Unknown Speaker addressing the National Congress of American Indians in the mid 1960's

"In early days we were close to nature. We judged time, weather conditions, and many things by the elements - the good earth, the blue sky, the flying of geese, and the changing winds. We looked to these for guidance and answers. Our prayers and thanksgiving were said to the four winds--to the East, from whence the new day was born; to the South, which sent the warm breeze which gave a feeling of comfort; to the West, which ended the day and brought rest; and to the North, the Mother of winter whose sharp air awakened a time of preparation for the long days ahead. We lived by God's hand through nature and evaluated the changing winds to tell us or warn us of what was ahead.

Today we are again evaluating the changing winds. May we be strong in spirit and equal to our Fathers of another day in reading the signs accurately and interpreting them wisely. May Wah-Kon-Tah, the Great Spirit, look down upon us, guide us, inspire us, and give us courage and wisdom.

Above all, may He look down upon us and be pleased."

"The new human can tune to the voice of the river and give it expression. The new human can tune to the voice of the wind and speak the words that the wind cannot speak with a human tongue. The new human can blend with the essence of the forest, the spirits of the rain, the spirits of every creeping, crawling, living thing and can represent them fairly and evoke from them, the best that they can be." ~ Ken Carey ~ "Return of The Bird Tribes"

 

“You are part of everything! You are part of the fire, you are part of the water, you are part of the green, you are part of the stars, and you are related to everything. You are related to the stones, to the trees, to the fish, to the creepy-crawlers, to the ones that fly, to the ones that walk on all fours, and to the ones that walk on two legs. Everything is sacred and, therefore, you are sacred too. That's what we mean when we say, Mitakuye oyasin." ~Wallace Black Elk, Sicangu Lakota Spiritual Elder

"Eagle's Heart of Mercy" from GaiaFly

"If you talk to the animals, they will talk to you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them. And what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears one destroys." ~ Chief Dan George