to Shung' then sat at the
elders' feet with head lowered in deep respect. After a
prayer had been said and the pipe had been smoked,
everyone sat in silent reflection, listening to Sunny as
she spoke of the experiences of the past four days and
nights. Sam listened intently, tears of pride rolling down
his cheeks as each elder interpreted her vision.
"You must hold your vision in silence," instructed
Otis. "You must follow these spiritual directions if you
are to complete your birth purpose. This is a great
undertaking, and as Medicine, Shung' and I offer you
this special bundle to help build your power. Sku'ya,
always walk with integrity and honor yourself by
keeping a pure heart. Call upon this spirit bundle when
you need help. Hold your vision in silence and create its
power through thought."
|
|
|
EXCERPT cont'd |
|
Shung' stood then placed her hands on Sunny's head
and prayed: "Hau, Tunka'shila. Thank you for my
daughter's powerful vision. Cheering Woman prepared
her well for this long and hard walk. Keep her safe as
she travels the world. Help her find the truth she seeks
and let her bring it back when she returns to us. Keep
her free and strong on her earthly journey so she may
return and help the people save the land. As she leaves
us, we will travel with her in our hearts. Help her feel
and know our love so that she may rest with the
strength of the blood of her long ago ancestors that
flows in her veins."
Shung' picked up the bundle that was wrapped in
deerhide and handed it to Sunny. "We offer this bundle
to assist you in this dignified undertaking. It will protect
you as you walk in honor, proud of who you are.
Throughout your life you will add to this bundle as you
grow in spiritual power." Sunny took the bundle and
stood with it while all the people walked forward to give
her gifts. Shung' and the grandmothers served the
giveaway foods and gave gifts to the poor as Cheering
Woman had done long ago. When the last of the people
had departed, Otis and Shung' helped pack up Sam's
truck, and by daybreak the following morning Sam and
Sunny were well on their way home.
They spoke little of the ceremonies, but both enjoyed
the food that Shung' had packed for them as they
laughed together over some of Cheering Woman's old
stories.
It was hard for Sam to accept that Sunny had become
a woman, and he feared that he would soon have to let
her go. Although he could not bring himself to share the
feelings she so longed to hear, he did listen with a more
attentive ear about her dreams. "
|
|
|
The Wild Ones |
|
The childbearing years teach women unconditional
love. When a child is gifted to us, we must
remember the old ways and teach them to the young
so they too will become good and caring mothers.
This
restores the life cycles of our world and brings beauty
within our universe so the sacred cycle of fruition
continues to give love and harmony to all sacred forms
of Creator's children's children. It is our duty as
mothers to give our offspring the ability to think,
respect, learn and give back to others.
A Mother's
love is like no other and never ends. She is silently
pleased to see her children bloom as beautiful as frisky
colts playing among the wildflowers of spring. And when
each child becomes an adult she takes the title of
grandmother and speaks as a wise woman. She will
touch her children's children through the old stories
from those deep winter places that only exist in the
mysteries of the reproductions of life. And will always
stand at the center of all. The Great Spirit, Wakan
Tanka, will always speak to his peaceful children.
As women we must keep the balance within self and
trust the sisterhood, always keeping a sharp eye and a
sensitive ear so that we may hear the heart cry from
others as we women continuously teach the young to
keep the balance between their male-female powers.
To relate these old ways into today's times, I will use
the language of the image makers and their newest
buzz words. Never are we to give away our power to a
co-dependent situation. Eat or be eaten is the natural
law of nature. Never break those natural laws taught
by our Mother Earth. Women are the ones that heal
others from the heart and restore the value of life to all
the brothers and sisters of the world. As one of Mother
Earth's children, a woman must birth her nurturing
abilities which are gifted to her through developing her
intuition.
