June 15 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

June 15 - Daily Feast

When we lean solely on the past, we remember vividly the things that never were. If something was u wo du hi, beautiful, the present time fades in comparison. If it was bad, it too often consumes our joy in every new day. It is a daily matter to pick up the good and put down the not so good. We hope to preserve the precious and lose what oppressed our happier natures. But it requires us to monitor what we are thinking about and how we tell it - and not pull up the flowers with all the weeds. If we had the capacity to be happy at one time, we still have it. It is just that we have it in a new time, under new circumstances and with a spirit freed from the past. The worst slave is the one who dwells on and relives the past in all its murkiness.

~ I will not dwell on, nor mourn over, our untimely decay, nor reproach our paleface brothers for hastening it.... ~

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day June 15

"Today, what is important for us is to realize that the old sacred ways are correct, and that if we do not follow them we will be lost and without a guide."

Thomas Yellowtail, CROW

A long time ago the Creator gave to the people all the knowledge on how we should live and conduct ourselves. The Native people have been influenced be outside "tribes" who don't know about the Sacred Way. Our Elders still know about the old sacred ways. We need to consult and talk to them before it's too late. Every family needs to seriously evaluate whether they are living according to the old knowledge. If we are faultfinding, putting one another down, being selfish, being violent to our spouses or children, if we are cheating and being dishonest, then we are not living the old Sacred Way. The old way is about respect, love, forgiveness and sharing.

Great Spirit, today, teach me the old Sacred Way you taught my ancestors.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

The longest face and the saddest cry
Always seem to come with the question why
Why did you take what belonged to me?
It has always been mine, or can't you see
That you have no rights, to right to claim,
And you did just that, you're to blame
For all my unhappiness, all of my tears.
Well, perhaps not all, part were my fears.
And I suppose if I think I can also say
That if I've lost anything, it's really the way
That I treated the things that used to be mine.
I saw clouds on the days where there was really sunshine,
I turned often to darkness instead of the light.
I saw all of the wrong, but never the right,
And in all honesty I suppose I must say
If I've lost anything, I gave it away.

Donadagahv’I

Tawodi Unega
( White Hawk )

I will be going by My new true and traditional Cherokee Name From the Bird Clan . It will not be official, however, until I can have the ceremony for it By my Udo ( Brother ) Mashu: Tawodi Unega ( White Hawk )

"Be good, be kind, help each other."
"Respect the ground, respect the drum, respect each other."

Abe Conklin - Ponca/Osage, (1926-1995)

May The Creator walk with you.