Seven Philosophies for the Native American Man

The following was from the Gathering of Native American Men in June 1996 at Colorado. Approximately 2000 Native American Men, families, and friends gathered their from June 1 to 2 representing about 115 Tribes.

What are the Seven Philosophies?

The Seven Philosophies for a Native American Man are guidelines for Indian men on their journey through life. The wisdom of Native Elders is contained in the Seven Philosophies and is offered to Native American men so that they may be better fathers, sons, husbands, uncles, relatives, friends, Tribal members and citizens of the countries in which they live. The Seven Philosophies point the way towards a return to the values of Native American culture for the healing of individuals, families and Native Communities.

First Philosophy

TO THE WOMEN

The cycle of life for the woman is the baby, girl, woman, and grandmother. These are the four directions of life. She has been given by natural laws, the ability to reproduce life. The most sacred of all things is life. Therefore, all men should treat her with dignity and respect. Never was it our way to harm her mentally or physically. Indian men were never abusers. We always treated our women with respect and understanding. So from now on:

I will treat women in a sacred manner. The Creator gave women the responsibility for bringing new life into the world. Life is sacred, so I will look upon the women in a sacred manner.

In our traditional ways, the woman is the foundation of the family. I will work with her to create a home atmosphere of respect, security and harmony.

I will refrain from any form of emotional or physical abuse. If I have these feelings, I will talk to the Creator for guidance.

I will treat all women as if they were my own female relatives.

This is my vow.

Second Philosophy

TO THE CHILDREN

As an eagle prepares its young to leave the nest will all the skills and knowledge it needs to participate in life, in the same manner so will I guide my children. I will use the culture to prepare them for life.

The most important thing I can give to my children is my time. I will spend time with them in order to learn from them and to listen to them.

I will teach my children to pray, as well as the importance of respect.

We are the caretakers of the children for the Creator. They are His children, not ours.

I am proud of our own Native language. I will learn it if I can and help my children to learn it.

In today’s world it is easy for the children to go astray, so I will work to provide positive alternatives for them. I will teach them the culture. I will encourage education. I will encourage sports. I will encourage them to talk to the Elders for guidance; but mostly, I will seek to be a role model myself.

I make this commitment to my children so they will have courage and find guidance through traditional ways.

Third Philosophy

TO THE FAMILY

The creator gave to us the family, which is the place where all teachings are handed down from the grandparent, to the parent, and to the child. The children’s behavior is a mirror of the parents behavior. Knowing this, I realize the importance for each Indian man to build a strong and balanced family. By doing this, I will break the cycle of hurt and ensure the positive and mental health of the children, even the children yet to be born. So from now on:

I will dedicate my priorities to rebuilding my family

I must never give up and leave my family only to the mother.

I am accountable to restore the strength of my family. To do this, I will nurture our family’s spiritual, cultural, and social health. I will demonstrate trust, respect, honor and discipline; but mostly I will be consistent in whatever I do with them.

I will see that the grandparents and community Elders play a significant role in the education of my children.

I realize that the male and female together are fundamental to our family life. I will listen to my mates council for our family’s benefit, as well as for the benefit of my Indian Nation.

Fourth Philosophy

TO THE COMMUNITY

The Indian community provides many things for the family. The most important is the sense of belonging; that is, to belong to “the people”, and to have a place to go. Our Indian communities need to be restored to health so the future generation will be guaranteed a place to go for culture, language and Indian socializing. In the community, the honor of one is the honor of all and the pain of one is the pain of all. I will work to strengthen recovery in all parts of my community. As an Indian man:

I will give back to my community by donating my time and talents when I am able.

I will cultivate friendships with other Indian men for mutual support and strength.

I will consider the effects of our decisions on behalf of the next seven generations; in this way, our children and grandchildren will inherit healthy communities.

I will care about those in my community so that the mind changers, alcohol and drugs, will vanish, and our communities will forever be free of violence.

If each of us can do all these things, then others will follow; ours will be a proud community.