I have had many sad sessions with crushed and
defeated women who willingly gave up their power to
another. This seems to originate from their fathers,
brothers, husbands and even their children. These
women have been stripped to the bone and no longer
have self-worth, self-esteem, self-love, self-care, or
self-respect. I could write on and on about the self-
destructive female, but we all know someone that
suffers from this kind of abuse and lack of training. It
seems they believe they must carry the blame for the
world's misery on their shoulders. This is heartbreaking
to me.
I ask you! What does it take to be a woman? I have
heard that a woman is the weaker sex. I disagree with
that statement. Life's experiences carve the heart of a
true and powerful woman. If you accept each natural
cycle of life, I believe the transitions from a baby to
womanhood are as natural as breathing. In all phases of
a woman's life, she is learning through her experiences
while enjoying the thrill of the journey toward
womanhood. This should be an exciting time as a
female develops and grows to find her beauty and the
wisdom to live a good life.
A woman is an extraordinary creature. She
begins life
as a warrior child, but some have bent under the
pressures of others as they grew and never took
responsibility for their lives. Think of the ways a woman
has survived throughout history. She has survived the
expectations of marriage, family and career while
coping with changing styles of clothing, hair, and
makeup. At sometime in her life she has experienced
lack of money, illness, disagreements, and divorce. She
has extended herself beyond her needs, all the while
trying to maintain peace in her home through all this
chaos.
When I look at the unfair treatment forced onto
women, it makes me wonder how they could ever smile
without cracking their mouth. A true wild woman
has
endurance and refuses to wrap herself in this blanket of
shame and weakness that has been cast upon her.
Oh,
the beast of the bowed head is definitely created from
yesterday's disappointed decisions. Oh yes, my women
friends, at times, I too have felt that I was riding two
wild horses at the same time while crossing bear
country.
Woman what have you done? Stop letting your
bitterness ruin what is left of your life. Stop the pain!
Stop the destruction! Stop your wailing and groveling
at the feet of another. Stand up and walk tall and carry
your magical shield into your strong rebuilt life. Draw
from the source and make that breakthrough to your
personal power. You can make good decisions! You can
break down those self-induced barriers that no longer
serve you. Take the stress from your life and respect
and use your inner wisdom. What happened to those
long ago dreams? Expand your vision and explore those
again. You can accomplish what you set your mind to
do. Many times, we are asked to take the soft trails
across our bitter gray clouds of life's experiences before
we can stand again in the warmth of the sun. Let your
heart reflect a giving kindness within all the nurturing of
self. Creator has given you love and the power to do
whatcha gotta do! Being a powerful woman takes
courage never bravado. A woman must find a balance
between fantasizing her future or making her reality.
There is no "forever after" romantic knight in shining
armor. He is not going to ride in on his famous white
horse and bow down to take care of this fragile female.
There is no line of separation in true woman power. A
woman can hear the voice on the wind, the cry of an
animal in distress and the contaminated waters pleading
for help as they rush over the rocks and around each
bend in a river. All women have a voice and are
considered equal in all aspects of life. They can speak
through their experiences, never infringing on another's
issue. A true woman always welcomes all creations into
a pure heart and this is how we, as women, build the
bridge for the people to create an earthly harmony
among all races.
When a woman comes to her menopausal cycle, some
see it as a freedom from the child birthing years. Some
women remain sexually free and frisky while others go
into deep depression. Most women experience hot
flashes and night sweats. Some use certain herbs and
eat properly to handle this transition. The Indian
woman sees it as a time to step into her medicine
powers. It is these women who now sit together in the
Grandmother Lodge helping another young girl grow into
her womanhood. They share their experiences of how
they grew to the power of being WOMAN. They have
found their voice and speak equally as a truth from
their life's experiences as another wise elder who has
learned that the shadows and sounds in life hold a
deeper meaning. A wise grandmother proudly
acknowledges that she has carried her responsibilities
well in all of her life cycles.
Then without question, her age opened the door for her
to enter the age of an old wise grandmother. She
always smiles with a devilish twinkle, yet all the while
expressing the beauty of her magnificent twilight years.
