Author: medicinewalkerbear

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the Story of White Calf Buffalo Woman and the Sacred Pipe as shared by bear Medicinewalker

The story of White Calf Buffalo Woman was handed down long ago and is shared to this day. I revisited it once again this morning and had validation I needed to share it once more from an unlikely source that I was participating in earlier today. The reason I was reminded was that often people only remember part of the story, or even tell part of the story…. But it resonated so loudly today as Women (and Men) are rising everywhere and calling out their abusers. They are finding voice that will allow them to heal.

Why some might say does this have anything to do with the true teachings of White Calf Buffalo Woman? Well because she came to the people as Teacher/Prophet/Ancestor to teach All the Sacred way to Pray and walk the earth as Human… and we must remember that once again for so many are lost as they walk their journey among the chaotic world we live in today.

The story begins …

In the time of the Ancestors, two young men had left their village to hunt. As they walked to the hunting grounds they came upon a beautiful young maiden dressed in white buckskin. Upon seeing her, one of the hunters looked upon her and recognized her as a Sacred Being and immediately lowered his eyes. The second hunter did not and moved towards her with lust in his eyes, desiring to only take her as a woman.

White Buffalo Calf Woman beckoned the lustful hunter to her. He was happy to comply and quickly moved to her, but as he did a whirling cloud of dust arose engulfing them and causing them to be hidden from view. When the dust settled, nothing but a pile of bones lay next to her. She then moved towards the respectful young hunter, explaining that she had simply fulfilled the other man’s desire, allowing him, within that brief moment, to live a lifetime, die and decay.

White Buffalo Calf Woman then instructed the young man to go back to his village and instruct them to prepare for her arrival for she would teach them of the way to pray, the way to live as Sacred. The young hunter obeyed.

When White Buffalo Calf Woman arrived with the sacred bundle (the prayer pipe) she taught the People of the seven sacred ways to pray. These prayers are through ceremonies that include the Sweat Lodge for purification; the Naming Ceremony for child naming; the Healing Ceremony to restore health to the body, mind and spirit; the adoption ceremony for making of relatives; the marriage ceremony for uniting male and female; the Vision Quest for communing with the Creator for direction and answers to one’s life; and the Sundance Ceremony to pray for the well-being of All People.

When the teaching of the Sacred Ways was complete, White Buffalo Calf Woman told the people she would again return for the sacred bundle that she left with them. Before leaving, she told them that within her were the four ages, and that she would look back upon the People in each age, returning at the end of the fourth age, to restore harmony and spirituality to a troubled land.

She walked a short distance and looked back towards the people and sat down. When she arose they were amazed to see she had become a black buffalo. Walking a little further, the buffalo laid down, this time arising as a yellow buffalo. The third time the buffalo walked a little further and this time arose as a red buffalo. Walking a little further it rolled on the ground and rose one last time as a white buffalo calf signaling the fulfillment of the White Buffalo Calf prophecy.

The changing of the four colors of the White Buffalo Calf Woman represents the four colors of man–white, yellow, red and black. These colors also represent the four directions, north, east, south and west.

The sacred bundle that was left to the Lakota people is still with the People in a sacred. It is kept by a man known as the Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, and today that man is Chief Arvol Lookiing Horse 19th generation keeper of White Buffalo Calf Woman and spiritual elder of Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people of the Dakotas tells of the White Buffalo prophecy and caring for Unci Maka Grandmother Earth.

So let us go back to our roots of who we are supposed to be…who we are supposed to walk as in this Human world, and remember we are all equal, we all need to walk with Respect, Honesty…share Wisdom’s that have been passed down to us by the Ancestors, to Love each other, to have Humility, to rise with Courage, to Own our Truths as positives and as Sacred…

May we All learn to walk in Peace…from this moment forward.

