The Angels have said that "The Purpose of every soul is to live in Joy".
I have always found that in order to spread joy and happiness around to others one must find these within themselve first. You cannot spead something that you ,yourself donot feel. For me, Joy comes in the little things . Joy and happiness comes in the quiet moments... the first rays of the dawn, the song of a song bird, the sound of the water as it plays over the rocks in a quiet little stream, soft gentle breezes on a warm summers day, cotton candy clouds floating across crystal blue skies. These are things that I notice as I take just a few minuts to sit and just be in the moment or take a walk and be in the moment. These aren't big things, they are small and simple; yet they bring peace, and peace brings harmony to the soul. Joy can be found in the little things.  When you have Joy ,happiness follows and it radiates out of you like the rays of the sun ,touching all those whos lives you touch...then it spreads , spreading Joy isn't hard ,because Joy is found in the little things, a smile , a kind word, a good deed,  Yes, Joy can be found in the little things...
One day not long ago, after having a beautiful morning of sitting outside with the sunshine ,  the birds singing, and the flowers so fresh and vibrant, I had  even been able to write some that morning.  What a gift,  I had gone to the Dr's office to pick up a paper I needed and while I was waiting for it  I noticed a man standing in line waiting to sign in .  He had this look about him that I recognized right away. I saw immediately and was given a messag to give to him so I walked up to him and began to speak to him ... I asked him if he was a Vietnam Veteran and He said he was, I then asked him if he had a moment that I had something very important that I just had to tell him. We stepped aside  and I began to tell him that  All the servicemen involed with war that we are in now always get a heroes welcome when they come home and are treated so well, and when 9/11 happened ,the police and the fireman and all who were involved with that were heroes and were treated as such... and I wanted him to understand that in my heart He was every bit as much a Hero  . I thanked him for fighting and doing what he did and for  all the sacrifices he made .  I told him that I understand his pain and his not understanding why things went the way they did ,that he was just doing what he was ordered to do by his comanding officer, he had no choice, he was so very young, and scared,he didn't even know why he was there half the time, just that he was told to be there,  so he went.  I said it to him again " You are my hero, thank you so much for what you did for all of us."  at this point tears were streaming out of his eyes  and mine too, he hugged me and said thank you He got back in line and I sat down... A little while later as I was ready to leave, He was also leaving his appointment , how amazing things work out, he walked up to me and said, I wanted to thank you for all that you said to me in there, Today ,I had planned to end my life but you changed that for me, I am not going to do that now. I am going to stay now. Thank you .  He had such a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face that wasn't there before and when he told me that ,I felt such joy and happiness like I have never felt before. We hugged each other again  and  as I was leaving to head to my car  I heard him whistleing a song as he walked to his car.. Thank God.. When ever I think of him and I do from time to time ,I offer up a prayer of Thanksgiving for him and all who have ever served in any of the conflics or battles, or wars or disasters, or whatever.throughout history. You are the heroes.. all of you. whether you were recognized or not, I am recognizing you now and saying thank you..  ~   Joy comes in the little things ~  I wish you Joy , Peace and Happiness.

 Lord,
I know it's early, it is still dark and I should probably still be asleep but I got up early to tell you something before you get real busy with your day...
Thank you Lord for the blanket of white that lays upon the ground and the diamond studded sky with the silver moon beams that flow gracefully down from the Heavens to light our way through the night.  Thank you for this gift of life that you so lovingly give,for the breath I breathe,for the wind I hear blowing through the branches way up high in the trees. Thank you for the little birds that come each day to greet me, they are here now  and they sing so sweetly with no cares in the world for you are there with your rod and your staff to care for all their needs. Thank you for  the gifts of family , and friends and for the people that you send my way each day ,  for the wonderful gifts they give to me and for whatever I may be able to offer them ,I thank you. 
I thank you for the guardian angels you place at my doors each night for safety and protection.Thank you for the angels you send to love and comfort , For I feel their gentle caress across my brow and all the worries and concerns of the day seem to melt away ,and instantly there is joy in my heart , then sleep comes once again.
Lord, I know deep inside that this is true for I have learned this over and over many times in my life,  that I must have faith, I must trust and believe in you and you will make all things whole and new. You have always come through,always and I thank you dear Lord . And  now, as I sit here this early morning as the sun is beginning to rise, I realize that this sparkeling crystal blanket of white has come early this year. I am looking in awe at the sight before me and  I am so greatful for yet another beautiful ,preacious gift that you have given, for now I have roses in the snow. 

Grandfather, Great Spirit, you have been always,
And before you nothing has been.
There is no one to pray to but you.
The star nations all over the heavens are yours,
And yours are the grasses of the earth.
Grandfather, Great Spirit, fill us with the light.
Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives to all that live.
Help us, for without you we are nothing.