I think they know that old age will someday disappear
from their bodies and faces and be transferred to the
faces of those that choose to walk their life as a simple
female, not as a truly powerful WOMAN.
I remember in my younger years how tired I became
trying to prove my self-worth to others. Well one tired
day, I decided it
was my life. I'll make my decisions! I certainly don't
need another making mistakes for me. SO I took over
my life and made my own choices!
To find the power of your womanhood today, let the
Great Spirit sing life into your heart through the
knowledge and teaching abilities of Wolf, the sacred
Earth Teacher of our land. When you apply Wolf's
teachings in your daily life, you are building integrity,
strength and loyalty. Wolf guards and defends its family
members and always knows its place in the family unit.
Each member must attain and maintain its identity,
never breaking the clear-cut rules of Wolf.
Each day wolves replenish themselves, all the while re-
establishing their place within the pack. If this cannot
be accomplished, the lead wolf will take strong
disciplinary action against the pessimistic member. Their
daily life definitely demonstrates the strength in a
respectively caring family, always displaying its
commitment to the pack through their rituals and
hunting skills. When a member returns to the wolf
family, they always greet each other with affection
showing a thankfulness to Great Spirit for the survival
of the whole pack. Living in the primitiveness of the
wilderness allows these free spirited souls to express
their strong emotional attachments in their every
action. Developing the communication skills of Wolf
gives you the benefits of learning from its actions and
body language.
A pack demonstrates the importance of keeping
harmony in the family for everyone's survival. This tells
the human to always come with a strong and respectful
heart. Only then can we expand upon our inner feelings
and smell out the deeper trouble that is trying to
capture us. Whether it be Wolf or human stay alert and
always prepared for battles. Neither may be looking for
a fight, but sometimes the fight is looking for us.
Any good hunter must stay invisible and patient,
always
being in the right place at the right time. A smart
huntsman goes unrecognized in the wilderness
always
remaining steady with its purpose. Since human
and
Wolf are great predators neither would ever dash out
from their safety or waste their energy on something or
someone when it was not productive. Wolf or
humankind should never allow an enemy the time to
prepare for battle. But when exposed, always move as
quickly as a lightening swipe, because it could be
your
life.
In life we have a choice. We can create our
hell or
happiness. Indecisive people seem to roam aimlessly in
a miserable uninteresting lifestyle always falling into
their habitual destructive traps. It seems the human
race has come to believe that conflict and sub-servient
behavior are great mysterious curses that have been
cast upon them and they must obey. This kind of
thinking is irresponsible. You have a good mind!
Why
allow your fearful thought monsters to automatically be
transformed into your reality? Take the time and
recognize each dilemma that you are creating from your
destructive thinking.
Make a decision to never be consumed by another's
thoughts, actions or words. Never be swayed from
your decisions unless it's for the betterment of your
life. Never become a slave to your needs. Build
your life
from your true desires and stop bending to this archaic
belief system that comes from our ancestral
background. This mindless throwback is cruel and
hurtful. If guilt and uselessness have been planted in
your heart by another, disclaim their power over you
and get the courage to fight that inner battle.
There is great power in the word denial! Compulsive,
driven behaviors demand destruction. In the name of
love, don't let those helpless, clinging people consume
your life. Why is it necessary to take care of the
scavengers of life? Observe their actions and
words.
Stay alert to people that enter your life. Don't be lured
into their trap.
Ask yourself: What are your thoughts about yourself?
What needs drive you away from having a well
deserved happy and successful life? Is it in the name of
a marriage, a habitual love affair, or allowing an abusive
family member, friend or mate to continue abusing and
destroying your self-esteem? Do you understand your
soul will eventually be consumed in your own flames?
Why are you supporting and allowing this abuse in your
life? If this is you, then know it is time to get the fire in
your belly and get the lead out of your ass. Go make a
good life for yourself!
