Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly...
-Proverb (unknown author)
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
WISDOM OF SUPPLICATION
excerpt from NEARNESS TO GOD-May 3
"During thy supplications to God, and thy reciting, 'Thy Name is my healing,' consider how thine heart is cheered, thy soul delighted by the spirit of God, and thy mind attracted to the Kingdom of God! By these attractions one's ability and capacity increase. When the vessel is enlarged the water increases, and when the thirst grows the bounty of the cloud becomes agreeable to the taste of man. This is the mystery of supplication and the wisdom of stating one's wants."
- Abdu'l-Baha
The cloud sometimes hides the sun but it is still always there waiting to nourish and give warmth.
"Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
-Baha'u'llah
"During thy supplications to God, and thy reciting, 'Thy Name is my healing,' consider how thine heart is cheered, thy soul delighted by the spirit of God, and thy mind attracted to the Kingdom of God! By these attractions one's ability and capacity increase. When the vessel is enlarged the water increases, and when the thirst grows the bounty of the cloud becomes agreeable to the taste of man. This is the mystery of supplication and the wisdom of stating one's wants."
- Abdu'l-Baha
The cloud sometimes hides the sun but it is still always there waiting to nourish and give warmth.
"Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
-Baha'u'llah
Saturday, January 18, 2014
BALANCE
We are each multi-dimensional beings composed of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. If we only develop some of these facets of our humanness we diminish our capacity to be our best and truest self.
If we see and purify and use these four parts of our self we can make the world a better place for having been here.
The physical is our earthly vehicle. As we age we thrive and then diminish. The physical ends in death.
How we used, defined and refined our other facets here is the fuel that moves us along in this life.
If we loved and nourished others we have sweetened the space we occupied.
If we studied and applied our minds to increase the comfort and well-being and advancement of others we have contributed to the enrichment of all the lives we touched.
How we focused and dreamed and loved as a spiritual being in touch with our Creator creates our destiny.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
CRITTER VISITS
A raccoon came on to my deck one night. I was sitting next to my double glass doors to my deck, looking out on the deck, watching television. The raccoon came on to the deck and put his paw on my door and watched TV for a short time. He looked puzzled but not frightened. Then he went away. I had not known the fluid grace of this creature - catlike and delicate. He came again the next night and just propped his chin on the deck without coming on to it.
An elk walked next to my deck and stood still for several minutes looking into my double glass doors. If I had been standing on the deck I could have touched him. Then he walked down the hill into my river and then ambled over to the island across the water.
Visitors swim in the river, such as an otter or two, a mink, three raccoons ( a mother and two babies), and mallard ducks. A gentleman mallard and his lady go by regularly and look so comfortable with each other.And the birds, such a joy to wake up to their songs. They come and strut on my deck. Pigeons, wrens, cardinals, sparrows, on and on.
The Creator has gifted me with His animal kingdom. I live alone and seldom see a human but the critters are my friends.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
The man in Tacoma, Washington, who plays taps from his balcony at sunset everyday for years. He had polio as a child and could not serve in the military but wanted to honor them. All the neighbors come out and stand quietly as he plays.
A Cherokee woman who overcame deep trauma as a child and now spends most of her time working with women and children in need and her off hours traveling the country teaching healing and wellness from inter-generational trauma.
The woman who served in the military and found a need for healing for those who suffered from PTSD. She meets this need by gathering dogs and teaching them and the wounded warriors to love and trust each other, thus finding a measure of comfort and peace.
The young woman who has suffered untold health issues and continues to learn and strive to fight for the uplifting of women throughout the world.
The man in India, who, though of an elite, wealthy, Brahman family, spends his time daily cooking huge meals, for the extremely improverished street people, bathing them with his own hands and hugging them to show someone cares.
A fourteen year old girl in a country determined to suppress the female population, spoke up for equality and fairness to women. She was shot down but coming out of a coma said she would continue her efforts.
Look around you........
A Cherokee woman who overcame deep trauma as a child and now spends most of her time working with women and children in need and her off hours traveling the country teaching healing and wellness from inter-generational trauma.
The woman who served in the military and found a need for healing for those who suffered from PTSD. She meets this need by gathering dogs and teaching them and the wounded warriors to love and trust each other, thus finding a measure of comfort and peace.
The young woman who has suffered untold health issues and continues to learn and strive to fight for the uplifting of women throughout the world.
The man in India, who, though of an elite, wealthy, Brahman family, spends his time daily cooking huge meals, for the extremely improverished street people, bathing them with his own hands and hugging them to show someone cares.
A fourteen year old girl in a country determined to suppress the female population, spoke up for equality and fairness to women. She was shot down but coming out of a coma said she would continue her efforts.
Look around you........
