October 11, 12, 13, 14 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

[David White Hawk Administrator]

Sorry I was back in the Hosp. because I was realty sick I just came home and feeling much better…

October 11 - Daily Feast

Know who you are and don't worry about what other people think. Be your own best friend and resist trouble like wildfire. Be steadfast in good times and bad, tell fear to get lost and do away with doubt the way you would turn a hose on a fire. Never fall into the habit of believing you are always in the wrong. It can be a sufferer's trap, like a wastebasket that catches all the trash. Time is precious and you don't have time to stand in a hole. Make a difference now by lifting your vision of yourself. There's no such thing as bad blood when your heart is right.

~ French trappers said a great many things to our fathers, which have been planted in our hearts. ~

CHIEF JOSEPH - NEZ PERCE

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

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 11

"Men and women have an equal responsibility to restore the strength of the family, which is the foundation of all cultures."

--Haida Gwaii Traditional Circle of Elders

The family is the heartbeat of strength of the culture. The grandfathers and grandmothers taught their children; they in turn had children who taught their children. If the family isn't taught the culture, then the children become adults and the adults become the grandfathers and grandmothers and the result is the culture becomes lost. This is how language is lost; this is how dances are lost; this is how knowledge is lost. We need to listen to our Elders, today, before it's too late.

Great Spirit, teach me the culture so I can teach the children.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

In those moments when we quietly sit with mind centered on the fact that God is only good, and that no situation devious or twisted in appearance, has any power except that which we give it by dwelling on how terrible it is - then, there is hope.

If we can become quiet enough in our own minds to know God is good, it will produce one of those times of sweet serenity that settles like an invisible veil between us and our troubles. In those moments of growth and faith will come peace that passes all understanding.

It is good to live an active life, but some of life's most productive moments are not when the mind and body are hurled through hectic hours at a furious pace. Life offers many tender and beautiful times
that demand nothing and give only a quiet calm that will never come in pill form.

Contrary to the belief in any power except God's, there is a happy medium. It does not come simply by demanding, and there are times when it can be touched on only so briefly. But even in our sore travails there is a time when life finds balance and we live in harmony with God's laws.

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October 12 - Daily Feast

The path to the woods is soft and silent underfoot. Wet leaves pad the ground beneath the trees and bright patches of green moss cover every rock. Many plants in sheltered places thrive even now. This place is sweet solitude-but never silent. Twittering birds have moved in for the winter and the red and blue of the cardinals and blue jays color the darkening woods. Time hangs between autumn and winter in mellow breezes and a few bright yellow sunflowers. It is a pensive time, a time to reflect and let go and enjoy.

~ The old Indian still sits upon the earth instead of propping himself up and away from its life-giving forces. ~

STANDING BEAR - LAKOTA SIOUX

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

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 12

"The obstacle to the internal nature is the mind. If it relies on logic such as the white man's mind, the domain of the inner nature is inaccessible.The simple fact is a man does not challenge the wisdom of the Holy Mystery.

--Turtleheart, TETON SIOUX

Why is it we need to analyze and understand everything? The Great Mystery has designed certain areas of creation to be a mystery because humans usually miss-use it. We use the Great Mystery and see It unfold only under the direction of the Great Spirit. The Creator is in charge.

Great Spirit, let me realize You are in charge. I'm to do what You want.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

It is easy to have faith God and love everyone on days when the world is all in order.

There are other days that seem to require more effort than any normal person can possibly muster. Each step seems to be an obstacle to overcome. Every hurt and thought of resentment presents itself in a clamorous roar.

Weariness of body, soul, and spirit will nag the strongest beings into dark moods unless they can find a time away from all that plagues them. That time may be hard to come by, but even a few moments can bring a problem to light.

Twinges of jealousy, feelings of anxiety, all scatter in that light. When the attention is turned from those things that make life all too ordinary they immediately, like a procession, march toward the God-self.

To spend only a few moments counting our blessings will tell us that life is well worth living....the satisfaction of a job well done, the companionship of good friends with whom we share the lighter side and the ones who understand our darkest moods are all blessings.

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October 13 - Daily Feast

Luther, a Tsa la gi, explained his creative God by saying, "God take Himself and make the fish, God take Himself and make the tsi s du [rabbit]; He take Himself and make the wa ya [wolf]; He take Himself and make the squirrel, and He take Himself and make me. These things my brothers." But, Luther, what do you do when you want to go squirrel hunting? Merriment danced in his black eyes and he added, "I just say, Squirrel-Brother, God made you for me!"

