The Sun

Since the dawn of time, humans have been fascinated by the sun.
Radiating power from the sky, our star Sol is a creative force that
is unparalleled. Its brilliant rays illuminate the seasons, give
heat, imbue all living beings with vital life force energy, and
banish the dangers that only come out in the dark. Sol is a
sparkling though mysterious jewel and has been given many names by
many cultures: Arinna in Mesopotamia, Yhi in Australia, Ra in Egypt,
and Apollo in Greece. Our lives are, to a large extent, driven by
the brilliant illumination of the sun. The sun drives the cycles of
our days and seasons while providing us with a framework we can use
for running our lives. The reappearance of the sun after a long
stretch of night has the power to inspire us when we awaken at dawn
to watch a slow sunrise. Likewise, Sol can be a powerful symbol of
hope, elation, joy, growth, and creativity. The sun has much to
teach us. Early astronomers saw the sun's constancy as a signifier
of its great strength, courage, and power. Its illumination and
steady flow of energy is there whether or not we are able to see it.
The sun is the great and unselfish giver, rising into the sky at the
start of each day to energize us, bathe us in radiance, and provide
us with innumerable blessings. A simple, sun-centered ritual can
help you harness this loving energy. Awaken before dawn and go
outdoors to watch the sun's ascent. As it rises into view, close
your eyes, bask! in its light, and imagine your soul ascending
alongside it. Feel yourself grow as you absorb the sun's energy.
Your body will tell you when you have taken in enough. Express your
appreciation for all the sun gives to the world. The sun's nurturing
heat is there to warm you and allow you to flourish. Its energy
nourishes the food you eat, while its light allows you to see the
beauty in the world. The sun represents internal balance and burns
with controlled power. Without the sun's golden light, the spirit
suffers. When we take time to bask in the sun, our spirit soars.



We Are All Mirrors For Each Other When we look at other people, we
see many of their qualities in innumerable and seemingly random
combinations. However, the qualities that we see in the people
around us are directly related to the traits that exist in us. "Like
attracts like" is one of the spiritual laws of the universe. We
attract individuals into our lives that mirror who we are. Those you
feel drawn to reflect your inner self back at you, and you act as a
mirror for them. Simply put, when you look at others, you will
likely see what exists in you. When you see beauty, divinity,
sweetness, or light in the soul of another, you are seeing the
goodness that resides in your soul. When you see traits in others
that evoke feelings of anger, annoyance, or hatred, you may be
seeing reflected back at you those parts of yourself that you have
disowned or do not like. Because we are all mirrors for each other,
looking at the people in your life can tell you a lot about
yourself. Who you are can be laid bare to you through what you see
in others. It is easy to see the traits you do not like in others.
It is much more difficult to realize that you possess those same
traits. Often, the habits, attitudes, and behaviors of others are
closely linked to our unconscious and unresolved issues. When you
come into contact with someone you admire, search your soul for
similarly admirable traits. Likewise, when you meet someone
exhibiting traits that you dislike, accept that you are looking at
your reflection. Looking at yourself through your perception of
others can be a humbling and eye-opening experience. You can also
cultivate in you the traits and behaviors that you do like. Be
loving and respectful to all people, and you will attract
individuals that will love and respect you back. Nurture compassion
and empathy and let the goodness you see in others be your mirror.

No wrong Decissions

Regardless Of Outcome, There Are No Wrong Decisions. Many of us
have a hard time making decisions. We fear that if we choose the
wrong partner, then we'll be stuck in an unhappy relationship. Or,
if we make the wrong financial decision, we'll make a bad
investment. Yet, there are no wrong decisions. Perhaps we could, at
times, make different choices regarding our relationships, personal
pursuits, careers, or the right color of paint we should buy for our
bedroom. Yet, regardless of the outcome, we always gain valuable
experience or insights from any choice we make. Making a decision is
always better than making no decision at all. At least we had the
courage to decide, take a chance, and make a move in a particular
direction. We can't take action unless we make a decision first.
And, a decision is never wrong because we always gain something from
it - whether we get what we thought we intended or learn a valuable
lesson. Sometimes, we need to follow through on a decision to
realize that we don't really want what we thought we did. For
instance, maybe you always wanted to live in a big city, so you
leave family, friends, and a secure job in a small town to move
across the country. However, once you get there, you find out that
you don't really like city life. You never could have known that
unless you tried it. So, you move back home, all the more
appreciative of small town living. Rather than constantly wondering
what else is out there, you are now able to fully embrace your
surroundings and the direction your life there is taking. Your
decision to move to the city did work out - just not in the way that
you envisioned. While our decisions may not always lead us to what
we thought we wanted, we always end up with what will ultimately
make us happiest. Being able to make decisions is one of life's
privileges. Exercise your right to fearlessly decide.