Thursday, March 1, 2012
CHEROKEE FORGIVENESS JOURNEY
information from Cherokee Healing and Wellness Coalition (I have been blessed to be a member since 2004)
Charles Hicks, Tsalagi(Cherokee) Vice Chief on the Trail of Tears, August 4, 1838:
"We are now about to take our leave and kind farewell to our native land, the country that the Great Spirit gave our Fathers...that gave us birth...it is with sorrow we are forced to quit the scenes of our childhood...we bid farewell to it and all we hold dear."
Gathering and Homecoming- May 26, 2012
"Many generations of our people share in the great pain and grief carried in our hearts and souls. There is now a revolution taking place throughout Cherokee Country. It is a time of healing, the time to heal our wounds is now. So, we pledge ourselves to free our people from the bondage of poverty, substance abuse, child abuse and all our suffering.
We have arrived at the place where we understand what has to take place for our healing to happen. We know we must find a way to deal with our feelings about the removal from our land, our ceremonies, our language, our culture and its devastating consequences to our people, our families and our children. By finding our way through this immense trauma we are ready to forgive the "unforgivable" and to come back into balance with our hearts, our ways and with the earth. We do this for All Our Relations.
The Cherokee Healing and Wellness Coalition is hosting a historical event on Saturday, May 26, 2012 beginning at 10 a.m. being held on the sacred grounds of Kituah to honor the Cherokees who ...undertake The Journey to Forgiveness and Healing which ..will begin... in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on May 19, 2012. This journey retraces the Northern Route taken in the forced removal of the Cherokees to Oklahoma.
We ask you to join us in this sacred Gathering. Together, we will offer our thanksgiving to Creator, asking for the cleansing Water of Life to flow through us, for the Spirit of the Eternal Flame to embrace us, and drawing us together once again in peace and harmony with All Our Relations and balance with the Universe.
This event is sponsored by the Cherokee Healing and Wellness Coalition in celebration of its 10th Anniversary...The Healing and Wellness Coalition hopes to educate and inform those in attendance how to break the cycle of unresolved grief and trauma and how it affects our everyday lives and families. Our hope and prayer is that this event will be life-changing especially for our children in whom we entrust our future.
Our website is www.cherokeehealing.com You must be registered to attend $75.
Charles Hicks, Tsalagi(Cherokee) Vice Chief on the Trail of Tears, August 4, 1838:
"We are now about to take our leave and kind farewell to our native land, the country that the Great Spirit gave our Fathers...that gave us birth...it is with sorrow we are forced to quit the scenes of our childhood...we bid farewell to it and all we hold dear."
Gathering and Homecoming- May 26, 2012
"Many generations of our people share in the great pain and grief carried in our hearts and souls. There is now a revolution taking place throughout Cherokee Country. It is a time of healing, the time to heal our wounds is now. So, we pledge ourselves to free our people from the bondage of poverty, substance abuse, child abuse and all our suffering.
We have arrived at the place where we understand what has to take place for our healing to happen. We know we must find a way to deal with our feelings about the removal from our land, our ceremonies, our language, our culture and its devastating consequences to our people, our families and our children. By finding our way through this immense trauma we are ready to forgive the "unforgivable" and to come back into balance with our hearts, our ways and with the earth. We do this for All Our Relations.
The Cherokee Healing and Wellness Coalition is hosting a historical event on Saturday, May 26, 2012 beginning at 10 a.m. being held on the sacred grounds of Kituah to honor the Cherokees who ...undertake The Journey to Forgiveness and Healing which ..will begin... in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on May 19, 2012. This journey retraces the Northern Route taken in the forced removal of the Cherokees to Oklahoma.
We ask you to join us in this sacred Gathering. Together, we will offer our thanksgiving to Creator, asking for the cleansing Water of Life to flow through us, for the Spirit of the Eternal Flame to embrace us, and drawing us together once again in peace and harmony with All Our Relations and balance with the Universe.
This event is sponsored by the Cherokee Healing and Wellness Coalition in celebration of its 10th Anniversary...The Healing and Wellness Coalition hopes to educate and inform those in attendance how to break the cycle of unresolved grief and trauma and how it affects our everyday lives and families. Our hope and prayer is that this event will be life-changing especially for our children in whom we entrust our future.
Our website is www.cherokeehealing.com You must be registered to attend $75.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
I BEAR WITNESS
We, as humn beings, are created with the capacity to love and nurture ourselves, and all other human beings, as well as all of those in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdom. All manifest the Presence and Benevolence of our Creator.
No matter the language or name we use to acknowledge our Creator, be it God, Allah, Father, Jehoveh, Wakan Tanka, Unehlanvhi, Ya Baha'ul'Abha or the many other expressions of a Higher Being, we cannot adequately describe the Artist as we are merely the painting.
Our purpose on this planet is to seek the higher self in us that can serve others and leave this station in life better than we found it.