~ I traveled thousands of miles along our winding trails, through unbroken solitude's of the wild forest, listening to the songs of the woodland birds. ~

POKOGON - POTAWTOMI CHIEF, 1833

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

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 13

"So unbelievable things like that happen. But you have to believe it first. Not wait until you see it first, then touch it, then believe it... You have to say it from the heart."

--Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

The power of our belief system is incredible. The power of faith is a very natural power. How do we have faith? Inside of our minds we form a mental picture with our self talk. Self talk is recorded in our minds in three dimensions - words that trigger a picture, which has a feeling or an emotion attached to it. Once we get the words and the picture, it is the emotion that makes the idea turn into a belief. You get the right emotion by saying things from the heart. The heart is the source of emotions which can cause unbelievable things to happen.

Great Spirit, with You everything is possible.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Everyone must have a way of life. The home, the position, the social level, the health of the body and of the emotions are all a part of daily living. But beyond that there must be a reason, a way of life. We must believe in something, live by something, and have a shelter within ourselves where there are no pretenses.

Life cannot be one carefree round of living on the surface. It is a thing of depth and width and height, and full of avenues never investigated. Like the body, it is made up of many parts. Beneath the skin there must beat a heart, a network of nerves, the strength of muscles, and much we cannot begin to explain.

As the body depends upon the heart we must have in our lives something to depend upon, something with which to identify ourselves. There must be a central point, a hitching post to keep all of life running smoothly.

We need something to help us retreat as well as to go forward. We must have something to live by, as well as something for which we would willing die. We need divine wisdom to see, and the strength to break away, those almost invisible fingers of possessiveness that grip our lives.

We do not simply live, we live because. We live because of others, because of beautiful things and times and places. We live because God gave us life, to be happy in, and to find a special way.

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October 14 - Daily Feast

Contentment happens when our emotions give place to common things that in other times can draw little attention. It is releasing a deep inner peace that heals sadness and lifts a sagging spirit. Contentment is an intensely personal thing, adjusting to different people in its most effective way. It rides a shaft of sunlight to put on the gray bark of a tree, or it rises from laughter, deep and kind. It is nearly always unexpected and settles as softly as a bird lights on a limb. It is a remarkable fact that we simply let contentment happen. Socrates called it a natural wealth, but most have called it a miracle.

~ Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water was a real and active principle. ~

CHIEF STANDING BEAR - SIOUX, 1800s

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

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - October 14

"Each soul must meet the morning sun, the new sweet earth and the Great Silence alone!"

--Ohiyesa (Dr. Charles A. Eastman), SANTEE SIOUX

The most important thing we can do during the course of the day is pray in the morning. There is a special time in the morning that has great power. This is the exact time the sun is rising. During the rising of the sun, everything on the Earth is waking up. Animals, plants, birds and humans will be blessed at the rising of the sun. This is a special time to help us prepare for the day. During this time we ask the Creator to bless our day. We ask Him to guide us, to protect us and to give us courage to overcome the day's obstacles. Doing this everyday will give us knowledge of God's will for us.

Grandfather, Grandmother, guide my path. Let my thinking be guided by You.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

When there's thinking to be done a person does well to have a little private retreat.....a place where there's no worry that any minute someone will interrupt. And the very ease of knowing that here is a little time to do nothing but just think.

Except that I must carefully direct those thoughts so never to let them roam to things that serve only to disturb. But where does one find a place these days that affords a time alone?

It doesn't take much room to think. Some have little special places hidden from view.....a hillside maybe.....a sunny spot along a path.....a closet not so large.....a park bench.....or they may even take a drive.

But that place that is always available to us is that place within our own selves. This is the secret place within the heart where desires are stored. And no matter what we do, where we go, thoughts are productive.

Here is where thankfulness is stored.....here is where love is born.....here is where the very life of life is built and rebuilt. This is our retreat when there's thinking to be done.

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Donadagahv’I

Tawodi Unega
( White Hawk )

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

May The Creator walk with you.

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Anasgvti Unelanvhi Nigohilvi
Watsi Gawohilvdodi Nihi
( May God Always Watch Over You )