Need a HUG

When we are close friends with someone, we intuitively know when
they need a hug, a helping hand, or a sympathetic ear. Likewise,
when we are going through bleak periods in our lives, we count on
friends to support us through loss, illness, and other setbacks,
both big and small. And while part of being a good friend means
being there when the other person needs us, it is just as important
to be there for our friends so we can share in their joyous
celebrations and triumphs. After all, who else would our friends
want to celebrate their promotions, graduations, marriages, and good
news with than their loved ones and good friends. Yet depending on
what is happening in our lives, it can sometimes be difficult to be
there for our friends during the good times. We can become so busy
with our own lives that we forget to make time. Or, we may be so
focused on our own problems that we may not feel like celebrating
with our friends. We may even take their joyful moments for granted,
assuming that as long as we're there for our friends during the bad
times that we are doing our jobs. Yet part of being a true friend
means also being there during the good times. Success and happiness
can feel empty without someone to share them with, and who better to
join in our victory dances than our good friends. Taking the time
from our busy lives to honor our friends' happy moments is a
wonderful way to show them that they matter. And in many ways, by
wanting you around during their happy occasions, your friends are
also honoring you. After all, it is the people we cherish that we
want around us to sing at our birthdays, visit our newborn babies,
and pop open that bottle of champagne with when we reach a milestone
moment. The next time a friend wants you to be there to celebrate
with them, remember to feel honored that they thought of asking you.
Together, you can celebrate their happiness and your rich
friendship.



Depending on what stage we are in our lives, we can sometimes feel
like we ought to know more about who we are or how to live. We may
even berate ourselves for making the same mistakes, or for just
not "getting it," whatever "it" may be. We wonder how our lives
would be now, if only we had "known better." During moments like
these, it is important to remember that none of us are born with
instruction manuals and that learning lessons is a lifelong journey.
Inherent to our being born is that we are here to observe, learn,
and grow. Accompanying this is a built-in guarantee that there will
be mistakes and misadventures along the way. And while it is only
natural that we may sometimes become overwhelmed, especially when
the lessons keep coming, it is important to remember that learning
to understand yourself and your world is an ongoing and active
process where the journey is more important than the destination.
Every lesson is intended so you can become more of who you are. And
as you grow through this self-discovery, you begin to create your
own instruction manual. The "how's" and "why's" are yours to
discover, and part of the beauty of being alive is that these rules
are always changing. If you feel that you would like to explore what
your personal instruction manual may already say, then try writing
down in order some of the significant events that have happened to
you. It's also important to take note of what you learned from each
one. When you are done, you may be surprised to discover how much
you are always growing, and that every lesson learned always informs
the next. That being said, there is never any need to be hard on
yourself or think that you should have it all figured out. We always
know as much as we're meant to know at that moment, and growing into
our fullness is a process that unfolds in divine timing. You and
your life are beautiful works in progress. Discover yourself and
embrace your life's lessons, and your instruction manual will create
itself.



Every time you interact with others, you have the choice to listen
to, acknowledge, and let go of their words, or you can take what
they are saying personally. Taking things personally is often the
result of perceiving a person's actions or words as an affront or
slight. In order to take something personally, you must read
negative intent in an individual's words or actions. But what people
do and say has no bearing upon you and is usually based on their own
experiences, emotions, and perceptions. If you attempt to take what
they do or say personally, you may end up feeling hurt without
reason. If you are tempted to take a comment or action personally,
creating some distance between yourself and the other person can
help you. Try to determine what is at the root of your feelings. Ask
yourself if the other person's words or actions are just reinforcing
some insecurity within you or if you can really be sure that an
offense was intended. You may even want to ask them what they meant.
Finally, put yourself in the other person's shoes. Instead of taking
their words as the truth, or as a personal affront, remember that
whatever was said or done is based on their opinion and is more
reflective of what is going on inside of them, rather than having
anything to do with you. You may have been an easy target for
someone having a bad day, and their comments may have been offered
with no ill intentions. When you recognize that what anyone says or
does doesn't necessarily have anything to do with you, you will no
longer feel hurt or attacked. While it's easy to take things
personally, you should never let anyone's perceptions or actions
affect how you see yourself or your worth. Your life is personal to
you, and it is up to you to influence your own value and sense of
well-being.