No matter the language or name we use to acknowledge our Creator, be it God, Allah, Father, Jehoveh, Wakan Tanka, Unehlanvhi, Ya Baha'ul'Abha or the many other expressions of a Higher Being, we cannot adequately describe the Artist as we are merely the painting.
Our purpose on this planet is to seek the higher self in us that can serve others and leave this station in life better than we found it.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
ALL RIVERS RUN TO THE SEA
excerpt from CHEROKEE FEAST OF DAYS, DAILY MEDITATIONS, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
Little is more symbolic to the Cherokee than a crystal-clear flowing stream. The banks of such a stream have known the most meaningful prayers, the worship and gratitude of the innermost soul. It is here that the Great Spirit speaks to us in supernatural ways, for the Cherokee. The stream not only cleanses and washes away wrong and error but it is the tongue over which slip the words that have been fed there by the last rain. The words are a direct form of communication to the Great Holy Spirit, Who so centers our lives. All rivers run to the sea - whether it is a person's life or the flowing stream. Some of it is turbulent, some peaceful - with depths and shallow places, with swift mainstreams and circling eddies. But it is always moving, always gathering into its flow the experiences that make us who we are.
Little is more symbolic to the Cherokee than a crystal-clear flowing stream. The banks of such a stream have known the most meaningful prayers, the worship and gratitude of the innermost soul. It is here that the Great Spirit speaks to us in supernatural ways, for the Cherokee. The stream not only cleanses and washes away wrong and error but it is the tongue over which slip the words that have been fed there by the last rain. The words are a direct form of communication to the Great Holy Spirit, Who so centers our lives. All rivers run to the sea - whether it is a person's life or the flowing stream. Some of it is turbulent, some peaceful - with depths and shallow places, with swift mainstreams and circling eddies. But it is always moving, always gathering into its flow the experiences that make us who we are.
Friday, October 14, 2011
MOVING BACK HOME TO CHEROKEE
I just successfully found an apartment in Cherokee, NC on the reservation. It is the same apartment complex I used to live in only a different apartment. It is on the river and I can again wake up to the sound of the river and the birds. I can renew old friendships and find new friends. I can find the spirit of my daddy, fresh and loving again. The faces I see will be familiar and welcome.
It will take a while to get settled, the move is scheduled for November 1 so I will again be off track for awhile but never fear. I will return with a fresh spirit.
Much love,
Anne
It will take a while to get settled, the move is scheduled for November 1 so I will again be off track for awhile but never fear. I will return with a fresh spirit.
Much love,
Anne
Monday, August 22, 2011
REVISITING THE KALEIDOSCOPE
excerpt from ANNE'S WRITINGS (see Aug 25, 2010)
I woke up this morning thinking of my first blog with my own ethnicity and remembered how strongly I felt impelled to share my journey of discovering my human family with others.
This poem of my own story was written in November 2002. The past two months have been a journey of healing and discovery with my biological family and I thank God for each pause and chance to renew and enjoy this. I wish you a loving journey with your own family as I repeat this first blog.
FOCUSING THE KALEIDOSCOPE
Reconciling my heritage. Who am I? My search.
Even as a child it seems I was always watching from the outside. Some would say trauma could cause a shell of protection around the heart and mind. Mayhaps, the physical, mental and sexual abuse I know to be a part of my earliest days caused this very real part of who I am.
Inside the shell only I know just how tender and fragile yet fiercely strong my heart and mind are.
Always, I remember searching.
What was I searching for? - my unique place in the universe.
One thing I seemed to always know, God was with me, loved me, nurtured me, protected me in even the most horrendous of times.
When I gave my heart it was completely. It was returned to me battered and sore. Still I think to give it again.
From my family the traits of many cultures formed the kaleidoscope of who I am. Getting the picture in focus has been my life's quest. My feeble, biased guesses tell me of the parts.
From the English I get the compulsions, the inclination toward living in the head rather than the heart, and the need for the image of perfection.
From the Irish I get the romantic notions, the thrill of the mysterious breezes and flutters of the butterfly, the quickening of my heart when I hear the whispers of the fairies, the raucous delight in the laughter of my children, the weepiness at the sigh of the stranger.
From the Scot I get the stoic, the persistence, the grit to put one foot in front of the other even though the path is thorny and around the corner may dwell danger and pain.
From the Jew maybe I get the sense of martyrdom, of being put upon by life's changes and chances, of persistence in my faith, of the desire for a culture that defines me yet is so illusive it shimmers distantly in its many forms and colors like a mirage.
From the Indian I get my center, my connection to the green, the wind, the sound of the rustle of leaves, the sense of the solidness of the earth, the soothing fluidity of a lake or ocean, the kinship to the animals who have their special purpose, the sense that there is a deep spirituality reflected in all of God's creation on this physical plane. The beat of the drums echoes my heartbeat, the piercing poignancy of the flute lifts my soul and causes it to soar and dip and throb. I sense an eternal wisdom in the still, calm acceptance of life's lessons and yet a fierceness in remaining true to inner understandings.