Blessings to You All
bear Medicinewalker

 

“Prayers from Within” by Award Winning Musician Jan Michael Lookingwolf available at http://www.lookingwolf.com/

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A Code of Ethics as Taught to Me by My Elders

 

Over the years, the following words have stayed with me. I will be the first to admit it is not an easy path to walk, but like you all…  I am human too. So it is good to remind yourself often of the important things, the things we need to do, the way we need to walk. If we expect others to be and do better then we must help to guide them through example, through understanding, through the unconditional. For we hold the power within each of us, the power to Change the World.

So with that thought…check egos at the door as we walk the code together.

Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak.

Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy – and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.

Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.

Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.

Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.

Respect all things that are placed upon this earth – whether it be
people or plant.

Honor other people’s thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal expression.

Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.

All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.

Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice
optimism.

Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your worldly family.

Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and
water them with wisdom and life’s lessons. When they are grown, give them space to grow.

Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will return to you.

Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this
universe.

Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self, Emotional self, and Physical self – all need to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.

Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will react. Be responsible for your own actions.

Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not touch the
personal property of others – especially sacred and religious objects. This is forbidden.

Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if you cannot nurture and help yourself first.

Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on
others. Share your good fortune with others.

So keep that list close, remind yourselves each day…and always remember you are not alone for we all walk the same way, one footstep at a time.

Blessings to All,

bear Medicinewalker

  • Music from Douglas Spotted Eagle

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Why the Raven is Black as shared by bear Medicinewalker

This was shared to me by an Elder who asked me if I knew how the Raven became black. since my response was no this is what “Corky” Black Elk Shared with me…and now in turn I share with you..

Long ago, during the very beginning of the world, Gray Eagle was the guardian of the sun, the moon, the stars, fresh water and fire. Gray Eagle hated people so much that he kept these things hidden. The peoples lived in darkness, without fire and without fresh water.

Gray Eagle also had a beautiful daughter, and when Raven saw her he instantly fell in love with her. At that time Raven was a handsome young man so he came up with a plan to change himself into a snow-white bird. As the snow-white bird he pleased Gray Eagle’s daughter and soon she fell madly in love with him. So much so that she invited him to her father’s lodge.

Raven was surprised when he he entered the lodge for he saw the sun ,the moon, the stars and the fresh water hanging on the sides of Gray Eagle’s lodge walls, he knew instantly what he should do, what he had to do. So carefully watching for his chance to seize them when no one was looking, Raven stole all of them along with a spark of fire. Then he flew upward and out of the lodge through a smoke hole above.

As soon as Raven got outside, he hung the sun up in the sky. It created so much light that he was able to fly far out to an island in the middle of the ocean. As soon as the sun set, he fastened the moon up in the sky and hung the stars around in different places. With the moonlight there to help guide him, he continued to fly carrying with him the fresh water and the spark of fire he had stolen. Soon the water fell to the ground and there it became the source of all the freshwater streams and lakes around the world.

Still the Raven flew on holding in his mouth the spark of fire. The smoke from the fire blowing back over his white feathers coating them black. Soon his bill began to burn and he had to drop the fire spark. When it landed and struck the rocks below, it sparked brighter and created fire. That is why even today if you strike two stones together with a stick, it will spark and fire will burn and share its warmth and glow.

Raven’s feathers never became white again after they were blackened by the smoke from carrying the spark of fire.  This is why today the Raven is a black bird.


Blessings to you All
~ bear

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Grandmother Spider Steals the Sun


In the beginning there was only blackness, no one could see anything. People kept walking into each other and stumbling around blindly. Soon they gathered to discuss the problem, “What we all need is to be able to see.” They all agreed but were not sure what to do, they needed to find light.

Fox said he knew others on the other side of the world who had plenty of light, but they were too greedy to share it with anyone. Possum said he would be glad to steal a little of it. “I have a bushy tail, I could hide the light inside all that fur.” It was agreed and decided he could try to get some light for them all, so he set out for the other side of the world. There he found the sun hanging in a tree and lighting everything up. He quietly crept over to the sun taking from it a tiny piece of light and stuffing it into his tail. But the light was too hot and it burned all his fur. Soon the people discovered his theft and took back the light, and ever since, Possum’s tail has been bald.