- Black Elk (1863-1950)

To explore the essence of Native American Spirituality is to understand our connection with the natural world and the cosmos.  We do not see ourselves outside or apart from nature, for man is no greater than the smallest plant or the biggest star, all of the creatures including the animals, birds and the fish are called ‘brother'.  In our poetic interpretation of a creative life, the Native People's used names which showed the respect and the honor we have for all life, the trees are known as the ‘standing people',  and there are the ‘winged ones'. The mineral kingdom, from the smallest stones to the great rocks which form the canyons, mountains and mesa's of the deserts  are known as the ‘stone people' even the ‘cloud people' look down upon us from the great skies. 
Our connection with the earth is a natural relationship, the earth is seen as the mother and is known as ‘Mother Earth' it is she who gives the abundance of physical life, food, shelter and water.  She gives the forests where the standing people grow allowing ‘her children' (us humans!) to receive fuel and logs to make dwellings, she gives the oceans, the rivers and the streams for water, movement and food.  ‘Mother Earth' has everything to give and she gives it freely, because of this the Native American People treat her with respect and honor for she knows we are all connected that is why we say 'All my relations'. The spirit of life which comes from the ‘Great Spirit' known as ‘Wakan Tanka', is found in all things, and because of this belief everything and everyone is connected, this is expressed  by the ‘Sacred Hoop', a sacred and important symbol in Native American life and spirituality.  Our connection with the Sacred Hoop holds a deep understanding of the earthly cycles found in the seasons of the year, and with planetary cycles and movements of the cosmos.  Everything moves in a circular motion, the earth, the sun, the moon and even the planets are circular, Black Elk talks about the power of the world in a circle in his word he describes perfectly the essence of the meaning behind the symbology of the circle and ‘The Sacred Hoop'.
"Everything the Power of the World does is in a circle.  The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are the stars.  The wind in its greatest power whirls.  Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.  The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle.  The moon does the same, and both are round.  Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were.  The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood and so it is in everything where power moves.  Our tepee's were round like the nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation's hoop, a nest of many nests, where the Great Spirit meant for us to hatch our children"
Black Elk.

This powerful connection with the circle enables the native peoples to understand our earthly walk, it helps create a greater awareness of our own place in the order of things and we believe that our earthly walk is as important as the afterlife and so walking on earth ‘in beauty' is as walking in ‘heaven'.  In Native American spirituality ‘God' is present in all things and there was and is no such word for ‘religion', although as the white settlers came into North America, some Native groups incorporated the Christian beliefs with their own.  Many of the native peoples were not allowed to practise their own beliefs including their ceremonies and rituals and history recorded a great repression of the Native American spirituality amongst tribes and nations.   

Although there is a common theme that connects the Native American people, the diversity found in the culture,their environments, and with the groups and tribes themselves, individual connection with the ‘Sacred Hoop' is expressed through our unique and creative use of ceremony and ritual.  This connection also finds expression through the symbolism of  arts and crafts and sacred objects used for ceremonies.  As the Native American people see the earth as sacred ,many of our ceremonies look to honor that connection.  We used and continue to use ceremony to honor the spirits, for everything has a spirit!  Before hunting and afterwards we would honor the spirit of the animals.    When the men were hunting, they would give thanks and gratitude to honor the life and eternal spirit of a ‘brother'.  The mountains and the rivers, the rains and all the elements were honored and respected often with music, dance and feasting.  The
natural forces of the world were and still are seen as aspects of the ‘Great Spirit', which controlled a specific area of the natural and supernatural world.   We did not  and still do not worship objects as icons,we honored the unseen essence of the ‘Great Spirit'  that it was part of.

As Black Elk says,"We should understand well that all things are the works of the Great Spirit.  We should know that He is within all things; the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and all the four-legged animals and the winged peoples, even more important, we should understand that he is also above all these things and peoples. When we do understand all this deeply in our heart, then we will fear, and love and know the Great Spirit, and then we will be and act and live as He intends".
Black Elk.

This connection with the earth and the natural world are the foundations upon which all of our actions in life are built. We can learn more about this connection by exploring the symbolism of the arts, the ceremonies , the stories and myths and the way in which we approach  and developed relationships with our everyday existence,in  which we seek to find harmony and balance through respect and honor to all our  relations!!

"Peace... comes within the souls of men when they realise their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells "Wakan Tanka" The Great Spirit, and that this centre is really everywhere, it is within each of us!"