Who am I? Will my later years find me softening the shell and coming forth from my chrysalis to fly freely, toward the sun and the flowers and perchance be willing to rest on your shoulder?
Nov 2002
Anne Hunter Respess
I woke up this morning thinking of my first blog with my own ethnicity and remembered how strongly I felt impelled to share my journey of discovering my human family with others.
This poem of my own story was written in November 2002. The past two months have been a journey of healing and discovery with my biological family and I thank God for each pause and chance to renew and enjoy this. I wish you a loving journey with your own family as I repeat this first blog.
FOCUSING THE KALEIDOSCOPE
Reconciling my heritage. Who am I? My search.
Even as a child it seems I was always watching from the outside. Some would say trauma could cause a shell of protection around the heart and mind. Mayhaps, the physical, mental and sexual abuse I know to be a part of my earliest days caused this very real part of who I am.
Inside the shell only I know just how tender and fragile yet fiercely strong my heart and mind are.
Always, I remember searching.
What was I searching for? - my unique place in the universe.
One thing I seemed to always know, God was with me, loved me, nurtured me, protected me in even the most horrendous of times.
When I gave my heart it was completely. It was returned to me battered and sore. Still I think to give it again.
From my family the traits of many cultures formed the kaleidoscope of who I am. Getting the picture in focus has been my life's quest. My feeble, biased guesses tell me of the parts.
From the English I get the compulsions, the inclination toward living in the head rather than the heart, and the need for the image of perfection.
From the Irish I get the romantic notions, the thrill of the mysterious breezes and flutters of the butterfly, the quickening of my heart when I hear the whispers of the fairies, the raucous delight in the laughter of my children, the weepiness at the sigh of the stranger.
From the Scot I get the stoic, the persistence, the grit to put one foot in front of the other even though the path is thorny and around the corner may dwell danger and pain.
From the Jew maybe I get the sense of martyrdom, of being put upon by life's changes and chances, of persistence in my faith, of the desire for a culture that defines me yet is so illusive it shimmers distantly in its many forms and colors like a mirage.
From the Indian I get my center, my connection to the green, the wind, the sound of the rustle of leaves, the sense of the solidness of the earth, the soothing fluidity of a lake or ocean, the kinship to the animals who have their special purpose, the sense that there is a deep spirituality reflected in all of God's creation on this physical plane. The beat of the drums echoes my heartbeat, the piercing poignancy of the flute lifts my soul and causes it to soar and dip and throb. I sense an eternal wisdom in the still, calm acceptance of life's lessons and yet a fierceness in remaining true to inner understandings.
Who am I? Will my later years find me softening the shell and coming forth from my chrysalis to fly freely, toward the sun and the flowers and perchance be willing to rest on your shoulder?
Nov 2002
Anne Hunter Respess
Monday, August 8, 2011
ISN'T IT TIME
Song from France by Gregory Paul, Baha'i
"Did you ever look into the eyes of happy childen
Did it make you feel like being young again?
Do you know there are a million kids just like them
Who won't live past the age of nine or ten?
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isn't it time
Isn't it time to help the children of mankind?
Did you ever look into the eyes of a child that's hungry
Did you wonder how it feels to have no food?
You could ask ten million kids who know the feeling
They will tell you that isn't very good.
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isn't it time
Isn't it time to feed the children of mankind.?
Did you ever look into the eyes of a war torn soldier
or hear the cry of mothers who have lost their son,
As they get down on their knees
And pray O dear God please
Change the world that gives our children guns.
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isn't it time
Isn't it time to save the children of mankind?
Did you ever think that if we really loved our children
We would not wait one day to end all wars
And then the earth could be as one great country
With peace for all mankind,
Forever more.
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isnt it time
Isn't it time to love the children of mankind?
"Did you ever look into the eyes of happy childen
Did it make you feel like being young again?
Do you know there are a million kids just like them
Who won't live past the age of nine or ten?
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isn't it time
Isn't it time to help the children of mankind?
Did you ever look into the eyes of a child that's hungry
Did you wonder how it feels to have no food?
You could ask ten million kids who know the feeling
They will tell you that isn't very good.
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isn't it time
Isn't it time to feed the children of mankind.?
Did you ever look into the eyes of a war torn soldier
or hear the cry of mothers who have lost their son,
As they get down on their knees
And pray O dear God please
Change the world that gives our children guns.
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isn't it time
Isn't it time to save the children of mankind?
Did you ever think that if we really loved our children
We would not wait one day to end all wars
And then the earth could be as one great country
With peace for all mankind,
Forever more.
Isn't it time, isn't it time, isnt it time
Isn't it time to love the children of mankind?
