December 22 Daily Feast, Elder’s Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

December 22 - Daily Feast

Right now the season is at high glitter. Christmas trees in the square are covered with twinkling lights and shops and eating places teem with people in a holiday mood. Gifts of love and obligatory gifts pass from hand to hand and most lay their differences aside for a short time. A time is recalled when the love and happiness were poured into our little homespun Christmas tree, and I wished for lights. My little Cherokee u in tsi, Mother, took me to the doorway and pointed at the heaven so aglitter with stars. She stood quite still for a few seconds and the smiled at me and said, "It kind of puts a light bulb to shame, doesn't it?"

~ .... Ere you change conditions that have brought peace and happiness.

PUSHMATAHA - CHOCTAW, 1700s

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day - December 22

"From Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, there came a great unifying life force that flowed in and through all things-the flowers of the plains, blowing winds, rocks, trees, birds, animals-and was the same force that had been breathed into the first man. Thus all things were kindred, and were brought together by the same Great Mystery."

Chief Luther Standing Bear, SIOUX

The Great Spirit has six things that make up this life force. They are life, love, intelligence, soul, principle, and truth. These are the reasons the life cycle continues. None of this can be altered by man, but we can have access to these powers any time we wish. Just think about it-anytime I have a need I can access one or more of these powers."

Oh Great Mystery, let me know how to use these powers. Today, let me love life, let me know truth, let me live by principle, and let me follow Your intelligence.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

A lady of much wisdom has often remarked, "If you want to feel well all the time and feel alive, you have to keep the rhythm in your body." Rhythm, the gentle, easy flow of life.

Ordinarily we think of keeping time with music when we think of rhythm. The very idea of allowing one's self the frivolity of feeling rhythm - and such a wonderful idea!

There is an underlying rhythm to all of living. Whenever there is life, there is that pulsating rhythm that has everything on the move. There is harmony and there is a subtle smoothness to finding one's own pace. When we get out of step and resist that pace, we have "one of those days" when everything goes wrong.

William Shakespeare wrote, "The man that hath no music in himself, not is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; the motions of his spirit are dull as night, and his affections dark as Erbus. Let no such man be trusted."