 

1. Learning. Learn from all our relations, from mountain, plant, animal, human, from dreams, from elders and children, from stories and life experiences. Good learning creates connection and caring; poor learning is intellectual baggage.
2. Respect. Honor all forms of life; do not be careless in your thoughts, words, and actions. Respect yourself; low self-esteem insults Creator's precious gift of life.
3. Acceptance. We cannot grow unless we accept who we are and have the courage to face and learn from our weaknesses and shadows.
4. Spiritual Sight. Sight and insight are equally important. Spiritual sight means ridding the mind of mental screens, so that we perceive the world without preconception, stereotype, and prejudice.
5. Listening. The spiritual person is a good listener. Native American elders sometimes test prospective students by observing how comfortable they are with silence. The narcissistic person is always thinking and speaking and thus has nothing to express but his or her own opinions. There is no silent space in which to simply listen and experience.
6. Speaking. If we can hear the truth but are afraid to express and live it, even when it goes against the crowd, then we can never find inner peace. Walk your talk, and talk your walk.
7. Love. Keetoowah once said that he used to fight his enemies, but later decided he was going to love them to death! Love is for warriors, not whimps. Indian healers like to remind Christians that Jesus' love did not prevent him from throwing greedy merchants out of the temple. Actions that increase love are good; actions that decrease love are evil.
8. Service. Service is more than "helping." Some people help from a position of superiority and expect something in return. True service is selfless and without ulterior motive.
9. Relationship. Native American prayers frequently include the expression "All my relations." We are all related, like plants growing from the same soil. The action of any member of a community affects all members. We are accountable to each other and to all of nature. A feeling of connectedness is the source of responsible action.
10. Creativity. Nature never repeats herself. Although we are all related, we must each find our own path to Creator. An Innu elder once said "If you sing someone else's song, you are called a liar in my language." Creativity means allowing the mind to soar like the eagle. The eagle does not follow any one else's ruts and leaves no track in the sky.
11. Dynamic Spirituality. The spiritual person does not sit in a cave and wait for "enlightenment" before doing good in the world. A medicine person is in the front lines. A warrior like Geronimo or Crazy Horse would lead his warriors, not watch from the hill top. Spiritual warriors stand up for what they believe in and fight against injustice.
12. Gratitude. Gratitude is more than saying "thank you." We can express gratitude through music, song, prayer, dance, and art. When we are grateful to  the Creator for our gifts and blessings, we strengthen those blessings. If you receive a meaningful dream, thank Creator for the dream, and it is more likely to come true. If a deer crosses your path or an eagle flies overhead, thank these "creature teachers,"  . Spiritual powers that appear in vision are more likely to hang around when they see concrete expressions of gratitude. They don't like to be taken for granted.

 


Come stand in starlight wonder
feel the leaping flames of the fire a glow
for we bring the torch of wisdom
as seasons pass and day turns into night.
And the ice cold ,flowing waters of a spring fed river
flowing free from deep within the mountains' heart
and Spring breaks free after a long winters night.

Oh come out of your half dream ,
See the hills ablaze with the moons bright gaze
We are young and alive
so come run and dance
in the hills of green and gold
for He is waiting with arms wide open.

He is the Chief, He is the Shepherd, He is the King of Kings
And He gave us the wisdom ,a world of knowledge to behold
 He asks us to spread it around to lands far and wide
while He sits upon the throne to await our return home.
And as you look to the sky on a cold gray dawn,
with heavy gray clouds hanging way down low
and you feel like the world is slipping away,
just  remember that He is waiting there
with His arms wide open.

As Spring breaks free after a long winters night
See the valley below turn green and gold
as we run like the river
and fly like the eagle, we all shine like the sun,
in this new world
in this new land.

Sharon Littledove (c) 2008

Friday Five Tag Game Specially On Sunday
Thank you Sherri...My you always know what a blessing you are...

I think I will tag Spirit Warrior, Burt, Denim,karin,Willow

1. What are you thankful for today? everything and everyone


 2. What do you appreciate about the earth? How she sustains us
  
  3. Who is the last person you said thank you to? I thanked my little grandson Konor for coming  to visit  me  
 
  4 . When was the last time someone thanked you ?Tonight, when my daughter picked  up Konor
   5. What is your favorite way to say thank you? with a hug

I believe you made everything I can see,
all the mountains, valleys, and the deepest blue seas.
So,everything I want is you.... alive in me....
though I may be young, You said " Let the children come"
So I will sing you a song
I'm not too small to know you Jesus
I will sing a song for you

Even when my eyes don't see.
I know you are there with me
that was your promise
and I hold it in my heart as true
though I may be young ,You said "Let the children come"
so I will sing you a song

I believe with all my heart
that you will come again
without question
I beileve that you will come
again as you have said,
You are The Way , The Truth and The Life.
though I may be young,You said" Let the children come"

yes, I do believe
without question
So , I will sing a song for you
though I may be young,You said "Let the children come"
and I will sing a song for you

Sharon Littledove (c) 2008