Thursday, July 28, 2011
WHY INTERMARRIAGE?
excerpt from RACEUNITY@ (see Aug 31, 2010)
response to above question: July 18,
"Dear .......,
Your thoughts are very much on target! I would like to comment on your comments on intermarriage. In the joining of two souls attracted by love (which is how I believe all marriaqges should start out) there is an immediate need to figure out how to lovingly come together and work out sharing space, thoughts, maybe even toothbrushes occassionally. The need to find comfort and acceptance with another's differences in style, music taste, food preferences, communication nuances, etc. is so daily present that each becomes less selfish, less ego-centric, more patient, more giving (if they really want it to work). Don't all those actions seem to be good ways to eliminate the false barrier of the differences in skin color? Don't they give the possibility of a blending of cultures into a new culture based on love and respect. This is my understanding of why Baha'is are encouraged to intermarry. And when they produce beautiful children who have inherited the best of both we see a new race of humankind.
Love in the struggle,
Anne"
response to above question: July 18,
"Dear .......,
Your thoughts are very much on target! I would like to comment on your comments on intermarriage. In the joining of two souls attracted by love (which is how I believe all marriaqges should start out) there is an immediate need to figure out how to lovingly come together and work out sharing space, thoughts, maybe even toothbrushes occassionally. The need to find comfort and acceptance with another's differences in style, music taste, food preferences, communication nuances, etc. is so daily present that each becomes less selfish, less ego-centric, more patient, more giving (if they really want it to work). Don't all those actions seem to be good ways to eliminate the false barrier of the differences in skin color? Don't they give the possibility of a blending of cultures into a new culture based on love and respect. This is my understanding of why Baha'is are encouraged to intermarry. And when they produce beautiful children who have inherited the best of both we see a new race of humankind.
Love in the struggle,
Anne"
Saturday, July 23, 2011
TRIBAL DANCING
excerpt from CHEROKEE DIARY(see Aug 31, 2010)
Tribal dancing is passed on from one generation to another. I was glad to have been able to see many such dances both in powwows and community life, in Chicago, Illinois, Florida and Cherokee, North Carolina. One such time was a presentation by the American Indian Dance Theatre. This group has been entertaining and educating audiences all over the world since May 1987. It has achieved a unique position in both the international dance world and in the American Indian world. It includes dancers and musicians from many tirbes thoughout the US and Canada. The program not only announced the dances and dancers but gave a short description of the story behind each dance. I will attempt in a small way to convey some of the meaning in some of the most common of the dances seen. Many of the traditional dances recreate the old myths, tell stories of the hunt and battles and often incorporate animal movements.
The grass dance movements convey the story of the young men preparing a field for the community to have a community dance. The motion is a sweeping gesture to smooth and mash the prairie grass flat. The dancer's movements and their outfits simulate the grass rippling in the wind.
Many animals are honored by being represented in dance motions. For example:
The buffalo is honored for the sacrifice of their lives to provide the tribe with food for nutrition, skins for warm in clothing, blankets, and hide for the teepees. The bones were used to make tools.
The eagle is sacred to all tribes and is a symbol of wisdom, strength and power. It is believed that eagles are messengers between Man and the Creator.
Old style War Dance and Fancy Dance - The steps of the modern Fancy Dance are based on the older Warrior Society dances. Modern warriors challenge one another using their most intricate footwork, spins, leaps and brilliant plumage.
Traditinal and Modern Hoop Dances -Throughout the eastern woodlands socials are held in the Long Houses. The Smoke Dancer helps fan the smoke from the center fire out through the roof smoke hole.
Fancy Shawl Dance - Women rarely entered the dance circle as soloists until recently. The dance traces it's beginnings to the Butterfly Dance. After her mate is killed, the female butterfly mourns her loss by retreating into her cocoon, represented by the shawl. Her emergence celebrates freedom and her new life.
I hope this small attempt to familiarize those of you who don't have an Indian background with what I feel is the poetry in motion of a people maintaining their culture in a beautiful way. Those of you blessed to have this be your culture, please be forgiving of my feeble efforts to honor you.
Tribal dancing is passed on from one generation to another. I was glad to have been able to see many such dances both in powwows and community life, in Chicago, Illinois, Florida and Cherokee, North Carolina. One such time was a presentation by the American Indian Dance Theatre. This group has been entertaining and educating audiences all over the world since May 1987. It has achieved a unique position in both the international dance world and in the American Indian world. It includes dancers and musicians from many tirbes thoughout the US and Canada. The program not only announced the dances and dancers but gave a short description of the story behind each dance. I will attempt in a small way to convey some of the meaning in some of the most common of the dances seen. Many of the traditional dances recreate the old myths, tell stories of the hunt and battles and often incorporate animal movements.
The grass dance movements convey the story of the young men preparing a field for the community to have a community dance. The motion is a sweeping gesture to smooth and mash the prairie grass flat. The dancer's movements and their outfits simulate the grass rippling in the wind.
