Carlos Gonzales

[handmade34]

Run time: 08:34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnZvI_MFeoo   Posted on YouTube: January 13, 2011 By YouTube Member: MOXNEWSd0tCOM Views on YouTube: 774   Posted on DU: January 13, 2011 By DU Member: handmade34 Views on DU: 671

 

[DesertFlower]

1. very moving. nt

[rasputin1952]

2. Remarkable...

Very moving, very eloquent, very encompassing.


ETA: Some of the comments at the Youtube link are some the most atrocious I have ever seen. Some people have no shame, and even less character...:(

[handmade34]

3. this from the The Benedictine Sisters (MN)

(also from the Methodist Book of Prayer - when I was a lay minister I used a version of this prayer numerous times in my Methodist Church - quite mainstream)

NATIVE AMERICAN PRAYER OF DIRECTIONS: ALL DIRECTIONS

God, the Great Spirit,
You called the Native American people
to be sensitive to Your presence in nature.
In that tradition we pray the prayer of directions:

(Turn to the North and raise your right hand in that direction.)

North is a place of trust, a trusting place.
North is a place of waiting and watching.
Give us strength and courage
to embrace our crosses and be transformed.

(Turn to the East and raise your right hand in that direction.)

East is the place of the rising sun.
East is for beginning, birth and newness of life.
Recreate us anew each day
and grant us the dawn of understanding.

(Turn to the South and raise your right hand in that direction.)

South is the place of daytime growth,
of warmth and friendship.
South is for activity, childhood, searching for answers.
Bless us with true and faithful family and friends
and deepen our fidelity to one another.

(Turn to the West and raise your right hand in that direction.)

West is the place of the setting sun.
West is for pondering, looking within,
going deep inside, the place of mystical rest.
Dwell in the holy temple of our heart,
heal our hurts and help us to rest in peace.

(Invite the people to face heavenward, look upward.)

The heavens are the source of light and life.
The sky is the place of emanation, the throne of the Great Spirit.
Protect and guard us, Ruler of the universe,
and reveal the wonders of your mystery.

(Invite the people to face toward Mother Earth.)

Mother Earth is the holy vessel containing the Eternal Flame.
The Earth receives, embraces and nourishes.
Grant that we be humble stewards of our planet,
and grateful for the bountiful gift of life.

(Place your right hand on your heart.)

The very center is God dwelling in our heart.
The center of our very being is the balancing place.
Unite and transform us in Your divine embrace,
and help us to nurture the Tree of Life.


NATIVE AMERICAN PRAYER: THE GREAT SPIRIT
God, the Great Spirit,
You call us to be in the circle of life.
You have given us Mother Earth
sharing your nurturing and sustaining power in all its beauty.
Help us to be gentle, kind
and attentive to Your presence in nature.
Bless all Native Americans who teach us
to stand together like trees with roots intertwined,
strengthening each other.
We ask all of this through Jesus, the Christ, our Lord.
AMEN.

FOUR DIRECTIONS
Spirit of the North,
soften all that is hard and cold within me.
Melt with mercy any harsh judgments that I have.
Spirit of the East,
awaken me to Your Presence among us.
Enlighten the darkness in the depths of my soul.
Spirit of the South,
warm my chilling complaints with the sunshine of Your love.
Brighten the dullness of my downcast heart.
Spirit of the West,
relax my anxious manner with Your healing hand.
Reveal Your peace in the midst of strife

[rasputin1952]

4. Thank you...

I have studied Spirituality for a long time, and am always amazed at how so many items from such diverse cultures so often speak of the Common Elements of this thing we know as life.

[handmade34]

5. we are so lost as a culture

I am sometimes. When I was in seminary I was blown away by a class: Transformative Power of Ritual

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NyS60amEL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg

Joseph Campbell said it best when he noted that "...it is time for a new story" we are at a very important liminal time and I hope we can find that story that brings us some sort of cohesion...

[rasputin1952]

6. Campbell was an amazing individual...

a few years back PBS did a series on work, truly astonishing.

One of the things that fascinates me is that so many vociferous individuals consistently find virtually everything that is "evil" in a system, but rarely, if ever find the "good". They seek to condemn, when the real course of action is to forgive. I can count one one hand the Christians that know anything of the Beatitudes, and I can't even contemplate the number I know that are always calling for "hellfire" for anyone who does not adhere to their specific view.

Christianity is by no means alone in this, it happens in every culture, in every religion, in every part of the world. I do have hope thoguh that on those rare occasions when light enters, the seeds of Peace and Love will finally take root...for everyone.

[SkyDaddy7]

7. As an atheist I understand religion is very important to many but...

if we must live under a religion/spirituality I wish it could be under the beliefs of the Native Americans...At least their message is one of unity & inclusiveness & respect for the environment!

How different this country would be if only this belief system were what 80% of the country sought for guidance!

[handmade34]

8. oh yes

humans have an innate need for answers and the few have always capitalized on that... nothing wrong with respecting and practicing ancient traditions and rituals as long as we understand what we are doing and why (and understanding what the few are doing - I've been to seminary, I know how political the church is!)...

The problem I see is people who still refuse or can't accept science and the knowledge that the past decades (centuries) have brought us