Fifth Philosophy

TO THE EARTH

Our Mother Earth is the source of all life, whether it be the plants, the two-legged, four-legged, winged ones or human beings. The Mother Earth is the greatest teacher, if we listen, observe and respect her. When we live in harmony with the Mother Earth, she will recycle the things we consume and make them available to our children and to their children. As an Indian man, I must teach my children how to care for the Earth so it is there for the future generations. So from now on:

I realize the Earth is our mother. I will treat her with honor and respect.

I will honor the interconnectedness of all things and all forms of life.

I will realize the Earth does not belong to us, but we belong to the Earth.

The natural law is the ultimate authority upon the lands and water. I will learn the knowledge and wisdom of the natural laws. I will pass this knowledge in to my children.

The mother Earth is a living entity that maintains life. I will speak out in a good way whenever I see someone abusing the Earth. Just as I would protect my own mother, so will I protect the Earth. I will ensure that the land, water, and air will be intact for my children and mu children’s children – unborn.

Sixth Philosophy

TO THE CREATOR

As an Indian man, I realize we make no gains without the Great Spirit being in our lives. Neither I nor anything I attempt to do, will work without the Creator. Being Indian and being spiritual has the same meaning. Spirituality is out gift from the Great One. This day, I vow to walk the Red Road.

As an Indian man, I will return to the traditional and spiritual values which have guided my ancestors for the past generations.

I will look with new eyes on the powers of our ceremonies and religious ways, for they are important to the very survival of our people.

We have survived and are going to grow and flourish spiritually. We will fulfil our teachings and the purpose that the Creator has given us with dignity.

Each day, I will pray and ask for guidance. I will commit to walk the Red Road, or whatever the spiritual way is called in my own culture.

If I am Christian, I will be a good one. If I am traditional, I will walk this road with dedication.

If each if us can do these things then others will follow. From this day forward, I will reserve time and energy for spirituality, seeking to know the Creators will.

Seventh Philosophy

TO MYSELF

I will think about what kind of person I want to be when I am an Elder. I will start developing myself now to be this person.

I will walk with the Great Spirit and the grandfathers at my side. I will develop myself to remain positive. I will develop a good mind.

I will examine myself daily to see what I did good and what I need to improve. I will examine my strength and weaknesses, then I will ask the Creator to guide me. I will develop a good mind.

Each day, I will listen to the Creators voice in the wind. I will watch nature and ask to be shown a lesson which will occur on my path.

I will seek out the guiding principles which guided my ancestors. I will walk in dignity, honor and humility, conducting myself as a warrior.

I will seek the guidance of the Elders so that I may maintain the knowledge of culture, ceremonies, and songs, and so that I may pass these on to the future generations.

I choose to do all these things myself, because no one else can do them for me.

I know I cannot give away what I don’t have so I will need to walk the talk.

 

Simple Meditations

 

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Meditational skills and knowledge will be useful to those of you who are just beginning your journey along this path. The ability to center and ground yourself easily is crucial to being effective in your Magickal workings as well as in achieving balance and harmony with Nature and Universal energy. These exercises will also help in developing your ability clearly visualize and focus which will also be of great importance to your future success within the Craft.

A Centering Meditation

Sit any way that you feel comfy, so long as your spine is straight. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take very long and very deep breaths through your nose. Each time you breathe in, hold it for 2 or 3 seconds and then slowly exhale. Continue this breathing until you feel very calm and peaceful. This usually takes 3-5 minutes ( but that is just me). Take as long as you need. It is different for everyone. Just go at your own pace. You can also use sound to center yourself. Just sit quietly and ring a small bell or chimes. Focus on the soft sound and breathe deeply. Keep making the noise until you feel centered.

A Grounding Technique

This works great for those times in school or at work when you just can’t seem to keep your feet still or relax. Place your feet flat on the floor and breathe in deeply. On the exhale, picture the excess energy flowing out of your feet and into the Earth. Keep doing this until you feel calm. Usually my feet feel very heavy after doing this. My friends have gotten the same feeling too when doing this, so I guess it is just a normal sensation.

