American Indian ValuesImplications for Our Environment

The Sacred Medicine Wheel

WISDOM (Winter)NEW BEGINNINGS (Spring)YOUTH / GROWTH (Summer)INTROSPECTION (Fall)

Animals of the Medicine Wheel

Four elements - Earth, Water, Air, Fire

Seasons spring, summer, fall, winter

Four blood groups A, B, O and AB

Humans have 4 canines, 4 incisors and 4 wisdom teeth.

Other Sacred Fours

http://www.sacredland.org/index.php/home/resources/sacred-lands-interactive-map/index.html

Lands Are Sacred

http://www.sacredland.org/index.php/home/resources/sacred-lands-interactive-map/index.htmlLands Are Sacred

Traditional Cultural Differences:

INDIAN NON INDIAN

Present Oriented Future OrientedLand, plants & animals are sacred Land, plants & animals are possessions Extended Family Nuclear Family Matriarchal Communication Individual Communication Giving / Sharing Saving Interdependence Independence Elders & Children Valued Youth hold the future Cooperation Self-Reliance Spiritual Beliefs Practical Empiricism Intelligence = Intuition / Wisdom Intelligence = Cognitive Skills Patience, Modesty & Humility Competition & Aggression Compact Living Separate space for family members Community Oriented Individual Oriented

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

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.

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Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned or given. It is not yours.

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

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

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

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

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.

Matt Clark martial arts program

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.

Judicial system

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.

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

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

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Animal Symbols are used as a way of listening to the wisdomof animals.

Many groups have its own clan animal. One of the mainfunctions of the clan was to provide kinship with clanmembers in other villages. Traditionally, a person would not be allowed to marry someone within his or her own clan.

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.

It is a belief that the eagle is respected as an majestic bird because itcan fly higher than any other birds

It is believed that the eagle can carry our prays to the Creator. The feather can represent, flexibility, honestly, freedom, strength,wisdom, power, and stability.

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 beliefs on others.

Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.

THANK YOU!

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