September 23, 24 & 25 2016 Daily Feast Of Wisdom (Tsugitsvnvda Danalisdayvhvsgv Agadohvsdi ) (ᏧᎩᏨᏅᏓ ᏓᎾᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎬ ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗ)

2016

September
Duliisdi
ᏚᎵᎢᏍᏗ

Friday
Tsunagilosti
ᏧᎾᎩᎶᏍᏘ

September 23 - Daily Feast

Other people's opinions are simply a view, not a verdict. A certain type of personality wants his view to be the effective one - the one that says what should be valid and what should be invalid. But even if he was right for the moment, does he have to be right forever? Listen, we can change. Any of us. It is our privilege to put down the old nature and to take on the new. It will be suspect - things like that always are. But St. Paul was a rascal until he made a change one day. We can do that - and we can move out of range of those who will not accept the change. Seems that it would be the best revenge to be good even though the skeptics raise their eyebrows.

~ We want to know whether you are going to fight the Sioux or not. We want to know. ~

BLACKFOOT - CROW

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 23

"When that spirit comes, we don't ever ask questions. If I don't understand, I just hold onto it. Then later down the road, maybe in a couple of years, I understand what that spirit meant."

Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

At certain spiritual events or happenings, it is possible for the spirits to come. Sometimes these spirits look like sparklers of light, sometimes you can feel them, sometimes they will look like live human beings. The spirits always come for a reason. When we deal with the spirit world, we need to be patient. The Great Spirit will tell us the meaning of these happenings when He is ready.

Great Spirit, let me be aware of Your presence.

"THINK on THESE THINGS"
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

If everyone were alike, what a dull world this would be. It is the individuality of each person that makes the world so interesting.

The tremendous differences in people give a wide range of personalities, beliefs, and appearances to every group, no matter how small.

If all the flowers in the world were of one color, would we think them so beautiful? It is the variety and wide range of rainbow colors that keeps us fascinated.

Cowper wrote, "Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor." So many have no thought of life except what they will eat, what they will wear, and how they can entertain themselves. And then we come on someone who has the ability to see loveliness in the sunlight and charm in the quiet rain. They can say things to encourage, or to make calm and peaceful.

We meet many different kinds of people. Some we love and some we like and love, which is a terrific difference. It is to find a wholeness or a part of our lost self in someone else. It isn't that they are so much like us or that we believe the way they do, but that they communicate, and it is this rare communication that respects the differences between peoples.

2016

September
Duliisdi
ᏚᎵᎢᏍᏗ

Saturday
Dodaquidena
ᏙᏓᏈᏕᎾ

September 24 - Daily Feast

When we have a genuine interest in something we seldom lack the energy to do it. Hour after hour thought and energy flow into the routine and weariness has no part. There will surely be some necessary work that will not excite us - but we can refuse to be dull and slow of mind and spirit. How many times we have nearly given up because we could not see creativity or color. And then a change would come - a different view and energy would flow in and the misery would be forgotten. Energy can only flow when it is connected to a live circuit. Our work is to stay connected.

~ I am not talking anything badly or angrily, but simply the truth. ~

SATANTA - KIOWA

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 24

"Touch not the poisonous firewater that makes wise men turn to fools and robs the spirit of its vision."

Tecumseh, SHAWNEE

It's not an accident that firewater is also called spirits. Firewater affects our judgments. The Great Spirit created a set of laws and principles by which we are to live our lives. When we have problems we should pray and ask for the wisdom of these laws. If instead we turn to liquor, our judgment will be affected. It is the decision and choice made under the influence of booze that causes us to be fools. We need to learn to lean on prayer and not on the spirits of alcohol.

Great Spirit, teach me to pray. Let not one drop of liquor touch my lips today.

"THINK on THESE THINGS"
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

So often it is difficult to know where the line lies between kindness and domineering. It doesn't sound as if the two could possibly ever mix, but sometimes in our watchfulness over those we care about we're inclined to thin it is a kind of goodness when it actually becomes domineering.

It is often the best and kindest thing to let others think for themselves. Even though the helpfulness is a love, it can be smothering to the ones who want to breathe freely, even of their own problems.

Concern can turn to possessiveness in the space of a moment and do it do subtly it is almost impossible to comprehend. All individuals have the right to make their own mistakes and also the undeniable right to correct those mistakes. It makes help appreciated when it comes and then help is recognized as help and not as ownership.

If we were all told what to do, it would relieve us of the burden of the responsibility of thinking, planning, or making decisions. Out lives would be literally free of care. And there are those among us who love to direct the traffic of other people's lives. But have you noticed how detestable it is to them to have the smallest suggestion made concerning their own? What a display of vanity!

There are always sycophants, or "apple polishers," if you will, who fawn and flatter the vanity. But to have one's vanity built to great heights is not always an act of love, but more often subtle scorn.

Love is the only force against vanity. Love does not wish to command, but only to serve. If love cannot tell the truth it does not speak. Vanity separates, love joins. Love does not ask that another take the responsibility, but it asks only the strength to bear it.

2016

September
Duliisdi
ᏚᎵᎢᏍᏗ

Sunday
Dodaquasgvi
ᏙᏓᏆᏍᎬᎢ

September 25 - Daily Feast

Don't fret. When you can affect the outcome of something toward peace, do it. But stewing about those things you can't do anything about is wasted energy. Many of our problems would disappear if we did not keep them going with our fretting. We nag ourselves into despair and shoulder guilt that isn't ours. No doubt we have reason to be upset, but who doesn't. The ideal solution is to love and let go. The practical answer is to keep our mouths shut and let the knots unravel. They will.

~ They do not work underhanded at all, but declare plainly that they want peace. ~

SATANTA - KIOWA

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 25

"Even the trees have spirits - everything has a spirit."

Mary Hayes, CLAYOQUOT

The trees are great teachers. The trees are great listeners. That is why we should meditate in their presence. The Great spirit is in every rock, every animal, every human being and in every tree. The Great Spirit has been in some trees for hundreds of years. Therefore, the trees have witnessed and heard much. The trees are the Elders of the Elders. Their spirits are strong and very healing.

Great Spirit, teach me respect for all spiritual things.

"THINK on THESE THINGS"
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

In every society there always seem to be people who feel it is their duty to read the riot act to whomever, in their opinion, is in need of it at the moment. Come be my friend until I have time to let you know the things you're doing wrong. This is a committee of one, in all my busy days.....taking time to straighten out all who are not conforming to my ideas.

Who, in all the world, has so much wisdom as to consider themselves so forever right.....to be capable of such certainty as to what another person should do. And even if they should be right, who commissioned them in all their wisdom to speak the words that have such power to wither a spirit.

When the world has so much hurt, why should one voice be raised against another who has not spoken an unkind word in its direction. When even the strongest is so in need of compassion and love, why is one voice, sharp edged and driven deep, allowed to speak.

Our words can build or destroy. And we never really know just when something we say may make a decision for someone else, to give them courage or further fear. But God help all who have not learned that the words we speak come back to us.....many times.