drpirate

AMERICAN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

American Indian Philosophy offers Great Wisdom to modern human beings. It spotlights how we treat Gods Creation, our Mother Earth, and how we treat each other. The common sense example of Native Americans is that they treated the environment in the greatest way possible, recognizing that we draw our lives from this planetit is foolish not to take care of it, just as it is foolish not to take care of our own body. To American Indians every tree and stone was alive, and Mother Earth was a living entity in need of respect and protectionnever to be abused or misused. To take care of this planet, to have generosity rather than greed, plus respect for our brothers and sisters on this planet, with a worshipful life-style, and (not a Sunday only religion), that is the soul and core of American Indian beliefs.

Words of Black Elk:

I could see that the Wasichus (whites) did not care for each other the way our people did before the nations hoop was broken. They would take everything from each other if they could, and so there were some who had more of everything than they could use, while crowds of people had nothing at all and maybe were starving. They had forgotten that the earth was their mother. This could not be better than the old ways of my people.

(from Black Elk Speaks, told through John G. Neihardt.)

It should also be noted that American Indians almost universally were Theists. They generally believed in a Supreme Being, Great Mystery, or Great Spirit, who quite often had helpers or lesser spirits at His command. A religious attitude toward the Creator certainly helped shape their love for the Creators handiwork, i.e. Mother Earth and all that is in her. It is also interesting that most tribes had a Flood Story of some type that was similar to the Genesis account in the Bible. Another similar instance is that Indians often had a bad or evil supernatural character, often labeled as a troublemaker, which was somewhat equivalent to the Devil in the Bible. Though Indians did not generally have a literal Hell in their beliefs, it was often thought that bad people might go to a bad place after death, or that a bad fate awaited them at death. There was some similar belief to a Heaven of the Bible. It was believed that good people would go to a Good Place after death. Sometimes it was described to whites in the early literature as Happy Hunting Grounds. Other Indians simply believed their spirit would go back to the Creator upon death, or that it would travel the Sky Road to Ancestor Land.

Indian beliefs in general were a responsibility to God, His Creation, and Our Fellow Human Beings; that was essential to American Indian thought. This is the essence and nature of a philosophy that we can apply to our own lives today, and is the heart of American Indian Philosophy that must be applied if mankind hopes to save a world damaged more each day due to neglect, greed, and indifference. It could also be said that this is a philosophy that goes back to the Garden of Eden. Back to when our original ancestors respectfully cared for Gods good work.

Built into the American Indian was an education from the school of nature. There was also moral and ethical conduct, and social wisdom instilled from the tribe as well as from watching the Creation and its workings. Patience came from viewing the long-standing silent hills, and from watching the slow approach of the panther toward its prey. Patience also came from the knowledge of the long sleep of brother bears hibernation. Alertness and sensitivity to their surroundings came from watching the actions of brother deer, and brother rabbit. Watchfulness came from the slow hovering and piercing eye of brother hawk. Steadfastness arose with the growing trees, and the continually flowing streams. Balance was seen in nature, especially the continuous four seasons, shifting from the elements of hot to cold and then back again. The planets and stars, and especially the moon ran in cycles that showed a continuous and balanced pattern. The Circle was a symbol of that completeness, and a very common figure in American Indian artwork. And it enveloped American Indian thought as the continuous arc of balance, having no beginning or end, but showing a continuum. And there was a recurrent use of the number four, a number that encompassed the four directions, the complete compass of direction. And to those directions were quite often applied supernatural personages to command those directions.

There is much value in learning the Philosophy and Wisdom of the American Indian.

Below are some core beliefs of American Indians:

1. AMERICAN INDIANS RESPECTED THE CREATOR ABOVE, AND THE EARTH BELOW.

2. TREATED ANIMALS AS FELLOW CREATURES, NOT LOWLY THINGS.

3. PUT THE COMMUNITY FIRST PLACE, ABOVE SELFISH INDIVIDUALISM OR AMBITION.

4. THERE WAS A BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.

5. CHILDREN WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH TEACHING AND PEER

PRESSURE. THE AGED RESPECTED.

6. EVERYONE HAD A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE MENTALLY

DISABLED AND HANDICAPPED WERE TREATED WELL, EVEN

RESPECTED.

7. CRIMINALS WERE SEEN AS "SICK" PEOPLE, NOT ABHORED AS VILLIANS.

8. SELF-SACRIFICE, STOIC COURAGE, WERE HELD AS THE IDEAL IN

MANHOOD.

9. YOUR WORD WAS YOUR BOND TO THE AMERICAN INDIAN. TO BREAK

THAT MADE YOU BELOW CONTEMPT.

10. THE SPIRIT LIFE, THE GOOD HEART, LOVE OF NEIGHBOR AS YOUR

BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, FATHER, GRANDPARENTSWERE INDEED

THE GOLDEN RULE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND AT THE HEART OF AMERICAN INDIAN BELIEFS.

11. GENEROUSITY WAS THE GREAT AMERICAN INDIAN VIRTUE.

12. IT WAS AN ALMOST UNSPOKEN FACT THAT MOTHER EARTH WAS TO BE WELL-CARED FOR IN THE AMERICAN INDIAN MIND.

Have an Awesome weekend!!!!!!!