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I thought this was a sacred circle.
A circle to reflect the fire.
WE should all reflect the fire.
Memory is precious and something to share.
I will confess .
My little bro thought ants without sting cannot hurt. So I told him he was wrong. And then he stomped them till he realized.
The red and black leaf cutters can kick pretty hard.
I think maybe you have the wrong understanding of what this sacred circle is about,it is not about the fire in the center, it is about those who sit around it, the fire is just a means to bring all together in one place. You may think about what you have done when you cut the tree down. Beneath the tree is a whole world of other animals and plants, once you have removed that tree you have destroyed the whole world and all for one particular bird that you seem to possess. An owl is not the kind of bird that you keep in captivity,it is meant to be in the wild and would it not have been better to take the owl the tree,thus not destroy in the world that lived beneath the tree... It is the web of life and we are all connected to the web.
I think maybe you have the wrong understanding of what this sacred circle is about,it is not about the fire in the center, it is about those who sit around it, the fire is just a means to bring all together in one place. You may think about what you have done when you cut the tree down. Beneath the tree is a whole world of other animals and plants, once you have removed that tree you have destroyed the whole world and all for one particular bird that you seem to possess. An owl is not the kind of bird that you keep in captivity,it is meant to be in the wild and would it not have been better to take the owl the tree,thus not destroy in the world that lived beneath the tree... It is the web of life and we are all connected to the web.
I've just been hit with revelation after revelation the past 2 weeks. I've started meditating again it's like my eyes are being opened. I'm just starting to stress a lot less over things I can't control. I've been reading the Stoics and it has been an eye opening experience. I feel like I'm really starting on a journey, a journey that has been waiting on me my whole life.
Looking back at the novels and stories of the literature that influenced several Generations of people. The stories of native Americans as portrayed in the American novels. How many people have been influenced by Zane Grey, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the dime novels of Ned BuntlineThe Saturday movies and radio shows of old-- Tom Mix, The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Bobby Benson, Stright Arrow etc. How they shaped our views of Native Americans.
What picture of Native Americans do many people have? The Noble Red Man, The wise Medicine man, The Faithful Companion, etc. The wise old Indian sitting in a Teepee saying things like "You can not dance in the lake when the fish are playing with the Prairie dogs" The Indian Scout with his ear to the ground saying " I hear a wagon train 4 miles to the east, Five Bullalo hunters 10 miles South, a White man and his Wife eating lunch a mile to the west and from the North the desperadoes you are looking for." or the Fearless Indian companion coming to the rescue of his Cowboy Hero.
Guess what?
Native Americans are people, human beings just like everybody else and like all people no 2 are alike. Stereotypes are not real. People are real and the only way we will every discover real people is when we know all people are equal and no 2 are the same. If we look at a person and see skin color, clothing style etc--We probably have never learned how to accept our neighbor as our equal.
Sadly we are all prone to see stereotypes and not People. What does does a Christian see if he hears someone is a Muslim? What does a Muslim see if he hears his neighbor is a Jew? What does a White Man see if he learns the people moving next door are from Africa?
We all make visual pictures of what we expect and that can blind us from seeing what our neighbors actually look like.
I think we all should strive to carry our friendship to others to the level we only see them as friends and do not see any ethnic signs.
I think we all should strive to carry our friendship to others to the level we only see them as friends and do not see any ethnic signs.
That sounds good, Woodrow, but that is not how humans instinctively behave.
Our species has prospered because we are good at teamwork. We like to belong to a group of people who are similar to us. When we encounter another human, we have to decide if you are one of 'us' or if you are one of 'them'. We may use your race, religion, culture, ethnicity, or any other factors to make that decision.
We simply like to hang out with people like us.
For example, I used to work as part of a group that was about half-white and half-black. We all got along very well. One time we had a luncheon, and it turned out to be one table of black people and another table of white people. That's human nature for you.
Of course, we should be aware of our prejudices and try to deal with other people fairly and with respect. But we cannot totally overcome our innate prejudices, nor should we even try to overcome them totally. Our 'gut instinct' can often help to keep us out of trouble.
I agree with Hiker45. Human beings are inherently prejudiced/biased -- its what's left of an essential survival skill (instinct?) from a time when "different" all-too-often meant "dangerous."
There is no harm in having prejudices/biases, because we all do. The harm comes when we, automatically and without thinking, act on them.
I think maybe you have the wrong understanding of what this sacred circle is about,it is not about the fire in the center, it is about those who sit around it, the fire is just a means to bring all together in one place. You may think about what you have done when you cut the tree down. Beneath the tree is a whole world of other animals and plants, once you have removed that tree you have destroyed the whole world and all for one particular bird that you seem to possess. An owl is not the kind of bird that you keep in captivity,it is meant to be in the wild and would it not have been better to take the owl the tree,thus not destroy in the world that lived beneath the tree... It is the web of life and we are all connected to the web.
The circle is another symbol familiar to traditional Cherokee. The Stomp Dance and other ceremonies involve movements in a circular pattern. In ancient times, the fire in the council house was built by arranging the wood in a continuous "X" so that the fire would burn in a circular path. The Traditional Belief System
The Fire is sacred and is what brings us together as one. One Came From the Heavens
We Cherokees understand that it was Jiya Unega who gave our people the Sacred Fire that has been kept now for some 5,089 years. Jiya Unega gave the Fire as reminder of Creator’s presence with us, and he gave us the ceremonies with which to keep the Fire. Jiya Unega, Creator-Son, instructed us that as long as we keep this Fire, we will continue to survive as a people. Four Important Cherokee Stories
The circle is another symbol familiar to traditional Cherokee. The Stomp Dance and other ceremonies involve movements in a circular pattern. In ancient times, the fire in the council house was built by arranging the wood in a continuous "X" so that the fire would burn in a circular path. The Traditional Belief System
The Fire is sacred and is what brings us together as one. One Came From the Heavens
We Cherokees understand that it was Jiya Unega who gave our people the Sacred Fire that has been kept now for some 5,089 years. Jiya Unega gave the Fire as reminder of Creator’s presence with us, and he gave us the ceremonies with which to keep the Fire. Jiya Unega, Creator-Son, instructed us that as long as we keep this Fire, we will continue to survive as a people. Four Important Cherokee Stories
And as a Christian I know this sacred Fire as the Holy Spirit.
You can follow all Stories back to the beginning. This is what I meant by Spirit walk. To connect all our ancestors Web. The Spider I know very well.
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