It is time to become a good hunter to find what is
your
self-induced enemy. How long do you
want to remain a
victim for society to feed upon? Become one of the
wild
ones. Go to the shadows of your mind and harvest
the
deepest roots as you dredge up your survival skills.
What are the weapons you will need to become free of
this old useless baggage? All self-destructive habits will
make you a slave to your thought process. Get the
courage to dig yourself out of the self-induced mud
filled gutters of these titles: Poor me, Caretaker, People
Pleaser! Tune into that pain and let its existence be
known to you. Don't be afraid to take your feelings over
the edge. Stop placing a value on another's judgment
call. After all, it's only their opinion and if it turns into a
physical fight, remember, brute force is a very short-
lived power. Each person or thing that you encounter in
life will try to make you its prey. Check closely on what
you are advertising to others through your speech and
actions and remove those labels that promote you as
usable prey.
Anyone can be sad or happy. You are a thought
away
from making a new choice of how you think and speak
about yourself. Take full responsibility for your
feelings.
Let them touch your heart. Never be afraid to stand up
for all that you are. After all, you are one thought away
from anything that you wish to embrace in the
greatness of your new changes. Life is a gift and made
for the living. Death and sorrow are not life!
Beware of the people you meet, the cruel and also the
sweet. Your chance of survival in this system depends
upon your efficiency to think and make a quick
decision. A highly coordinated plan and a disciplined
follow-through are the most efficient actions for a true
winner. Find the best in you and know you can survive
under any circumstances! Tell yourself daily I AM
WOMAN! Then Baby, go for the gold!
Remember it's the
on-going little stings from all the spiders, bees, wasps,
and scorpions that wear us down in life, never the big
fearful bites. Never let your past hold you back!
Make
yourself a promise! Own your body! Own your mind!
Own your soul! Grab your passion! Know your soul!
Keep a proper attitude.
You are the ONLY ONE that can build a successful and
happy life. SEE YOUR NEEDS ! HEAR YOUR WORDS!
FEEL
YOUR EMOTIONS! TOUCH YOUR LIFE! Then let
these
precious gifts from Wakan Tanka, Great Spirit,
work
through you.
SEND ME YOUR THOUGHTS
I invite you express your
opinions to me by email "mahinto@cox.net".
Any problems, issues you want addressed. Let me
know what you are thinking. All emails will be answered
personally. I will print these opinions in the next
newsletter.
All my relations,
Mahinto
|
|
|
Jake the Philosopher |
|
By Jake, the philosopher, counselor
My, my! I'm so worried I have a migraine headache. The
Coyote has trapped me in a problem. I am so stressed
out about what ShaTonga has taught me about this
animal. So what does all this mean to the little black
dog? Do I have human tricksters in my life? In
order for
me to answer my own question, I must learn to
recognize these coyote traits in all of my human clients
and friends. I know Coyote loses many battles, but
he
is never beaten. What did I do so badly that
would
bring a coyote person into my life? I sure need to learn
more about the benefits of coyote power.
Oh my, what a disaster! I just want to be happy and
live my comfortable life! What if I can't learn Coyote
power and someone tricks me into making an unwise
choice? Maybe they're just playing with me and trying
to set me up to be their fool. I'm a good puppy and
have a caring nature. I take everything to heart, and it
scares me to think I might get caught in a coyote trap.
Maybe counseling is a bad business and I shouldn't deal
with those kind of folks. Maybe they're unfaithful to
their words and are plain freeloaders. I just can't
understand why anyone would take advantage of me
using this kind of behavior. Whatever their motives are,
I'm going to use all my brainpower to dispose of
everyone's trickery and distraction.
Oh, dear, there are so many possibilities. If I could
learn about the trickster, that would help me with my
counseling. I think I will practice this method for a
month and see if it works.
But if Coyote comes to me from outside of my thoughts
then I'm going to step back and look into my
surroundings.
