June 9 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

June 9 - Daily Feast

Near is the lion on our path. But if we turn around and face it straight-on, it will slink away. The sooner we learn that fear has no power but what we give it, the sooner we gain control of all our emotions. The Tsalagi may know fear, but his stoic expression will never reveal it. To a Cherokee, u na ye hi s di, fear or alarm, is the face of the enemy that tries to numb his mind and spirit to make it easier to conquer him. The lion's roar is silenced the minute we face it down with our own ga na nv di s gi, war whoop, that shows we mean business. We have no intention to stand still and let fear open the door to worse things. By the faith words of our mouths we turn away, not only the lion, but all it represents.

~ I turn with a shout that we are saved! ~

STANDING BEAR

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day June 9

"Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished."

Chief Sealth, DUWAMISH

Native people say the Earth is sacred. Some places on Earth will feel more sacred than others. You can often feel the sacredness of these places because of what has happened on them. If you do a ceremony on a certain place and return later, whatever happened before will still be there to help you. Even if someone you didn't know did something on the Earth and you come along later, the powers will be there to help you. This is why the Earth is sacred and these special places are sacred spots.

My Creator, let the powers of the sacred places help the people 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 mix, but sometimes we're inclined to think it a kind of goodness when it actually becomes domineering.

It is often then best of kindest think to let others think for themselves. Even though the helpfulness is of 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 so suddenly 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 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. Our 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.

Donadagahv’I

Tawodi Unega
( White Hawk )

I will be going by my new Cherokee Name From the Bird Clan
By my Udo ( Brother ) Mashu: Tawodi Unega ( White Hawk )

This is going to be My true and traditional name. It will not be official, however, until I can have the ceremony for it.

May The Creator walk with you.

A-na-s-gv-ti U-ne-la-nv-hi Ni-go-hi-lv-i
Wa-tsi Ga-wo-hi-lv-do-di Ni-hi
( May God Always Watch Over You )