Tag Archives: Children of God

Contemplation, Life, Native American Women

Now that history is to repeat itself….

It’s been a very upsetting month.  I have been paying attention to Facebook closely for news happening in North Dakota and what is happening with the Standing Rock Nation of Souix people and their supporters.  I find it sad that I have to look to Facebook for the news that is not being reported on any of the national stations.  

I remember, as a teenager, being told that I would never see any news of what happens to the Native Peoples of this country because the government had decided that they would control what was reported and what wasn’t when it comes to Native Americans.  Back then it was Wounded Knee.  Do you remember where you were when that event started?

Now an oil company is  working very hard to plow through  Native burial lands and sacred sights (again) so that they can put in another  pipe line.  I saw a 30 second blip on the news once.  I read yesterday that the government is now air dropping mustard gas on the Native (and many non-native) people who are there to protest this action.  No media coverage by the news stations around here.  How about where you are?  Seems to me that the US government dropping chemical weapons on it’s own citizens would be news worthy.

I’ve read several posts from a few friends who actually made the trek out to North Dakota to see for themselves and to support the protest.  What I read is all about unity and non-violence.  I see now that several young friends have made that same journey.  I pray that they get to be part of the biggest peaceful protest of their lives and that someday they can tell their own grandchildren what peaceful people can accomplish.

I pray that the land wll stay intact and the water the Standing Rock people are trying to protect stays clean.  You and I need to pray this happens since we are going to be the people who benefit from the warriors who stand in peaceful protest to keep the water clean.  I pray that all of the people who stand with Standing Rock get to return home unharmed.  I pray for the men and women who have been ordered to this place and ordered to cause harm to peaceful protestors.   I suspect this is not what they signed up for.  If there is a bad side, a domestic terrorist side, it would be the oil company who thinks that poisoning the water that we are drink is acceptable to any of us just for more money in their pockets.

History repeating itself for Native American peoples has not been historically favorable.  I stay positive, reminding myself that a victory for Standing Rock is a victory for all of us, no matter where we live.

Standard
Contemplation, Life, Me, Native American Women, Nature

Mko Winter Wonders

Winter finally came by.  She is walking sometimes softly and sometimes with a little anger.  She is singing quietly today but there have been days when her song was more a wolf’s howl.  I sit inside on those days, not even daring to move the curtains aside.  Those are the days that I am really feeling the bear inside.  Those are the days when napping doe not come with guilt.

I wonder about the bear often during the silent days when snow muffles all the rumblings of the day.  I put on my coat, scarf and gloves and shovel the patio clean.  I stomp around in the drifts and mounds that I have created and my feet stay dry in boots laced tight.  I think about all the animals living in the snow without boots.  I wonder if their feet/hoofs/paws are cold?

There was a time when walking along the country road and enjoying the beauty was a big priority for me.  Those days are not long gone, yet…but a little gone.  My concession, I suppose, to living past the half century mark.  I would have my camera in hand working hard to keep some record of the beauty I was privileged to witness.  But I have to tell you, during the warmer months when I look at those pictures I do not remember the cold so some of the magic is lost.  Maybe that is the real truth of two dimensions.

I wonder too, does the bear think about me?  Does she dream of me during the winter while she sleeps the shortened days away?  Does she hope that I am taking good care of myself as I do not have the luxury of a den?  Are there times when she thinks that we might be connected?  Native teachings will tell me that she does and I am happy with that knowledge, I hope she is as well.

Standard
Life, Me

My intent is…

Intent. What is my intent? What is your intent? As it turns out, these became very important questions last week. There were about four of us sitting around the outdoor living room I had set up in the wilderness. The boys were all over at the fire enjoying the things boys enjoy when they sit around a campfire laughing their heads off….

I don’t really remember how the conversation got started but somehow we ended up talking about intent. This is one of my favorite subjects. I find that living my life with intent is so much easier then just letting things happen any ol’ way they want. Whether I have a plan or decide to just wing it for the day my intent is what counts.

I put my intent into everything that I do. If I am supervising difficult employees it is my intent to create cooperation. If I am dealing with a behavioral client it is my intent to create peace. Those are simple enough, I am cooperative, I am peaceful, those ways of “being” bring my intent into reality. Somehow this makes my job so much easier. But that is only one aspect of my life. There are other areas that my intent helps me manage what is going on around me. My nephew and I were talking to my husband one evening and we were trying to explain how powerful intent is. How someone can hurt another purposefully if they are aware of their own intent and how they can hurt another if they are unaware of how powerful intent can be. Some people would call this “witchcraft” or “voodoo”, using intent for good or bad but we are all capable of changing the world, our own worlds, with the simple act of intent. You don’t have to study any other ideology or religion to become an expert in using intent.

So this is how our conversation went:

Let me pick up this pretty little stone…let me think about what a really handsome guy you are (even though you are not my guy), let me think about what a wonderfully good time you and I can have…let me think about all of this while I am holding this pretty little stone…now let me gift you with this little stone. Wonder how long it will be before you start thinking about me? Let me pick up this cool stick, let me draw hearts all over it and color those hearts with this red crayon, let me wrap a few strands of my hair around this cool stick and carve some simple little swirls to make it look cool…now let me gift this stick to you. Wonder how long before you start thinking of me? Matter of fact, wonder how long before every time you see a silly little swirls or red heart you automatically remember that silly stick and start thinking of me? Let me cook a meal for you…now let me get really angry at someone else while I am cooking and just continue to cook your lovely meal while I am angrily stirring the pot and making the dessert. Wonder how long it will be before you come down with a wicked case of indigestion?

The girls were amazed, they had never thought of intent in such a negative way. I then explained that intent can go both ways. All intent can be positive as well. You do not have to create a negative situation with intent. The important point of the whole conversation was to remind my friends that intent matters. It always matters. There is really no time that we are not intending something. We are children of God, does that not make us Creators as well? If God said “Let there be light” and there was light how am I any different? If I am his child am I not as capable? Oh true enough, I may not be as experienced with my intent as God is with his…as I have not created light just by speaking it into existence…but I am working on it, I am. I am working to use my intent to better my life and my world. I like peace, I like balance, I like joy…these are things that I intend to create…I’ve been practicing!

Standard