Walking The Red Road October 3

I wonder if the ground has anything to say? I wonder if the ground is listening to what is said? I
wonder if the ground would come alive and what is on it? Though I hear what the ground says. The
ground says, It is the Great Spirit that places me here. The Great Spirit tells me to take care of
the Indians, to feel them aright. The Great Spirit appointed the roots to feed the Indians on. The
water says the same thing. The Great Spirit directs me, feed the Indians well. The grass says the
same thing, Feed the Indians well. The ground water and grass say, the Great Spirit has given us
names. We have these names and hold these names. The ground says, the Great spirit has placed me
here to produce all that grows on me, trees and fruit. The same way the ground says, It was from
me man was made. The Great Spirit, In placing men on the Earth, desired them to take good care of
the ground and do each other no harm…

Chief Young, Cayuse, 1855

Meditations with Native American Elders

“Spiritual Values are an Attitude.”
Leonard George, Chief Councilor

Attitude is a direction which we follow. If you have a
positive attitude, it means you will lean towards a
positive direction. If you have a negative attitude,
it means you will lean away from the Spirit.
Therefore, if we lean towards spiritual values, then
our actions will become significant and important. If
we lean away from spiritual values, our actions will
become insignificant or unimportant. For example, if
we value love, we will lean towards it; we will prefer
to express and embrace it.
Great Spirit, teach me the significance of spiritual
values.

<><><><><>
A Cherokee Feast Of Days

Give others the benefit of doubt. Never imagine that
someone has wronged you because of the way things
look. Appearances deceive even the smartest people.
Check things out. What is the truth?
Sometimes people do things that we don’t think they
should do. We can’t definitely know what motivated
them to do what they did—just as they can’t know what
definitely motivated us to do a particular thing. So
why question motives that we can not possibly know?
Save yourself the pain and frustration of imagining
that others have wronged you. If you seek it, the
truth will come because you cared enough to look for
it.
Indians have principles of truth, honesty, generosity,
equity, and brotherhood.
CHIEF LUTHER STANDING BEAR, LAKOTA