Many animals are honored by being represented in dance motions. For example:
The buffalo is honored for the sacrifice of their lives to provide the tribe with food for nutrition, skins for warm in clothing, blankets, and hide for the teepees. The bones were used to make tools.
The eagle is sacred to all tribes and is a symbol of wisdom, strength and power. It is believed that eagles are messengers between Man and the Creator.
Old style War Dance and Fancy Dance - The steps of the modern Fancy Dance are based on the older Warrior Society dances. Modern warriors challenge one another using their most intricate footwork, spins, leaps and brilliant plumage.
Traditinal and Modern Hoop Dances -Throughout the eastern woodlands socials are held in the Long Houses. The Smoke Dancer helps fan the smoke from the center fire out through the roof smoke hole.
Fancy Shawl Dance - Women rarely entered the dance circle as soloists until recently. The dance traces it's beginnings to the Butterfly Dance. After her mate is killed, the female butterfly mourns her loss by retreating into her cocoon, represented by the shawl. Her emergence celebrates freedom and her new life.
I hope this small attempt to familiarize those of you who don't have an Indian background with what I feel is the poetry in motion of a people maintaining their culture in a beautiful way. Those of you blessed to have this be your culture, please be forgiving of my feeble efforts to honor you.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
ALL OUR RELATIONS
Excerpt from ONLY BY YOUR TOUCH, by Catherine Anderson
"Jeremy (six year old) asked, 'Did God make those baby chipmunks, Ben?'
"' He did ', said Ben (Shosone veterinarian).
"' Are all of them my brothers and sisters, too?'
"'They are,' Ben said in that same oddly quiet way. 'And if you remember that when you become a man, Jeremy, you will be extraordinary.'
"'What's 'strodinary mean?'
"Ben thought for a moment. 'It means you may have to walk through life alone, that few will come behind you and only a very special person will chose to walk beside you.'
"Won't that be lonesome?'
"Ben fllicked Chloe (Jeremy's mother) a searching look. ' Sometimes, yes. But if you know you're walking the right way, you grow to accept the loneliness'"
"Jeremy (six year old) asked, 'Did God make those baby chipmunks, Ben?'
"' He did ', said Ben (Shosone veterinarian).
"' Are all of them my brothers and sisters, too?'
"'They are,' Ben said in that same oddly quiet way. 'And if you remember that when you become a man, Jeremy, you will be extraordinary.'
"'What's 'strodinary mean?'
"Ben thought for a moment. 'It means you may have to walk through life alone, that few will come behind you and only a very special person will chose to walk beside you.'
"Won't that be lonesome?'
"Ben fllicked Chloe (Jeremy's mother) a searching look. ' Sometimes, yes. But if you know you're walking the right way, you grow to accept the loneliness'"
Friday, July 8, 2011
ORGANIC UNITY-WORLD IN NEED
excerpt from RACE UNITY@ (see Aug. 31, 2010)
My understanding of organic unity can be best illustrated with the example of the human body. It has many parts, some less important than others as far as being life sustaining and some so vital that without them we die. Our organs, such as the heart, the liver, lungs, stomach, skin, brain, intestines cannot be removed and the human body still live. If they all are healthy and work together as they should the body is in a state of unity.
If our society's vital organs, such as our families, our workplace, our community life, our government have a unity of spirit (oneness of love and support for all) this is what I think organic unity means. We are working on it in fits and starts but we have made some progress. We have a long way to go though. Sometimes, as in the birth of a child, it is very painful, inconvenient and time consuming but the end result of the sweet baby is worth it. We are in the throes of giving birth to a new world and as long as we hold on to the vision of what we can be we will stay energized and continue in our efforts.
Love in the struggle,
Anne
Dec. 11, 2000
My understanding of organic unity can be best illustrated with the example of the human body. It has many parts, some less important than others as far as being life sustaining and some so vital that without them we die. Our organs, such as the heart, the liver, lungs, stomach, skin, brain, intestines cannot be removed and the human body still live. If they all are healthy and work together as they should the body is in a state of unity.
If our society's vital organs, such as our families, our workplace, our community life, our government have a unity of spirit (oneness of love and support for all) this is what I think organic unity means. We are working on it in fits and starts but we have made some progress. We have a long way to go though. Sometimes, as in the birth of a child, it is very painful, inconvenient and time consuming but the end result of the sweet baby is worth it. We are in the throes of giving birth to a new world and as long as we hold on to the vision of what we can be we will stay energized and continue in our efforts.