Oh what a job for such a little black dog. Some of my
clients are very bold. I'm going to tell the humans that
if they're a coyote person I'm just going to walk away.
Or I could just not care and let them fall into a trap of
their own making. Or I could be humorous about the
whole thing and trap them in their own game. Maybe I
should tell them if people want to live in the world of
trickery, then they're going to die by trickery. I've got
to watch out! I certainly don't want anything to go
wrong. Oh my, oh my! I'm so confused!
ShaTonga has taught me a very strong lesson. I just
don't know if it is a good or bad lesson. As of late,
she's been trying to make me the butt end of her jokes.
Well, ShaTonga did say that Coyote power is cunning
and if I use it right, I can get myself out of any bad
situation. But if everything fails me, I should just laugh
at myself and let my foolishness be my reward. This
method does not bother me. I'm not afraid to laugh at
my mistakes. ShaTonga told me not to take the human
too seriously. She said she finds them very amusing
when they try to play coyote with her. Hmmm, I
wonder if ShaTonga is part coyote? Oh dear, what if I
have coyote blood in me? What a dilemma! Maybe I will
just lighten up and stop being so critical.
Well, I have to go now. If anyone would consider
helping this little black dog, I would really appreciate
it.
Jake
|
|
|
from ShaTonga's Desk |
|
Throughout the upcoming holiday days, many of us are
dreading the winds of the strong cold. Ah, what great
memories I have about the holidays. The house was
always filled with many nice people. As wolf you know I
know all the rules. But living with my human, I have
been forced to learn a few human demands. I am not
allowed to beg or come near humans when they are
eating. Oh, but the smells coming from the kitchen
made my mouth water. Since I have many human
friends, most understood my dilemma. I gave them sad
eyes or a gentle nudge and they immediately allowed
me to hide under the table where I received many free
delicious morsels. But in my opinion, I was merely
sampling the food to make sure it was good enough for
the humans to eat. Each precious tidbit was deeply
appreciated.
My friend Jake refused to break the house
rules, but I insisted he join me in the festivities. I
taught him Coyote power and within minutes we both
lay quietly under the table working together on thought
transference. We celebrated wonderful dining during
the holidays, but for some reason my human decided
we had gained weight and put us on a diet in the name
of good health.
Our human lifts weights. After the holidays she decided
to do all kinds of exercises. We go with her to the
workout room and encourage her as she sweats and
groans. I guess she too, is on a diet. Jake mentioned
he hoped she did not expect us to lift weights. He
feared one might fall on him, so I told him to lie close to
the door, then we could escape if she made a mistake.
So everything is fine with us, but would you please
advise her a run each day with us is sufficient?
I told Jake how the American Indian felt about Coyote.
They say they have a strong relationship with the
powers of Coyote's great cleverness. Jake,
being a wise
dog, laughed at Coyote's insights when I told him
stories about Coyote being a hero and a fool, always
practicing his powers of trickery. Again, I reminded Jake
to use the power of Coyote's thought transference
while we laid near the open door in the workout room,
watching our mommie work out with her weights. I
spent the entire time telling Jake about the powers of
Ma-shla-cha, Sioux for Coyote. Well, since
Jake has
never seen a coyote, I had to begin from the beginning
describing everything about Coyote.
Coyote can be deceitful by falsely labeling things,
interdependence and cunning. I spoke in depth about
his shameless attitude along with his duality which is
fidelity, parenting, caution, survival, flexibility and
curiosity. Some tribes think the clever, tawny-haired
Coyote is called the sacred dog or medicine dog
using
contrar, or Heyoke power which means
knowing
something so well that you can do it forward or
backward. If a coyote was competing for a kill
with a
bear, the bear would chase him away, and the coyote
would not believe that a bear would actually chase him
away. But being a coyote he would just go back
again!
Jake was shocked at this story and was beginning to
think some of his clients had similar qualities.