Every day we hear stories of personal suffering and loss that far
exceed our own. When we compare our situations to those of people
living in war-torn countries or those who have lost their homes and
livelihoods to natural disasters, it is tempting to minimize our own
experiences of suffering. We may feel that we don't have a right to
be upset about the breakup of a relationship, for example, because
at least we have food to eat and a roof over our heads. While
awareness of the pain of others in the world can be a valuable way
to keep our own struggles in perspective, it is not a legitimate
reason to disregard our own pain. Disparaging your feelings as being
less important than other people's emotions leads to denial and
repression. Over time, an unwillingness to experience your own
feelings leads to numbness. It is as if our internal systems become
clogged with our unexpressed emotions. This in no way helps other
people who are suffering in the world. In fact, it may do just the
opposite because when we devalue our own sorrow, we become
impervious to the sorrow in others. Fully experiencing our own hurt
is the gateway to compassion toward other human beings. Feelings of
loss, abandonment, loneliness, and fear are universal, and, in that
sense, all feelings are created equal. Regardless of what leads us
to feel the way we do, our comprehension of what it means to be
human is deepened by our own experiences. Our personal lives provide
us with the material we need to become fully conscious. If we reject
our emotions because we think our experiences are not dramatic or
important enough, we are missing out on our own humanity. We honor
and value the human condition when we fully inhabit our bodies so we
can experience and feel life fully. Accepting our emotions and
allowing ourselves to feel them connects us to all human beings.
Then, when we hear the stories of other people's suffering, our
hearts can resonate with understanding and compassion-for all of us.



We spend the first of January, walking through our year past,
looking into every room filled with experiences, looking for all the
failures we have made. Checking on this crack (wrong) or that hole
(failure), maybe we feel like we have done nothing to improve our
lot in living. This year, let's try something new. What about
looking at the positive experiences, the help we have provided, the
rights instead of the wrongs we have lived with. Balance the scale
by looking at not only the flaws but the potentials in our lives. We
may be just the better for it.

Just the right moment.

During each of our journeys, there are those inevitable moments when
someone comes into our life at precisely the right time and says or
does precisely the right thing. Their words or actions may help us
perceive ourselves more clearly, remind us that everything will turn
out for the best, help us cope, or see us through difficult
situations. These people are human angels - individuals designated
by the universe to be of service to those in need at specific points
in time. Some human angels make a commitment before their births to
make a positive contribution to the world at a particular moment.
Others were chosen by the universe. All human angels, however, come
into our lives when we least expect them and when we can most
benefit from their presence.

A few of the human angels we may encounter are in professions where
helping others is an everyday occurrence. But most of them are
regular people, going about their daily lives until called upon to
be in the right place at the right time to bring peace, joy, help,
or heal someone when they most need it. You may have met a human
angel in the form of a teacher who gave you a piece of advice that
touched your soul and influenced your path. The person that
momentarily stopped you to say hello on the street, delaying you
long enough to avoid an oncoming car or a collision, is also a human
angel. They may offer nothing more than a kind word or a smile, but
they will offer it when you can draw the most strength and support
from their simple action.

You may be a human angel yet not know it. Your fate or intuition may
guide you toward other people's challenging or distressing
situations, leading you to infer that you simply have bad luck. But
recognizing yourself as a human angel can help you deal with the
pain you see and understand that you are there to help and comfort
others during their times of need. Human angels give of their inner
light to all who need it, coming into our lives and often changing
us forever. Their task has its challenges, but it is they that have
the power to teach, bring us joy, and comfort us in times of despair.

Your home is your oasis

Your home is your oasis. Through your efforts, your house or
apartment can become both a private sanctuary and a welcoming,
serene, and healthy place to live in and visit. An organized and
comfortable home can have a calming effect on you, your family, and
guests, as well as be your personal escape from the rest of the
world. Creating this nurturing space isn't difficult. Even a
household that includes young children or multiple animals can be a
serene and peaceful place. In just a few minutes, you can make a
number of changes that can turn your home into a safe and
comfortable haven that you can be proud to share with your loved
ones and friends. One way to fill your house or apartment with
calming energy is to imbue it with a peaceful ambiance that nurtures
all five senses. Soft lighting and soothing colors like blue,
purple, and green can make a space feel warm and inviting, while
pleasant and calming aromas such as lavender and vanilla can
positively affect moods. Peaceful sounds, such as running water in a
fountain or gentle chimes can uplift and clear the space, while
clearing clutter and making the most of open space can ease internal
turmoil and dispel negative feelings. The physical objects in your
home as well as your home itself can retain the energy of previous
owners or creators. You can give your household's energy a lift by
visualizing white light surrounding our home, symbolically sweeping
out residual energy, or smudging your home with cleansing sage. The
changes you make to your home can be as unique as you are and may
involve utilization of space, lighting, new furniture, decorating,
feng shui, or ritual. But what you do is not as important as being
clear in your intention to set up your household as a soothing and
refreshing place to be. Make your home a place of comfort, and you
will feel nurtured and cared for whenever you are there.

