'When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, you will realize that you cannot eat money.'
~ Cree Indian saying
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The Traditional Native American lifestyle is a life of prayer to all of creation. Prayer is so deeply woven into every aspect of life that there is a prayer for every action, on waking and greeting the morning sun, on eating and thanking all the beings that have made that meal possible. Each moment can be made sacred when gratitude is shown for the gifts of this life. This is most beautifully summed up in the phrase Mitakuye Oyasin, Lakota for 'All my relations.' When a prayer is made it is followed by these words that acknowledge our interconnectedness to all life on this planet.
The Web of Life is something that we are part of and this is celebrated in all Native Traditions. Celebration and Gratitude being at the core of Native American Spirituality.
And this gratitude, ritual and otherwise is something that we sometimes forget in our consumer societies so full of things that it often takes a moment to remember the small miracles of every day life.
'The Elm Trees will die, Huge stone monsters will tear open the face of the earth and rivers burning aflame.' These words are taken from The Seventh Generation Prophecy, one well known by many of the Native Nations and remembered here by Gail Whitlow of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), Mohawk nation. These words bring to mind Dutch elm disease that has wiped out all but a few elms left in Britain or much of continental Europe. Mining devastating huge swathes of the earth and Fracking that uses and pollutes huge quantities of our most precious resource, water, not to mention the local devastation in Australia where fires have raged for weeks in New South Wales.
The Seventh Generation prophecy says that seven Generations after White man has come into contact with the Native Americans is the time when change must come and that that time is now. Now, is the time to act to bring ourselves back into balance for ourselves and the planet. The prophecy says that this time will come when the wisdom teachings that have been preserved by native people will be needed as we learn how to come back into balance.
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Gail Whitlow, Pipe Carrier and Medicine Woman says 'I am born into the Bear clan. This birth manifests as Healing and medicine. We all once knew our paths according to what clan we were born into. Most now spend all their lives searching for a connection.' Gail has set up Ancestral Voices healing center on the 6 Nations reserve in Ontario Canada where she was raised. Her life's purpose since she was 25 has been to create and facilitate events that foster the traditional ceremonies that allow our connection to Spirit.
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Gil Aguilera is an Honorary Sundance Elder and Staff Carrier, member of Tokala Warrior Society, Chiricahua Apache Alliance, World Council of Elders, Facilitator of Global Spiritual Unity and Condor and Eagle Gatherings. A US Armed Forces Veteran with a successful career as a program administrator in Aerospace and government programs. Gil has been on a Worldwide journey of self discovery seeking the 'original spiritual instructions' that the great spirit handed down to us and how to best incorporate these first teachings into his own spiritual path is his life's mission.
This Journey has taken him to most of the North, Central and South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. He has prayed with his Chanupa (sacred pipe) in many Native American sacred ceremonies and vision quests and sat in council with many indigenous spiritual world elders to discover his true spiritual mission. Gil utilizes his integrity, spiritual wisdom, and knowledge to unite people of all world cultures to integrate our living past culture with our present and to work together towards restoring our sacred relationships with the Great Spirit and Mother Earth.
The current environmental crisis of many of the worlds eco-systems has been foretold by Native American nations. The fulfillment of these prophecies at this time is seen as the call to wake-up and for people to bring their lives back into alignment into harmonious living with the planet.
Gil Aguilera, Gail Whitlow and Ruben Saufkie are coming to New Zealand to share their teachings at two not be be missed events. Ruben, a Hopi is from the "Patkiwunga" Water Clan and will be leading a Water Blessing Ceremony open to all at Kawai Purapura at 12pm on Sunday the 22nd March - Joining hearts and minds with many others in a synchronized global event.
For more information please contact Stephanie Frost at
frost.steph@gmail.com and check out the heartspace website at
www.heartspace.co.nz for full details on these events:
Tales from Turtle Island of Prophecies and Healing
113 Mt Eden Road
The Quaker Meeting House, Wed 19 Mar at 6:30pm
Healing The Sacred Hoop - Spiritual Gathering of Elders Kawai Purapura Retreat Centre, Auckland Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd March
Hopi Water Blessing - 12pm Sunday 23rd March @ Kawai Purapura Albany.