Hau kola na tiyospaye (Hello friends & extended family),
Welcome to all new Circle members! Each section of the Circle of
Nations newsletter is written 'facing' one of the four sacred winds,
beginning with the east, then the south, west and finally the north.
This is to honor the old ways. It is to teach and to help us to focus
and find the center. I have designed the Native Circle website in the
same spirit. I welcome you all to the Circle....
EAST - Wiyohinyanpata - Yellow (Four Winds)
Another year, another cycle, and another circle around the sun. Life is
quite a journey. All my life I have looked up at the sky and pondered
this journey, wondered about its meaning, its purpose and what it all
means. I can still remember being 6 years old, sitting on the ground
outside staring in awe at the beauty of a sunset horizon, and
contemplating what my life would be like. I had no real tangible ideas
about it at age 6, but I can recall quietly hoping that it would mean
something.... that somehow my life would count, even if only in a small
way. I have always thought about death as well. Even as a boy I
thought about it. I suppose this journey has always been about balance
and perspective for me, and so death is the balance of life and gives us
perspective on what really matters in life. In our prime and our
health, we cannot conceive that we would ever want to die, yet all of us
will some day come to that place where we accept, and perhaps even
welcome, the transition that death brings. Being conscious and aware of
this truth can help to clarify what our life is about, and how we should
live it.
I grew up out in nature. Not long after I was old enough to walk, I
often found myself in the woods with my mother or my father. Some of my
most vivid boyhood memories are of me following behind my mother in the
woods as she hunted for mushrooms, and following behind my father in the
woods bow hunting. I also have beautiful memories of times when I sat
by myself in a forest, and truly connected to what life is really
about. You see, the forest will teach you these things, if you go there
and listen.... In the forest, you see clearly the circle of life, and
death. New saplings are sprouting beside the fallen grandfather oak,
which is returning to the earth. Old bones on the ground speak of what
was, as the pitter-patter of a baby fawn's feet tell of what is now, and
what is to come. This is the way of it. It is the way of nature and
the way of Spirit. It is a mystery, a beautiful mystery. As a boy, I
recall sitting in a beautiful place that was almost like an oasis in the
woods. In this 'oasis' was a pond, and tall, wispy brown prairie
grasses. It was a cloudy winter day, and all the leaves had fallen from
the trees. It was calm. It was still. It was gentle. And it was at
peace. The water from a small stream trickled patiently. The grasses
swayed easily. The trees stood silent. And I sat calm, still, gentle,
peaceful, patient, easy and silent with them. Then, like breathing, I
knew as if I had always known. And I have known ever since. This is
it. This is the way of it. This is life. This is truth. All that is,
ever was, and ever will be pours into and out of this conscious state of
being. The forest and the water and the trees and the wind taught me
that at the end of all the meanings and purposes and expectations and
visions and passions and triumphs and failures - life itself is enough.
Life alone is the gift. Life itself is the meaning, and the purpose.
I recently spent an entire day out in the forest near my home. I love
being out there. It is a wonder to get acquainted with the trees, the
secret places, the stones and the stories they all hold. When I am out
there, I am with my closest and oldest relatives. They have always
heard me, and I have always listened to them. And always, the knowing
is there, unchanging, unwavering. Life alone is the gift. Embrace the
essence of it. The miracle is in each heartbeat, each breath and each
touch. Life itself is enough.
So how about that for a new years resolution....
SOUTH - Itokagata - Red (Red Earth)
A word from Peggy....
As I look at the past year I am struck by the many blessings that it
held for us. Two new Grandsons.... John being honored with a Platinum
Album....three new CDs.... two new books..... adding a new retreat...
the Circle of Nations Community becoming a reality...on and on, so many
wonderful blessings. There were some burdens in there too, but
thankfully I don't remember them much.
What will 2007 hold? I have set my goals and visualized the results, so
I expect it will be another wonderful year. I am learning the more I
live outside myself and live to follow the path that Spirit has set for
me the more blessings I am aware of. The more I can live in each
moment, the more I live. My words for this year were: take risks,
dance, and dream no small dream.
I set my life actions in motion by the words given to me at the
retreat. I know that many of you who have come to the retreats do the same.
Speaking of the retreats... We expect to have all retreat info and
dates and schedules up by mid Jan. The Artist's Retreat and the two Mending Medicine Retreats are
already set, we are looking into having a couples retreat this year and
will know more about that in the coming weeks. Phil will be sending a
letter out to all the Circle of Nations family members to make sure that
you get your registrations in, so we can know how many openings we will
have for new people. I expect that right now we will have ten openings
for Weekend One and ten
openings for Weekend Two. I have a lot of spots
for the Artist's Retreat, so if you are planning on attending please let
me know.
As a New Year Special this month we are offering a Touch the Wind CD
free to anyone who
orders $40 worth of products online or offline at either website.
I was having some trouble sleeping the last week, so I have begun to
listen to Touch the Wind as I relax to sleep and it has been a great
soothing sleep method.
Look forward to seeing many of you in 2007. Please check out our new
Bookings Suite and
find out how to bring John Two-Hawks into your area. This is a great
place to direct people who may be interested in booking John. We also
have an awesome new catalog for wholesale orders, if you own a shop,
please give me a call and I will send one off to you.... 888-790-9091.
Peace,
Peggy
Red Earth
JTH Shop
WEST - Wiyohpeyata - Black or Blue (We are STILL Here!)
An Inconvenient Truth
I watched this documentary recently. I have to admit that my very first
thoughts went something like, "Well hello! We've been trying to tell
you this stuff for hundreds of years!" Indigenous people saw a long,
long time ago where the road of pollution and environmental disrespect
was heading, and many warnings were given. Nearly nobody listened, and
so here we are.
Having said that, it is important for us all to put aside our
differences and work together to solve the potentially catastrophic
global environmental problems we face. I was very impressed with this
documentary (I am not easily impressed!), and I believe it can be a
powerful tool for educating ourselves and the public about the hard
facts concerning global warming. My grandfather once told me that there
was a time on this Turtle continent (north america) when the forest was
so thick that a squirrel could have hopped from tree to tree from the
Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River without ever touching the
ground. When I travel through Indiana, Illinois or Ohio, I am always
reminded of my grandfather's words, and I am always amazed at how little
of that massive forest is left. It is time for all of us to do our part
to ensure that our great grandchildren will be able to enjoy the natural
wonder and beauty of Mother Earth as we have. I have rarely endorsed a
film in this way, but this is more than a movie, it is a true story of
what is happening right now to Mother Earth, and our role in it, and
what we can do about it. In Lakota way, we think of the 7th generation
when we make important decisions. May we all think of the 7th
generation now....
NORTH - Waziyata - White (Words of Wisdom)
Be who you know you are, no matter what
Waiting is the beginning of wisdom
We all really only need four things: food, water, shelter and love
Failure is often the seed of success
May Wakantanka encircle you and yours with faith to believe, hope for
the future, and love for all....
As always, in the spirit of mending the sacred hoop of the nations of
the world
Your Oglala Lakota friend and brother,
John Two-Hawks
http://www.nativecircle.com
http://www.johntwohawks.com
Reprinting of this Circle of Nations newsletter is encouraged! All I
ask is that it be printed in its entirety, with no changes, and that I
be given proper credit, unless I have otherwise okayed it. Wopila
(great thanks)!
Found here 27 Feb 2008 with no formatting and badly-formed links. I made some educated guesses.
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