Love in the struggle,
Anne
Dec. 11, 2000
Friday, July 1, 2011
A PLACE IN THE SUNLIGHT
excerpt from CHEROKEE FEAST OF DAYS, DAILY MEDITATIONS, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
"Speak to me of serenity, of treasures yet to be found, of peace that flows like a river. Tell me of tranquil places that no hand has marred, no storm has scarred. Give me visions of standing in sunlight or the feeling of spring mist against my cheek as I live and move and breathe. Show me paths that wind through wild lilies and beds of buttercups. Sing me songs like the mingled voices of wrens and meadowlarks, the lowing of gentle cows, the soft mother-call of a mare to her colt. Lead me past a glass-smooth pond where frogs croak of coming-out parties, their graduation from frisky tadpoles to squat green frogs. Find me a place in the sunlight to sit and think and listen to the sweet inner voice that says so quietly, 'Peace, be still.'"
"Speak to me of serenity, of treasures yet to be found, of peace that flows like a river. Tell me of tranquil places that no hand has marred, no storm has scarred. Give me visions of standing in sunlight or the feeling of spring mist against my cheek as I live and move and breathe. Show me paths that wind through wild lilies and beds of buttercups. Sing me songs like the mingled voices of wrens and meadowlarks, the lowing of gentle cows, the soft mother-call of a mare to her colt. Lead me past a glass-smooth pond where frogs croak of coming-out parties, their graduation from frisky tadpoles to squat green frogs. Find me a place in the sunlight to sit and think and listen to the sweet inner voice that says so quietly, 'Peace, be still.'"
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
ABRAHAM - FUGITIVE SLAVE,ADVOCATE FOR INDIANS
excerpt from A SALUTE TO BLACK PIONEERS, AN EMPAK "BLACK HISTORY" PUBLICATION SERIES, VOL III
Abraham, 1790-1870, was a fugitive slave, adopted by the Seminole Indians in 1826. Although uneducated, he was a persuasive and gifted speaker. He was spokesman for Chief Micanopy during the period when the United States was relocating the Indians from Florida to Oklahoma and Kansas. He was referred to by the Indians as the "prophet, high chancellor, and keeper of the King's conscience."
...born to slavery in Pensacola, Florida about 1790...was reported to be a full-blooded Negro of large and powerful stature....No parental information is recorded, records do indicate that Abraham was married and fathered a daughter and two sons. In the early 1820s, he ran away and took shelter with the Seminole Indians. Abraham played a key role in both the Seminole Indian War and in their peace negotiations with the U.S. Government.... He feared that, while traveling across southern terrritory, many fugitives would be recaptured by their former masters. During the peace negotiations, he wanted a guarantee that his people would not be returned to slavery once they left the Indian territory.
In 1826, as prime minister and privy counselor to Chief Micanopy, Abraham accompanied the Chief to
Washington, D.C to negotiate relocation plans. In 1832, as interpreter for the Seminoles, he witnessed the signing of the removal treaty. In 1833, Abraham went with the Seminole delegation to investigate the proposed site of the Indians' new home. For the next two years, he served as interpreter at all councils at which United States agents insisted on the Seminole's removal.
Relocation plans collapsed when the Indians learned they had been tricked, and hostilities borke out December 28, 1835. Abraham proved to be a cunning and brave warrior, both feared and respected by the U.S. Army....Seeing that relocation was inevitable, he and two Semonole Chiefs, Jumper and Alligator, agreed to a peace conference with Jesup in 1837. Due to Abraham's diplomatic finesse, an agreement was made for the Seminoles to relocate, accompanied by their Black allies.
Later, the assumed treaty was broken by White agents and hostilities resumed. Under the threat of hanging by government agents, Abraham continued to work for peace. Working through Chief Micanopy, he brought about the surrender and compliance of the other chiefs; and later in 1837, a second treaty was signed, with a protection clause for the Blacks."
Abraham, 1790-1870, was a fugitive slave, adopted by the Seminole Indians in 1826. Although uneducated, he was a persuasive and gifted speaker. He was spokesman for Chief Micanopy during the period when the United States was relocating the Indians from Florida to Oklahoma and Kansas. He was referred to by the Indians as the "prophet, high chancellor, and keeper of the King's conscience."
...born to slavery in Pensacola, Florida about 1790...was reported to be a full-blooded Negro of large and powerful stature....No parental information is recorded, records do indicate that Abraham was married and fathered a daughter and two sons. In the early 1820s, he ran away and took shelter with the Seminole Indians. Abraham played a key role in both the Seminole Indian War and in their peace negotiations with the U.S. Government.... He feared that, while traveling across southern terrritory, many fugitives would be recaptured by their former masters. During the peace negotiations, he wanted a guarantee that his people would not be returned to slavery once they left the Indian territory.
In 1826, as prime minister and privy counselor to Chief Micanopy, Abraham accompanied the Chief to
Washington, D.C to negotiate relocation plans. In 1832, as interpreter for the Seminoles, he witnessed the signing of the removal treaty. In 1833, Abraham went with the Seminole delegation to investigate the proposed site of the Indians' new home. For the next two years, he served as interpreter at all councils at which United States agents insisted on the Seminole's removal.
