November 5 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

November 5 - Daily Feast

Secretly, we are afraid others will see what we know is true - that we don't have what it takes. The Cherokee says we are not u wo hi yu - we lack confidence and we suspect others can see it. But no one can do everything - and, even if they can, they seldom do it. What we fear, others fear. Our needs are others' needs. Our thoughts, our worries, though hidden from view, are not in the heart of just one person - but all. There's no need for a stumbling block. We may not be superhuman but we are spirit, and spirit has no limits. Spirit is not dwarfed by circumstances. It has all power and makes us worthy.

~ He has done nothing for which an Indian ought to be ashamed. ~

BLACK HAWK - SAUK AND FOX

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

Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 5

"You could study the ancestors, but without a deep feeling of communication with them it would be surface learning and surface talking. Once you have gone into yourself and have learnt very deeply, appreciate it, and relate to it very well, everything will come very easily."

Ellen White, NANAIMO

Inside of every human being are our ancestors, and these ancestors still live. Today, the white man calls this DNA, but there is more than DNA. We have the ability to go inside of ourselves and learn from the ancestors. The ancestor teachings reside in the place of the center. The ancestors are waiting for us to come there so they can share the ancient teachings. It is said, "Be still and Know".

Great Spirit, let me walk in the stillness.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

There are many fears in the minds of man, but none so subtle, yet so effectual, as fear of failure.

We are so afraid we've been unwise and wasted valuable time and it makes us wonder how many times we've failed those who depended upon us, and how many times we've failed ourselves.

Time seems too short to make up and overcome the things long past. It seems sometimes that opportunities are there and gone before we've had time to make use of them. We condemn ourselves so much for the lack of knowledge when we most needed it. But if decisions were made on afterthought, they might not be as wise as those made quickly, without time to think.

We should no longer think about past failures, nor give undue thought to our chances for future ones, but only begin now to do the very best we can.

True failure comes only to those who stop trying, for no age, no time, no place can stop the person who decides to try one more time. As Frederick William Farrar, English author, has written, "There is only one real failure in life that is possible, and that is, not to be true to the best one knows."