I continued and taught Jake that they have keen sight
and hearing but mostly rely on their sense of smell.
Jake roared in a giggling bark when I told him that all
coyotes have a scent gland in their tail and that's how
coyotes find each other. He sniffed at my tail and I
swatted at him, reminding him I was a medicine teacher
before moving forward in my teachings.
Jake knew they had an artistic mind and very strong
intuitive abilities. The only thing is with Coyote they
take shortcuts to reach a goal. Like the Wolf, Coyote
teaches family unity, only mating once in life, and
always sharing in the responsibilities of raising the
young. Jake also knew they lay down a false scent to
keep others away from their dens to protect the
pups.
Everyone knows they hunt in packs using the relay
system to gift the other's with time to rest. I spoke in
great detail about how people place out poisoned meat
to kill the coyote. That's when the coyote had to learn
the difference in good or bad meat. But nevertheless,
they're smart critters and know if any changes have
been made in their environment. That's what makes
them strong survivors. I know they are like vultures and
will wait around a dying animal for twenty-four hours
before they eat the carcass. In winter when food is
scarce they listen for birdcalls and follow that sound to
share in the bird's food. But that's a tradeoff. In the
summer the birds wait in the trees and share in the
coyote's food. During the winter coyotes use their
hearing, and I've heard they can hear a rodent run
underground. It must be so because I've seen them dig
them up for lunch. And like wolf, they too have their
aunties and uncles to help train the new pups.
Sometimes if an auntie is going to be thrown out of the
pack, she will become the baby sitter and get to stay,
doing heroic things to protect the young. Sometimes
they sleep in the day and sometimes at night.
Coyote is Wolf's helper and his curiosity gets
him into
many problems. Coyote is a sly yet famous crafty
trickster. He is recognized for his strength, courage,
invisibility, observation, swiftness,
attentiveness, and
his abilities as a great jokester with magical powers.
He
uses other animals' powers instead of his own, just like
many humans. Life is simple but the coyote complicates
it with poor judgment. He takes himself very seriously
and is very surprised when he falls into his own traps.
It seems he moves from problem to problem never
learning to stop his shenanigans. Coyote is known to
steal his home from other animals and kinda uses it like
a human real estate office, in and out all the time
trying to sell you ocean front property in the desert.
When something is dogging you in life, get ready, for
the spirit of Coyote has come to visit. If you can't
laugh at your craziness then you will never understand
the power of Coyote. If this kind of person comes into
your life, be ready for everything to backfire. I once
heard my human tell a woman that they make bad
business partners and lousy lovers.
But the charm and fun of this scavenger is to make you
look either foolish or wise. You seem to always wonder
about this sacred dog, why did you do that? Once
when we went camping I heard a coyote howl. Knowing
this was merely a social call, I answered and invited him
into camp. It was around two o'clock when he tore into
the trash. I wanted to go visit but my mommie made
me stay in the motorhome while she went out and
moved the garbage then fed him a bowl of my food.
Now I know a coyote will eat anything if it doesn't eat
him first. I thought it was unfair to give away my food
but since he is the wolf's helper, I decided not to
complain, and that's when I learned he loves
watermelon. Another time we were visiting relatives on
the reservation. A Coyote chased a rabbit under the
front porch. I didn't know there was another coyote
under the house but when it came out with the half
eaten rabbit and gave it to the waiting coyote, I felt
good knowing they willingly shared with each other. I
do know that if you trap one they are a vicious fighter,
but mostly they don't like to fight.
As Wolf I know Coyote also mates for life. They usually
steal their home from another digger and remain there
when they are raising their young. They hunt in pairs
and stalk their prey similar to a cat trying to catch a
bird. They usually walk the same trail day after day
unless something pops up, and they can usually find
their dinner within a ten mile radius. It is the only wild
animal that can run fast enough to catch a jack rabbit.