“I will try,” said Buzzard. “I know better than to hide a piece of stolen light in my tail, I will place it on the top of my head.” He flew to the other side of the world and swooped straight into the sun seizing it with his claws. He then placed it on his head, where it proceeded to burn all his head feathers off. The people seeing him on fire and trying to steal what was theirs, grabbed the sun away from him, and ever since that time Buzzard’s head has remained bald.

Grandmother Spider said, “I will try!” So she set about the task of making a thick walled pot out of clay. Next she spun a web reaching all the way to the other side of the world. The fact that Grandmother Spider was so small, none of the people in the village of the sun even saw her coming. Quickly Grandmother Spider snatched up the sun and placed it in the bowl of clay carrying it back home along one of the strong strands of her web. Now her side of the world had light, and everyone rejoiced.

Grandmother Spider brought not only the sun to the Cherokee, but fire with it and she taught the Cherokee people the art of making pottery!

 


Blessings
~bear Medicinewalker

 

 

 

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When It’s Time to Celebrate Yourself!


So this today I am writing about as I am on a self imposed sabbatical for a few weeks.  Oh and why am I doing this? Well the answer is simple, should be simple for all of you as well, I am celebrating me! Why? Well why not?

We all need to take ownership of us… meaning the good stuff that we have accomplished, the other stuff we need to accept and work on, and all the in-between!  We SHOULD be proud of ourselves and the ability we all have to change what needs to be changed, understand we are all but human and all our blessings in our lives.  Who we are is important, as we imprint on the entire world around us.

We need to also remember that we need to rest, do things for ourselves so we can replenish our minds, bodies and our spirits. If we don’t do that, who the heck will? It is not selfish to take care of yourself, nor should we put ourselves last. We must embrace the idea of we all matter in the bigger scope of things. I hear all the time from people that it really doesn’t matter what they do or say… my reply always is, But it certainly does matter!

How Does it matter? Well there are people in our lives, situations in our lives, communities on our lives… all that without us the dynamic would be different. Take for example if you are a healthcare worker in a hospital, there are people that depend on you to give them care. Garbage Collectors, yes you read it right… if we didn’t have them filling those jobs what would happen to the garbage we create? How about musicians? Well don’t know about ya’ll but music feeds my soul when sometimes other things won’t. What of teachers? Need I explain that? Teachers share lessons with us, lessons no matter if they are good teachers or not so great teachers, they teach us how to think for ourselves and save things that resonate with us on our walk.

The list goes on and on too many examples to list them all. So when you stop[ and think about yourself, even in darker times… remember that your light is inside of you. How bright it burns is up to each of us.

If we choose to ignore tasking care of ourselves, we can not bee there for things that pop up that need to be tended to. We were taught growing up that we take care of everything and everyone before taking care of ourselves. That can not be farther from the truth. We must take care of self, our minds, our physical and spiritual sides. No one else is gonna do it better than us. When was the last time you took a look in the mirror and said, “Hey Great Job!”?????

So life is a great novel that is being written about each and everyone of us. Only thing we need to remember is that we are all the authors of those stories. Each second of our lives, we have the ability to do our best. When our best doesn’t work, we need to take a break and recognize we need to not feel guilty of wanting to take care of self.   

I have an acquaintance that I swear she has wings on her feet. Always giving of herself, always trying to make the world better, very little of taking care of herself just because. Like it’s a internal drive that pushes her constantly moving. Then all of a sudden the “stop button” happens. It’s the Universe’s way of saying enough! Stop and care for You! Funny upon writing those words I realize there are a few of my friends going through this all at the same time.

Seriously though, we are all needed. There is great chaos in the world at this time. The world is very shadowed.  It causes so many to feel drained and fill with anxiety. When it does take stock in yourself, celebrating how you are an amazing soul doing there best in a very harsh crazy but wonderful world!

