Monday, July 03, 2006

My Native American Heritage

I'm posting this to give those who don't know me a glimpse into why I'm the way I am and what my beliefs are.

The Red Road

Long road winding began in the stars,
spilled onto the mountain tops,
was carried in the snow to the streams,
to the rivers, to the oceans…
It covers Canada, Alaska, America,
Mexico to Guatemala, and all the world,
and keeps winding around the indigenous.

The Red Road is a circle of people
standing hand in hand,
people in this world, people between
people in the Spirit world.
Star people, animal people, stone people, river people, tree people…
The Sacred Hoop.

To walk the Red Road
is to know sacrifice, suffering.
It is to understand humility.
It is the ability to stand naked before God in all things for your
wrong doings,
for your lack of strength,
for your discompasionate way,
for your arrogance - because to walk
the Red Road, you always know
you can do better. And you know,
when you do good things,
it is through the Creator, and you are grateful. 

To walk the Red Road
is to know you stand on equal ground
with all living things.
It is to know that because you were born human,
it gives you superiority over nothing.
It is to know that every creation carries a Spirit,
and the river knows more than you do,
the mountains know more than you do,
the stone people know more than you do,
the trees know more than you do,
the wind is wiser than you are,
and animal people carry wisdom.
You can learn from every one of them,
because they have something you don't:
They are void of evil thoughts.
They wish vengeance on no one, they seek Justice.

To Walk the Red Road,
You have God given rights,
You have the right to pray,
You have the right to dance,
You have the right to think,
You have the right to protect,
You have the right to know Mother,
you have the right to dream,
You have the right to vision,
You have the right to teach,
You have the right to learn,
You have a right to grieve,
You have a right to happiness,
You have the right to fix the wrongs,
You have the right to truth,
You have a right to the Spirit World. 

To Walk the Red Road

Is to know your Ancestors,
to call to them for assistance…
It is to know that there is good medicine,
and there is bad medicine…
It is to know that Evil exists,
but is cowardly as it is often in disguise.
It is to know there are evil spirits
who are in constant watch
for a way to gain strength for
themselves at the expense of you.

To Walk the Red Road,

You have less fear of being wrong,
because you know that life is a journey,
a continuous circle, a sacred hoop.
Mistakes will be made,
and mistakes can be corrected -
if you will be humble,
for if you cannot be humble,
you will never know
when you have made a mistake.
If you walk the Red Road,
you know that every sorrow
leads to a better understanding,
every horror cannot be explained,
but can offer growth. 

To Walk the Red Road
Is to look for Beauty in all things.... 

To Walk the Red Road
"Is to know you will one day
cross to the Spirit World,
and you will not be afraid"

Traci Blood Poet

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:11 PM

    This is so beautiful...
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:30 PM

    I have to agree Bob, such nice sentiment for all the beauty that guides, teaches and surrounds us. Tonya

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  3. Love it Squirrel!
    Magic is in the Air!
    Spirit is thinner than Air!
    Ancient Spirits roam the mountain
    Ancient Spirits roam the hills
    Ancient Spirits roam the rivers
    Ancient Spirits roam the streams!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i really like this. it is very close to my beliefs. i'm an eclectic so i take what helps me from many faiths to walk my path.
    i am a poet from pittsburgh pennsylvania, q gave me your site in a comment on my blog. i'm glad.

    ReplyDelete