Think outside the box

I like this type of thinking!

Subject: Scientific Explanation of Hell
The following is supposedly an actual question given on a University
of Washington chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so
"profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the
Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of
enjoying it As well.

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic
(absorbs
heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law
(gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some
variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So
we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the
rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once
a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different
Religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions
state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell.
Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not
belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.

With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of
souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of
change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the
temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of
Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.


This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls
enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase
until All Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls
in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes
over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa, (Cheerleader
Captain and Class Valedictorian,) during my Freshman year that, "it will be a
cold day in Hell >before I sleep with you, and take into account the
fact that I slept with her last night and again this morning, then number 2 must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over.
The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it
follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct...leaving
only Heaven thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why,
Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God!!!"

Life

Life can take us on a roller coaster ride full of highs and lows and
twists and turns. Even for those of us who enjoy unexpected thrills,
it's frightening to suddenly find ourselves heading for a deep
plunge. Yet, it happens to all of us. At these moments, it is
important to remember that you are not alone in your experiences. No
matter how brave, strong, or levelheaded we are, sometimes, we all
get scared. Our fears may revolve around our physical safety,
particularly if we are not feeling well, living under difficult
circumstances, or doing work that exposes us to hazardous
conditions. Or, we may be experiencing financial woes that are
causing us to be fearful about making ends meet. We may also fear
the loss of a loved one who is sick, or we may be scared of never
finding someone special to spend our life with. We may be scared to
start at a new school, begin a different job, move to a new town, or
meet new people. Whatever our fears are, they are valid, and we do
not need to feel ashamed or embarrassed that we are, at times,
afraid. It may be comforting to know that everyone gets scared, and
it is perfectly OK. Sometimes just acknowledging our fears is enough
to make us feel better. And while it sometimes takes a lot more to
ease our mind, we can console ourselves with the knowledge that life
can be scary at times. Giving ourselves permission to be scared lets
us move through our fears so we can let it go. It also makes it
alright to share our fears with others. Sharing our apprehensions
with other people can make our fears less overwhelming because we
are not letting them grow inside of us as pent up emotions. Sharing
our fears also can lighten our burden because we are not carrying
our worries all by ourselves. Remember that you are not alone.