How To Find A Mantra That Fits You

Sit in a comfy position. Picture yourself leaving your body and travel up to the cosmos. See yourself sitting calmly in the center of the Universe. Concentrate on the stars, then after a few minutes of gazing at them, a few of the stars will glow a bright baby blue. Concentrate on one bright blue star at a time. As you gaze at that particular star, you may hear a phrase or word whispered in your head. Repeat what you hear and focus inward. If the mantra is right for you, you will know it within. If it is not right for you, simply gaze at another blue star and repeat this until you find a mantra that fits you. After you find a mantra, thank the Universe and feel yourself slowly descending from the sky, back into your body. When you open your eyes, you might feel a little tired or drained. I find that drinking a nice cold cup of juice re-energizes my body. You might also wish to have a small snack. Milk and juice are ideal for recharging yourself.

Meditating On Your Mantra

Sit in a comfy position and center yourself. During this meditation, you can sing, say, whisper, or think your mantra. All that matters is that you focus on your mantra and nothing else. That’s it. You can do this for as long as you like.

A Chakra Meditation

You can do this meditation either standing or lying down, however it is important to not cross your legs or arms since this will close your energy loop. Center yourself. Hold your right hand a few inches above your Root Chakra. Focus on this spot and hold this focus for a moment. Picture energy coming down from the Universe and flowing through your hand, into the chakra. Each time you inhale, feel more energy being drawn into the chakra. When you feel a comfy warmness in this area, move onto the next chakra and keep doing so until you have charged all of your chakras. This exercise is very helpful for when you are feeling out of balance. It also helps during times of physical illness. YOU SHOULD STILL SEE A DOCTOR IF YOUR CONDITION IS SERIOUS. This is not a substitute for a doctor’s care, it is an aid to help strengthen the healing process. If you wish, you can hold crystals/stones in your hands while doing this or place the appropriate stone on the appropriate chakra. The corresponding stones are: Red Jasper–Root Chakra Carnelian–Sexual Chakra Tiger’s Eye–Solar Plexus Chakra Aventurine– Heart Chakra Sodalite–Throat Chakra Lapis Lazuli–Third Eye Chakra Amethyst–Crown Chakra

Balancing And Clarifying Your Chakras

Here are some chakra color treatments to put you back in balance. For the following, visualize each specific color penetrating and cleansing that chakra. This is a good way to balance yourself in the morning before getting up and starting your day. Root Chakra: A very bright shade of red. Sexual Chakra: A clear shade of orange. Solar Plexus Chakra: A bright and sunny yellow. Heart Chakra: You can visualize a bright green or a bright pink. Both are seen as the color of this chakra. Throat Chakra: A light shade of blue. Third Eye Chakra: A transparent indigo. Crown Chakra: Violet or white are both seen as the color of this chakra.

 

Wiccan Shamanism

 From: WiccaSeekers

by Selena Fox

typed by Lewis for P.A.N. 508-795-7628

Shamanism exists in tribal cultures around the world and has done so for centuries. Yet, in reading most anthropological texts on Shamanism, there is little, if any reference made to shamanism in Europe. However Shamanism has existed among the peoples of Europe not only in ancient times, but also through the present day. During the Middle Ages, the Old Ways largely disappeared from public view because of persecution. Yet they were not eradicated but took a more underground existence. Today, there are some of us of European ancestry that are bringing Shamanic ways rooted in pre-Christian Europe back into the light.

Wiccan Shamanism is a term I began using several years ago in an attempt to describe my own path of magick and spirituality in relation to the other forms of Shamanism on the Planet. Wiccan Shamanism draws on the Old but it is not simply an attempt re-construction and revival of the Old Ways of tribal Europe. Wiccan Shamanism blends both the Old and the New to suit the modern times in which we live. Although emphasis is on European symbology and traditions Wiccan Shamanism is multi-cultural, incorporating ways of other healers and magick workers from many places and eras.

What follows is a glimpse into Wiccan Shamanism as I know it and practice it. While Jim, Dennis, and others who help with various aspects of CIRCLES work may share many of these concepts, I speak here only for myself – for at the heart of this spiritual approach is the idea that each person must seek their own connection with the Divine, within their own Self, rather than having me or anyone else do this for them. This is not a path of a leader with followers, but a path where each becomes their own leader.