Relocation plans collapsed when the Indians learned they had been tricked, and hostilities borke out December 28, 1835. Abraham proved to be a cunning and brave warrior, both feared and respected by the U.S. Army....Seeing that relocation was inevitable, he and two Semonole Chiefs, Jumper and Alligator, agreed to a peace conference with Jesup in 1837. Due to Abraham's diplomatic finesse, an agreement was made for the Seminoles to relocate, accompanied by their Black allies.
Later, the assumed treaty was broken by White agents and hostilities resumed. Under the threat of hanging by government agents, Abraham continued to work for peace. Working through Chief Micanopy, he brought about the surrender and compliance of the other chiefs; and later in 1837, a second treaty was signed, with a protection clause for the Blacks."
Thursday, June 23, 2011
TRANSiTIONS AND GOALS
This month has been a whirlwind of change for me and I have not been able to blog as often as I would have wished but never fear, I am forever committed to oneness and this effort to encourage it.
What have I been doing? Well, trying to move back to the Cherokee Reservation, my beloved home. Unfortuantely I have been put on a waiting list for an available apartment but soon, so very soon, I will be back home where my heart yearns to be. In the interum my sweet sister and her husband have welcomed me to their home in the nearby mountains until my apartment comes open. It will be a joy to spend time with them on their mountain top and meditate on their deck as I view many miles of mountain beauty.
What have I been doing? Well, trying to move back to the Cherokee Reservation, my beloved home. Unfortuantely I have been put on a waiting list for an available apartment but soon, so very soon, I will be back home where my heart yearns to be. In the interum my sweet sister and her husband have welcomed me to their home in the nearby mountains until my apartment comes open. It will be a joy to spend time with them on their mountain top and meditate on their deck as I view many miles of mountain beauty.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
WRITING-A LEAP OF FAITH
excerpt from POT OF GOLD, by Judith Michael
this expresses much of why I write
"Writing... is a leap of faith and a declaration of love. You believe you can put on paper the ideas that are so clear and vivid in your mind; you give yourself to what you create with a kind of love that can't be duplicated even in the most passionate affair; you believe that someone will publish your work and others will read it and libraries will buy it so that future generations will discover it. You believe you can create stories that resonate with the readers of your own time and also future generations; that you can find universal themes and present them in ways that give people hope or greater understanding or the rare pleasure of an escape from the shadows of the world around them. Or all of the above! In other words, you believe in the future and in your ability to make a place for yourself in it, on your own terms."
this expresses much of why I write
"Writing... is a leap of faith and a declaration of love. You believe you can put on paper the ideas that are so clear and vivid in your mind; you give yourself to what you create with a kind of love that can't be duplicated even in the most passionate affair; you believe that someone will publish your work and others will read it and libraries will buy it so that future generations will discover it. You believe you can create stories that resonate with the readers of your own time and also future generations; that you can find universal themes and present them in ways that give people hope or greater understanding or the rare pleasure of an escape from the shadows of the world around them. Or all of the above! In other words, you believe in the future and in your ability to make a place for yourself in it, on your own terms."
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
CURIOUS ABOUT THIS BLOGS STATISTICS?
As of 6-15-11 1905 hits have read this blog since Aug, 2010.
Countries represented:
United States 1049
Russia 600
Germany 47
Slovenia 35
Canada 32
Philippines 10
United Kingdom 9
France 8
Australia 7
Croatia 7
Specific blogs top ten hits:
OVERBOARD/DOING ENOUGH?
WILLIAM WHIPPER - NONVIOLATE ADVOVATE
MIGRATION FROM AFRICA 75,000 YEARS AGO
MY OWN STORY-ANNE
MY FAVORITE BAHA'I QUOTE
HUMAN FAMILY-MAYA ANGELOU
DR. CHARLES RICHARD DREW - BLOOD BANK
OLD RICHMOND SR. CITIZENS AND ONENESS
LOUIS GREGORY-RACE AMITY WORKER
BOARDING SCHOOLS
Love in the struggle,
Anne
Countries represented:
United States 1049
Russia 600
Germany 47
Slovenia 35
Canada 32
Philippines 10
United Kingdom 9
France 8
Australia 7
Croatia 7
Specific blogs top ten hits:
OVERBOARD/DOING ENOUGH?
WILLIAM WHIPPER - NONVIOLATE ADVOVATE
MIGRATION FROM AFRICA 75,000 YEARS AGO
MY OWN STORY-ANNE
MY FAVORITE BAHA'I QUOTE
HUMAN FAMILY-MAYA ANGELOU
DR. CHARLES RICHARD DREW - BLOOD BANK
OLD RICHMOND SR. CITIZENS AND ONENESS
LOUIS GREGORY-RACE AMITY WORKER
BOARDING SCHOOLS
Love in the struggle,
Anne
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