I've heard my mommie say that most Dog Soldier war
parties take a name that usually reflects dog, wolf and
coyote. The warrior usually contacts these animals
through a dream or vision. Dog sometimes relates to
wolf, or a coyote can mean little wolf. If they choose
to change their name they will have a victory dance
and throw away the original name all the while
celebrating their new name. Sometimes they carry
different names according to the role they deem
necessary for the job at hand. The concept for
different names that represent battle shields allows the
warrior to appeal to the animal's power, enabling him to
intensify that particular power through his body.
They
paint their power animal or graphics on their bodies and
decorate their clothing with parts of the
animal.
Using Coyote power they paint a wide red mark across
their eyes and cheeks symbolically saying: Coyote eats
with a bloody mouth. A Dog Soldier would wear four
coyote skins and paint his face blue then make four
lines with his fingers to say, "I carry strong
medicine
power. I can make storms. I can make fog. I can
hide
from any enemy."
Coyote can be sharing. I once heard a story about a
badger and a Coyote hunting together. It seems they
had a rabbit cornered in a log. Well, the badger and the
coyote stood eyeball to eyeball in what we see as
silence. I know they were talking. Without a word they
each walked in different directions and stood guard at
the end of the hollow tree.
It is true, Coyote was listening to the scurrying of a
prairie hen in the bushes all the while being on guard for
the rabbit, in case it came out from his end of the
hollow tree. It wasn't long before the rabbit ran out
toward the badger. The badger grabbed it and told the
Coyote, "I got mine, now go get yours".
Coyote knew not to fight with a badger. He
remembered the shuffle in the bushes and caught the
Prairie Chicken for his dinner. Everyone was happy,
both knowing they would hunt together again, always
abiding by the rules of the badger.
I've tried to teach Jake to hunt, but he doesn't like the
kill. I know he is part coyote because I saw him get his
nail caught on a blanket, ripping it. He cried for days.
When we had to go to the bathroom he conned the
mommie into carrying him in and out of the house. She
even gave him room service for food and water
because he was too lazy to walk. Well one day he
forgot and the mommie found us playing. Guess what! I
knew Jake was making her eat crow. Well, she looked
at him close, smiled, then quit pampering the little black
dog. I told Jake not to worry about her anger, she was
only human, so get over it!
It's time for me to get my leash and take Jake and the
mommie walking. See you next month~~~
ShaTonga
|
|
|
Wind Wolf Woman |
|
Wind Wolf Woman is in the bookstores at
$24.95.
I hope to meet all of you as I tour with the book. If you
wish to buy the book you may order it from my web
page for $22.95 plus $3.00 shipping and handling. Let
me send you a personalized autographed copy.
"Wind Wolf Woman", an autobiographical
account, chronicles the life history of a
fourth-generation American Indian medicine woman who
learns
to balance on the razor's edge between two
cultures -
the Red world and the White world - with vastly
different belief systems. In this epic journey of her
search for identity and spirituality, she struggles
determinedly to find a place for herself in both cultures
while battling rejection. After traveling around the world
and learning from many spiritual teachers, she returns
full circle to her traditional Indian roots.
Born an illegitimate breed and deposited days later on
her father's doorstep she knew nothing of her birth
mother until later in life. Named Sunbeam by her
paternal grandmother and raised under her strong hand
of discipline, Sunbeam learns the sacredness of all life
and how it relates to the medicine ways.
In crafting her life story, Mahinto - lecturer, teacher,
and medicine woman - reveals the twentieth-century
plight of the Indian people, who until recently were
portrayed as a nomadic race riding free as the wind
over the land they called home. At the same time, she
offers promise that all cultures can, by honoring the
preciousness of life, walk together in harmony on our
sacred Mother Earth.
Order book "Wind Wolf Woman": »
|
| Quick Links... |
|
|
|
|
© 2003 The Red Pathway Learning Center & Foundation, Inc.
|