The transmission of words, is used by all people. If we didn't
communicate, we would be still living in an ignorant situation or
isolating ourselves. As a Northern Cheyenne, Tse Tse Stas, when I
was a young child. My parents would explain to me in our Tse Tse
Stas language about things around me. So I became aware of the
relationship of all things, how language is a spiritual part of the
Earth, how language and culture are one, and how all aspects of the
educational process should reflect the beauty of Cheyenne values and
appreciation of our environment. To enhance a more meaningful
relationship, Indian sign language was always demonstrated, a
beautiful and imaginative part of our Cheyenne heritage. The
Cultural changes and diversions from outside influences, reflect how
we Cheyennes live today. Knowledge, communication, and understanding
were always part of keeping the values and traditions strong. In the
past (100-150 years) a women who was carrying an unborn child would
talk and sing to the baby. It let the baby know it was loved. The
mother would explain what she was doing for him. This type of
teaching, an awareness and it continued as the child grew older.
When a baby's umbilical cord dried and fell off. Which was a
connection to their mother. After a baby is born. The parents of the
baby ask an Elder to come talk to their baby, about the different
modes of life, to grow up to be a good person as an adult. The dried
up umbilical cord is put in a pouch, the pouch is decorated and the
turtle represents man and the lizard represents woman. The turtle
represents long life and its slowness represent the hardships of a
provider and to take time to reflect on any decisions. The lizard
represents endurance. A women has to adapt to different modes of
life. Some what like a chameleon that changes its color adapting to
its environment. When the child starts walking, the pouch is pinned
on their back. It is like a good luck amulet, it also represents his
burdens. The Elders say if a child has his cord, it will guide him
and keep him out of trouble. The child will know where he belongs
and will always go back to his connections (familv-home). When a
child does not have one, he will always be snooping and looking,
this will get him into trouble. Before the hospitals, grandfathers
and fathers would take the afterbirth back out to the natural
environment. It was carefully wrapped and placed in a tree. The
spirits would bless the child and help look after the child. Our
Creation story tells us we are from the Mother Earth and we always
offer something in return. Today our babies are born to young
mothers and they have no awareness of these past ways of teaching
and talking to the unborn. Many of our babies are not shown the love
they need to grow to be some one special. The young mother probably
did not experience this kind of affection. Today the hospitals sell
the afterbirth for amino acids for lotions and hair conditioners.
Our babies lose their roots, by being born away from their home. And
the afterbirth is not returned to Nature and not taken care of
properly. In the past times parents did not demand or ask anything
from the child. Instead they give to them to hold unto to them, they
did not overindulge. This helped the child to understand their
relationship and to express gratitude. Today our young children are
put in Day Cares, Headstart, and Kindergarten. They start a cycle of
structured schedules while a baby. The people-caretakers, and
teachers, are their connections to what they learn and how they
learn. At their home, they have videos, and television. These
influence the children. In todays society the encouragement of
educating the young people is not to go back to the past, but to
help them to return to their identification with their heritage. It
opens the possibilities for important roles in the involving modes
of life, which they consider for being who they are; Cheyenne, in
the world of today and tomorrow. As all Tribes of people we have met
challenges. Thru education we can observe and learn. Each Tribe is
unique and have their own beliefs. The spiritual energy of my
Cheyenne people helped them to survive and it brought them back to
our homeland here in the North. Every generation must have the
strength to fight for survival. The tools today are education. The
spiritual energy of Tribes involves not only prayer, but many
things. Beliefs-ceremonies, sacred convenents, death, honor songs,
birth, naming. No one can understand these beliefs unless he
understands something about his own beliefs and how he worships in
every day life. All Tribes have their own special ways. Individual
freedom, to feel good about what you do, physical fitness
cleanliness of mind and body. Today there are detrimental influences
that affect our sense of direction, alcohol and drugs are predators
to our young and old. Family pride and wisdom of Elders. Respect to
think highly of anything with good thoughts. Example; flag-
represents land-home eternity, existence, social functions-
traditional dances, games, visiting with one another. For anyone to
understand this, they have to have some of these within themselves.
There is so much inter relationship among people, and their
envoirnment, you can compare why it was told to respect Mother
Earth. and today, the Government has programs, grants for people to
farm or cut trees, build man made ponds, and lakes. Is this how the
Government takes care of the Mother Earth? To control it and not let
it take its course. They don't understand how important it is to let
things be natural. The Earth is our home, we are granted life and
how we live reflects our beliefs. This whole process of the Universe
and Earth have cycles. The Cheyenne Circles are system of related
parts and each part is governed by a spirit being. These spirits
understood the nature of the Universe and they know the techniques
that help the Universe produce for the good of mankind. The spirits
share their knowledge with humans if they are respectful. The
greatness of the Spirit, come not from their supernatural ability,
but rather from their wisdom. These spirits are not harmful, but
become offended if they are not treated properly. Sacrifices are
offered, such as food, water, and smoke from pipe. Today we have
many other influences, many different church denominations. Many of
our people go to these churches. It is ironic how each society
interprets their observation. When the first missionary came to our
country our Chiefs were concerned about the different teachings of
these white holy people. "I quote John Woodenlegs-Chief, Elder and
religious leader. He passed away several years ago, he liked to
relate this story of how the Cheyenne Council had to go into an all
