native american ethics

[clover]

NATIVE AMERICAN CODE OF ETHICS

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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

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

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

12. 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.

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

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

15. 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.

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

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

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

19. Respect others religious beliefs.
Do not force your belief on others.

20. Share your good fortune with others.
Participate in charity.

[MsConduct]

1. Wonderful, I'm sending this to everyone I know. Thanks! n/t

[Kanary]

2. Wonderful wisdom. Shared with others, and nominated for front page.

Thanks so much for sharing this!

Number 7 is the one close to my heart. Violating this creates distance, and is verbal violence. I hope you and others will keep reminding us of this one, and also the rest of them!

Thanks again!

Kanary

[truthpusher]

3. Here is a good morning prayer...

Metta Prayer:
May all beings be happy content and fulfilled.
May all beings be healed and whole.
May all have what they need.
May all beings enjoy inner peace and ease.
May all beings be awakened liberated and free.
May there be peace in this world,
and throughout the entire universe.

Here's a load of other prayers across all religions:

http://1stholistic.com/Spl_prayers/default.htm

[clover]

4. simple and direct and resonant. thank you. (nt)

[truthpusher]

5. Saved yours - exactly what I needed - Thanks

[truthpusher]

7. dupe

[kispoko]

6. welp...... since we're on it

just for those who have never seen these beautiful instructions.....


"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and nothing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."



-Tekamseh, Shawnee

[truthpusher]

8. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.

BETTER
From the Dhammapada

Better than a thousand
Hollow words
Is one word that brings peace.

Better than a thousand
Hollow verses
Is one verse that brings peace.

Better than a hundred
Hollow lines
Is one line of the law, Bringing peace.

It is better to conquer yourself
Than to win a thousand battles;
Then the victory is yours.

The Dhammapada

[Behind the Aegis]

9. How nice

It would be wonderful if all people could adopt this philosophy!

[Richard D]

10. Wonderful

Can I ask what your source for this is? I haven't seen it before and would like to know where it came from.

[Robbie67]

11. kick

[Kanary]

12. Kick for number 18. That's the thought for today.......

So much could be changed just by remembering the words of #18.

Kanary

[Lorien]

21. That's the thought EVERY day in America

"nurture and help yourself first. "

That's the mantra of the republican party -only it's never translated into nurturing and helping others.

I agree with most of the rest of the list. I'll have to run it by my Chippawa cousin; she's very active with Native issues and would probably know the souce (if it is from a Native source).

[Kanary]

13. This deserves another kick

:kick:

:kick:

[indigobusiness]

14. kick

kick

[Tsiyu]

15. Soothing thread

I am not always mindful of using what, in the Code of Handsome Lake, is called using one's 'good mind.'

"Many people today are so narrow-minded and do not know what it means to have a good mind. That is why we are so divided today and lack unity. ..They are looking out for themselves, rather than the nation..."

Chief Jacob Thomas

Trying to use my "good mind"

Thanks for all these insightful words.

Kerry On!

[Kanary]

18. Chief Jacob Thomas was so right.

Ours is a society that doesn't know how to have a "tribal" mentality......... where the good of the group takes precidence over the good of the individual.

Our "rugged individualism" is killing us.

Thanks for the great quote.

Kanary

[Tsiyu]

20. you're welcome

and Kanary On!:)

[Kanary]

22. ~~chortle~~

or....... should I say.....

chirp....

:hi:

Kanary

[Dob Bole]

16. Love the thread. Where's the code derived from? nt

[shanti]

17. kick

:kick: i really love this, thanks clover!

[misanthrope]

19. Reggie? Reggie White?...

...Is that you?

[qs04]

23. What native people is this supposed to be from?

Is this something you got in an email or what?