The Path of a Peace Elder
This is the first story for my Circle of Life project. The story blossomed quickly -- flying through open minds and hearts and landing on open fertile ground. There are many more native stories yet to blossom. In the blossoming a sweet fragrance is emitted to heal hearts, minds, and cultural divides. Native voices once silenced will sound and reveal the ever present enchantment of spirit on earth. This is peace making/love making.
The Path of a Peace Elder
By Anna Halla, Tlingit/Kaasoot Elder
I lived in 38 foster homes. At the approximate age of six I was in yet another abusive home. I was struck in the head with a hammer by the foster parent. I ran off into the woods and ended up at a creek. After laying on the edge of the creek an elderly person spoke to me. She saw that I was injured and told me that she would be right back.
Upon her return she had plants in her hand and she spoke what I thought were prayers because I didn’t understand her language. She then placed the plants on my forehead where I had been struck. She continued with her prayers for a while and when she removed the leaves from my forehead there was the piece from the hammer. She placed that in the creek and bathed my forehead with creek water. She then said more prayers.
Then she started asking me questions in English and I answered them. She asked me what it was that was troubling my heart. I told her about my dream of squares and half circles. I didn’t understand why I had to have the same dream night after night after night. She suggested that I go home and pray with intention to understand the dream. I did so.
The next morning I awoke but I still had that same dream and no answer. I then made my way down to the creek once again and sat watching the fish. Within a short time she appeared once again. I told her that I didn’t get an answer to my dream. Once again she told me to pray; this time with more intention.
That evening I prayed with as much intention as I could bring forth and repeated that prayer until I fell asleep. I awoke one happy girl because that answer did come! My square and half circles joined. The answer was “I am to see with my heart, I am to hear with my heart, I am to feel with my heart, I am to speak with my heart.” And in that way I will be able to live in the two worlds.
The squares represent the dominant society. You go to a square school, sit at a square desk, have a square book, and after a few years you get a square piece of paper. The Sacred Hoop teachings were outlawed by the dominant society thus breaking the hoop in half. Uniting the half circles and the square brings understanding one to another.
Anna’s recipe for life: Love, honor, respect, balance, spirituality
The Path of a Peace Elder
By Anna Halla, Tlingit/Kaasoot Elder
I lived in 38 foster homes. At the approximate age of six I was in yet another abusive home. I was struck in the head with a hammer by the foster parent. I ran off into the woods and ended up at a creek. After laying on the edge of the creek an elderly person spoke to me. She saw that I was injured and told me that she would be right back.
Upon her return she had plants in her hand and she spoke what I thought were prayers because I didn’t understand her language. She then placed the plants on my forehead where I had been struck. She continued with her prayers for a while and when she removed the leaves from my forehead there was the piece from the hammer. She placed that in the creek and bathed my forehead with creek water. She then said more prayers.
Then she started asking me questions in English and I answered them. She asked me what it was that was troubling my heart. I told her about my dream of squares and half circles. I didn’t understand why I had to have the same dream night after night after night. She suggested that I go home and pray with intention to understand the dream. I did so.
The next morning I awoke but I still had that same dream and no answer. I then made my way down to the creek once again and sat watching the fish. Within a short time she appeared once again. I told her that I didn’t get an answer to my dream. Once again she told me to pray; this time with more intention.
That evening I prayed with as much intention as I could bring forth and repeated that prayer until I fell asleep. I awoke one happy girl because that answer did come! My square and half circles joined. The answer was “I am to see with my heart, I am to hear with my heart, I am to feel with my heart, I am to speak with my heart.” And in that way I will be able to live in the two worlds.
The squares represent the dominant society. You go to a square school, sit at a square desk, have a square book, and after a few years you get a square piece of paper. The Sacred Hoop teachings were outlawed by the dominant society thus breaking the hoop in half. Uniting the half circles and the square brings understanding one to another.
Anna’s recipe for life: Love, honor, respect, balance, spirituality
posted by Community Threads @ 3:29 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home