Simply breathe!

Blessings to you all!
~ bear Medicinewalker

Celebration by Kool and the Gang

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A Solstice Prayer

I call to All from every corner of the World to Join in Prayer on this Day of Winter Solstice!

I call to all those hidden in the Shadows to step into the Light

As we enter into the Season of Frost may we remember all the many things that have happened in our lives. May the Good, Bad and Indifferent resonate within so we may holster that energy and allow it to empower each and everyone of us to grow stronger, gentler, empathetic and filled with compassion for others.

It is time to step into our power and become the best version of self. It is time to flush out those shadowed spaces and allow positives of the future to find us.

As I stand and look to the sky, I see Possibilities. I feel Hope, I feel Faith all is not lost, that somehow we will find our true paths and allow it to empower our very Souls. Shadows and negatives will never go away, but we need to understand that we can help attain and keep a balance, but only if we work together.

May the Blessings of the Season’s Solstice find you and lift you to a place of Understanding and Love.

So it is said, so may it be so.
~ bear Medicinewalker

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A Time Of Prophecy

We are living in an unprecedented time. We are bearing witness to many ugly and hateful things. Things that many are unable to understand how it is we are to assist in bringing back balance to the world. Violence is a common day occurrence. It is one of the Worlds darkest hours. War, Hate and much more circle us all, pulling us in an a seemingly tight grasp we are All trying to break away from. 

It is time for us all to listen and take pause as to how we must be instruments of balance. No easy feat for sure, but we can if we work together attain what it is we seek.  We must look to our Past to find our Future. There were many Prophecies among the Tribal Councils over the years. A foretelling of the times we live. Read and take to heart the messages that we all should remember and embrace.

An Elder from the ‘Cree’ tribe, whose name was named ‘Eyes of Fire,’ who prophesied that one day, due to the White race, we would be witness to a time fish would die in the streams, the birds would fall from the air, the waters would be blackened, and the trees would no longer be, mankind as we would know it would all but cease to exist.

‘There would come a time when the ‘keepers of the legend, stories, culture rituals, and myths, and all the Ancient Tribal Customs’ would be needed to restore us to health. The key to survival, will be the ‘THE WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW. all the peoples of all the tribes would form together a New World of Justice, Peace, Freedom and Creators Healing Grace. Brining in a Balance of All on the Great Mother Earth.

Warriors will have many tasks ahead of them. There will be terrifying mountains of ignorance to conquer and they shall find prejudice and hatred. They must be dedicated, unwavering in their strength, and strong of heart. They will find willing hearts and minds that will follow them on this road of returning everything to balance and harmony.

The Anishinabe Nations, from the Great Lakes area, speak about the Seven Fires Prophecy. The Voice of the Ojibway, 1988.

The Seventh Prophet that came to the people long ago was said to be different from the other prophets. This prophet was described as ‘young and had a strange light in his eyes’ and spoke …

“In the time of the Seventh Fire New People will emerge. They will retrace their steps to find what was left by the trail. Their steps will take them to the Elders who they will ask to guide them on their journey. But many of the Elders will have fallen asleep. They will awaken to this new time with nothing to offer. Some of the Elders will be silent because no one will ask anything of them. The New People will have to be careful in how they approach the Elders. The task of the New People will not be easy.

“If the New People will remain strong in their quest the Water Drum of the Midewiwin Lodge will again sound its voice. There will be a rebirth of the Anishinabe Nation and a rekindling of old flames. The Sacred Fire will again be lit. It is this time that the light skinned race will be given a choice between two roads. If they choose the right road, then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an eternal fire of peace, love brotherhood and sisterhood.

A purge is occurring each moment we breathe, I ask all of those among us that are strong, that are peaceful Warriors… Warriors of Change step up and walk with Us as the Rainbow Warriors we signed on to be before time, all time.

Blessings
~ bear Medicinewalker

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