The Circle of Life Taken From Myspace

[Guest guest]

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------

With Loving Thanks,Blessings & Gratitude To : GentleSoul4Peace

Date: Dec 3, 2007 10:41 AM

Everything and everyone is connected in some way and we all go through the circle of life. Plants provide us with nourishment. Trees provide us with shelter. Eventually, we return to the earth to provide nourishment for all of them, When we harm the earth and water, hunt animals to extinction, we are only hurting ourselves and showing disrespect for what God created for us. Native Americans have a saying, "I walk in beauty". What they mean is that all of God's creations are beautiful and we should appreciate it's beauty and when we do.... we walk among beauty. To start the life cycle is the South which is white, purity, natural things born into innocence. This is the direction we, our spiritual beings born into the flesh. Knowing this, children should be treated with respect, protected and nurtured in the knowledge that it is the children that are closest to knowing the wills and ways of the Father. The West is black, because of the early !

teachings of the darkened land. This is where the sun sets. The West represents our physical life. Our bodies, our competitive urges, the things that become sacred in our lives and absolutely our "helping others " in every physical mean. This might be thought of as our adolescent years. This is where we are growing up after discovering the ways of the world and trying to become a part of it. Beauty and ugliness of the physical "skin deep" theory are gathered in by us as individuals. If we aren't taught correctly before and during this stage in life, these bad things will enter in and have more of an impact on that which could disrupt the harmony needed to live a balanced life. The West also brings out our competitive nature. It brings on humility in the areas where we don't excel in and in reverse, gives us a little ego boost where our strengths are. Through this, we will learn where to apply ourselves, how best to put ourselves forward and know what to avoid. The North, re!

presented by the wonderful relaxing bluish colors of the snow while Mo

ther Earth rests, brings us to the area/time of our lives... our adult years, This is where wisdom first begins. This is where we begin to learn and apply what we have learned then begin to share our lessons in life with others, teaching them our own lessons in life to help them with their paths. This is where we first become relaxed with ourselves and to begin to realize what our true purpose in life is to be and start applying it to our lives. The East is of course where the sun rises and associated with fire, represented by red. It represents the spiritual aspect of our circular path. The East actually refers to our "spirit" and the growth of our personal spirit. It is believed to be the direction from which our spirit first enters into this world to be joined with our bodies. The Cherokee begin their prayers of a morning..facing East, in this way acknowledging our spiritual direction and the Morning Star from where could be gathered wisdom. If the prayer time is more in !

depth than the morning prayer of thanks, then they would turn and face each direction praying for whatever guidance/strength they need. It is from Father sky that rain comes to cause things to grow on Mother Earth and provide us warmth and enables all of nature the ability to prosper and be nourished. The sky is represented by the color yellow, as in the sun. It represents happiness and peace. The sky envelops the world in full, surrounding it on all sides and even reaching to the ground. The Earth is represented by the color brown, the color of the ground. It is the Earth from where we find out life sustaining needs, especially the plants and animals. The plants are here to provide medicine, shelter and food. The animals provide food, shelter and companionship. The Sacred Fire is represented by the color green, This is how the Creator talks to us. The Sacred Fire resides in us, teaching us through our conscience, leading us away from wrong and into the right. Many times, w!

e must stop and listen in a quiet place, being as one with the Creator

's work. When we stop and really listen, we can hear his voice better. We should listen to his voice. The Sacred Fire touches every part of our lives, every part of the circle of life. That is why the Sacred Fire that burns in the Cherokee lands should not be allowed to go out. It is representative of God and his fire. The sky, the heavens, are represented by the color yellow, while the Earth is represented by the color brown, representative of the ever changing world and the Sacred Fire which resides in us is green. Once the circle is completed by the spiritual aspect., then the journey starts again as pure, forgiven, fresh in the South and then we continue on through the circle of life enduring to, yet never completely reaching perfection in a balanced life. And in all this, the heavens, the Earth and the Sacred Fire all intertwine with every area of our lives as we are striving for harmony with all creation. And from here, we continue on the circle of life, starting again!

in the South, working with natural/pure, the physical, the mental and the spiritual and bringing them all together in harmony, understanding each of them and always being influenced by the Sky, Earth and the Sacred fire that resides in each of us. Circle Of Light I'm not right And you're not wrong I don't know what this love of ours is built upon We are shadows Tiny sparrows Safe inside Clear blue sky Of another storm Moving in and out of time In and out of the Circle of life We are children of the angels Keepers of the fire We are children of the angels Reaching for the light We are not Strangers We are all brothers I know we came here to love each other Here, in the circle of life Each one thinks He has the answer Each believes that he can see The way, the only way Truth lies waiting Was always waiting Like a love A peaceful dove Right there inside your soul From another place and time Moving into a circle of light The Walela Group Native American Spirituality is to stre!

ngthen ourselves, our relationships with our families, communities, na

tions and the Earth itself. The beliefs are for everyone "native" and "non-native" alike. We are all Earth's children with varying nationalities and ancestry. This is an invitation to be good people in this life, to respect such teachings along with honoring and respecting other "family" members and other's beliefs, all cooperating to work together for a united vision of peace. Peace is also seeing others with the eyes of the heart (Cante Ishte) - spanning race, color and religion. The Spirit considers all things sacred, we are all One, all connected. So what we teach our children will be carried into generations to come. Mitakuye O'yasin We are all related !

Love and Appreciation for sharing

WhiteRaven

Lightworker

Vicki

Whispr ,,

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for sharing, this is very beautiful and insightful.

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