night session to try to explain the devil and the concept of hell to
the Cheyenne people. This was during the time the Missionaries were
sent out to Christianize and civilize the Cheyenne people. So these
questions were at the forefront of Cheyenne minds. After extended
discussion the Chiefs Council sent out the word to the Cheyenne
people, that the devil was a fellow who came over on the boat with
Columbus. Further they were not to worry about hell, as it was a
place only for white people, not Cheyenne people." In those times,
the Indian people were already aware of the difference of Culture.
Because they had understanding and communication. There will always
be separation of people as long as we have different cultures. My
mother once told me, that with change we need to sacrifice, to
improve our lives and accept some things or ways we do not care for,
think of the Mother Earth, our home. When she is hurting and decides
to change, she doesn't give notice. Like an earth quake or a flood.
It is hard for people to accept change. If we have understanding and
spiritual energy within us, we can accept and adapt. We learn as we
go through life; we are like a tree, we have roots and should always
remember where we come from. Our life paths follow the many
branches, some might be weak and some are strong. The ones that lead
to good are what we should follow and take in the ways of life.
Communication is important, because it is like a map that enlightens
by expressing knowledge and information. One of the qualities that
was learned early in life was patience, it was to endure and
tolerate what might be an obstacle. Today we rely on schedules and
have time frames. We forget about patience and understanding. I once
heard an Elder state that, Time was not our enemy, when they say, "I
have time to kill"... Our traditions have always been an important
part of carrying on cultures. It is hard for Elders to read
information or attend public forums. Many of them still believe in
the old ways, when only the persons that have achieved have the
right to speak in public. It appears that they don't want to be
involved. The Elder people listen to speakers and ask questions if
they do attend. This is a part of the change that is hard for them
to accept. The Elders still rely on our traditions. Why were the
stories told? They were told because stories tell you how not to be.
Storytelling was a means of transmitting and maintaining important
knowledge, beliefs, traditions, and the ways of living that were
valued by the tribes. The children learned by listening to the story
teller. The stories that were told related to the way the people
lived, their whole environment, beliefs, history and their unwritten
laws. The moral stories relate to their total way of life. There
were certain Elders who told stories or about personal experiences.
We have children's story songs, like the boy's first hunting
experience. The song tells about how to hunt the rabbit, it is a
pretend hunting, compared to big game . Another song is the Skunk
song, it tells about how the skunk hunts for food all night and when
daylight comes, the skunk goes to bed with his striped cover. There
are hand motions with these songs.. By listening to the Elders, it
showed the children the importance of kinship and obligation the
maintenance of unity and harmony between nature and man. The
reliance on nature for what it offers (world around them) Knowing
right and wrong. Unity between people and nature through expression
of art, music and recreation the offering of thanks through
ceremonies. The story tellers have their own styles, and the stories
vary from one story teller to another. The stories carry messages
and transmit a core of values. Some of the differences that have
been positioned to compare oral and written traditions are. ORAL
WRITTEN interaction-face to face private reading and viewing
personal transmission impersonal-no interaction keen memories
presently silent actions, song, sign general choice of words care in
choice of word no moral application moral applicatoin change
stressed traditions and continuity stressed read once Oral
traditions was a conveyance to penetrate and make way for growth, to
encourage self reliance, ability to reason and comprehend. We have
to have understanding and communication to have our lives flow
evenly. In the old days the people belived everything came to them
in a circle. We do things in a cycle or follow the circle. Seasons
form a circle in their unchanging cycle. They always come back to
where they were, man, life is a circle, from, childhood to childhood
and so it is in everything where power moves and how everything
interrelates. If some how the Tribes would adopt Cultural Privacy
Protection. It might help keep the researchers away who do not have
the best interest of the ones they are writing about. With all the
new laws, there should be a law that applies. The ownership of
community knowledge is no longer respected. We have laws that open
avenues for research poachers. We also have our own people who
disregard traditional unwritten laws. These are the laws that tell
who owns what story, songs, dance, or ceremony. In the past, only
the owners practiced what belonged to them. Thru education we have
encouraged many to practice their ways, they also learn about their
own history. Without knowing about the "unwritten traditional laws".
Today we hear a group sing family songs, or someone doing another
family ceremony, or dance. In the past, a tribe suffered and
prospered as a unity. When hunting was good, everyone ate. When it
was bad, everyone suffered. Never was the Tribe over balanced
economically, so that half would always starve and half would
thrive. "In this sense all the trial members were equal". Today it
is everyone for themselves. Whatever our expectations are, they have
a great deal of influence on our approach to others. There are
always questions raised by people who are concerned about their
history. Who controls what is produced? For so many years, our
people lived without depending on written language. Oral culture was
an important part of daily life, age to age, mouth to mouth. The
Tribal languages ties people with their natural environment. Their
language defines a people. This is a connection to the past and
expression in the present. To look at laws that would apply for the
protection of exploiting, is like trying to sort out your thoughts
from your tribal language and transmitting them into another. I'm
getting confused trying to sort this out. Maybe it is a comparison
of thinking white American and Cheyenne knowing the difference
between resource and reference. One is living and the other written.