I call to the Powers of the Four Quarters — to Earth in the North which is the Realm of the Physical Body and Material Plane, to Air in the East which is the Realm of Thoughts and Intellect, to Fire in the South which is the Realm of Will Power and Action, and Water in the West which is the Realm of Emotions and Intuition. My Medicine Wheel is the Magick Circle which connects the Four Quarters. The sacred places I frequent include a high rock, a crystal clear spring fed pool n a hidden valley and a circle of stones in a grove of Oak and Birch on a mound.

I am a channel between Planet Earth beneath my feet and the Heavens above my head. I become the World tree when I Shamanize, linking the transforming Dark of the Underworld with the Awakening Light of the Upperworld.

I am the Crystal LIght that is at the Center of the Circle and is the fifth Element Spirit. I seek always to act out of MY own Inner Self which is at the enter of MY being, for my Inner Self in the Balance of all the Elements, of my Female and Male sides, of my Lunar and Solar natures of my intellect and intuition my Inner Self is my doorway into the realm where All is One.

I see the Circle of Life from the Center. I watch the Seasons change as the Wheel of the Year turns and I celebrate the 8 sabbats. I connect with the dance of Night and Day, of Fair and Stormy Weathers, of the Waxing and Waning Moon. I see the cycle of Birth, Growth, Maturity, Death, and Rebirth in all of Nature. I examine the cycles of my own life and of the lives of those who seek healing aid from me.

I am the traveler between the World of Daily Life and the Otherworld which is the land of Dreams, visions and Spirits. I am a Consciousness Explorer. the Otherworldis as real and as important to me as the Day-to-Day World. I bridge the Worlds rather than seeking to dwell solely in one or the other. I journey into the Otherworld for a reason — to bring back healing and knowledge to apply to Daily Life, helping others, myself and the Planet.

I see the Divine in all things. My friends and allies include not only humans but also plants, animals, rocks, winds, waters, fire, stars, and other life forms. I commune with the Source some call “God” as both Mother Goddess and Father God, for both aspects are necessary for the Unity.

The main focus of my Shamanic work is Healing. I was called to this path as a young child in dreams and Out-of-Body experiences, but I didn’t begin my work until my adult years when I started Healing myself. To do this I journeyed alone into the Pit of my Shadow Self and came face-to-face with my problems and hang-ups; my doubts fears, disillusionments, rejections, angers and hurts; with all MY false self images. Words can not begin to express the misery, the utter despair the powerlessness I felt during this time. Yet coming apart was essential; it enabled me to break through the barriers which I had formed and let others form in my psyche that had kept me from being one with my True Self. In the deepest Darkness, I felt the Light of my own Inner Self beginning to shine through. I focused on the Light and slowly emerged from the Pit, stronger and more integrated than ever before and with the power to heal others as well as myself. As a result of this transformation process, my life’s work became clear. I now help others from their own pits of negativity and become whole again.

Yet my work also extends to more than Humankind; it involves bringing Healing to the Planet as a whole. In my communing with the Land, I have heard the cries of the Earth Mother, sorrowing over the self-centered, greedy, intolerant, and destructive behaviors of many of Her human children, who are polluting the soils, water, and air; who are playing power games with nuclear fire; and who are polluting the spiritual atmosphere of the entire world with their narrow-mindedness and hate. I am deeply concerned about survival — not of the Planet Herself for all the humans in the world can not destroy Her even with all their weapons; She is too strong and powerful for that to happen. What I am concerned about is the survival of the human race. — will we annihilate ourselves and many of the life forms around us, or will we wake up in time to see the larger picture, find and implement creative solutions to the worlds problems, and enter a New Age of expanded consciousness?

The Balance of Life can be restored on Planet Earth; Harmony can be restored between humankind and other life forms; Love consciousness can increase and be prevalent on the Earth. I, along with numerous other healers and ministers from a variety of spiritual traditions around the world today have responded to the upset of Mother Earth by dedicating our lives to this Planetary Healing Work, each in our own way. It is this Great Work that underlies all the healing and other things I do. It is the Heart of Wiccan Shamanism.

First published in fall 1984 “Circle Network News”;
© 1984, CIRCLE, Box 219, Mt. Horeb WI 53572 USA.

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