Daily Feast - November

[bluidkiti]

November 23 - Daily Feast

Saying is claiming and claiming is putting a brand on something - not so different from the rancher that brands his cattle. Be careful what you claim as your own, because you will get it whether it is good for you or not. Old decrepit age is claimed by more people than anything else. They listen to advertising and medical reports and believe they are supposed to begin giving up when they are just past forty. Many things "could" happen, as the reporters say, but not if we stop claiming we are susceptible to every passing germ and every aging day. Speak the word and know it is right for us to brand our cattle any way we see fit - the very best, the very best.

~ Our old chiefs thought to show their friendship and good will, when they allowed this dangerous snake into our minds... ~

MAHPIUA LUTA - OGLALA SIOUX, 1800s

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 23

"We're sitting on our blessed Mother Earth from which we get our strength and determination, love and humility-all the beautiful attributes that we've been given. So turn to one another; love one another; respect one another; respect Mother Earth; respect the waters-because that's life itself!"

--Phil Lane, Sr. YANKTON SIOUX

Our entire point of view can be altered by making one change to align with the principles of the Great Spirit. Let's say we decide to become respectful. As we become respectful, our attitude will change. We will automatically draw into our lives knowledge about the other principles of the Great Spirit such as love, appreciation, trust, beauty, peace of mind. By focusing on these principles, we will let go of selfishness, self centeredness, self pity, dishonesty and fear. You focus on respect, you get respect; you focus on love, you get love; you focus on the Red Road, you get peace of mind.

Great Spirit, let me learn the lessons of respect.

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THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

A new galaxy of shining promises made to oneself are resolutions made with the utmost faith that self is listening and will carry out the plans.

But self is as unpredictable as a child playing in the street; it may dart in any direction, according to the mood and to whatever catches its attention. At the first sign of a challenge, self may race back and lean hard upon the old ways of doing things, no matter how wrong it may be. Resolutions do very little to change a way of living. They are easily made and easily forgotten. They may be a sincere desire to keep a resolution, but if self has not changed inwardly, little depend on the outward change.

It is said that we promise according to our hopes and perform according to our selfishness. Failure to keep our promises to others is a disappointment, but failure within oneself is a disaster.

A little performance is worth a host of promises on any day that starts a new year.
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November 24 - Daily Feast

It is your life, so get it all together. Go back and see where you dropped the threads you were weaving. Was there a weak one? Did it break or was it inferior from the beginning? Know these things. Know what happened and if it was your fault or if you tried to weave alien threads into your life. Never be afraid to admit fault, it is one of the most freeing things you can do. Simply say, "I was wrong and I am sorry. From this day on I do right" - and begin again. Unite your effort with your new vision and don't get lazy. Get it together - body, mind, and spirit - if you want a good life.

~ It has come to me as through the bushes that you are not yet all united; take time and become united.... ~

BIG BEAR - CREE, 1884

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 24

"Things would go well for us if we would think positively about everything."
--Mary Hayes, CLAOQUOT

Each of our thoughts are like individual seeds. These thoughts will plant our life garden. Whatever our thoughts, they grow in our gardens. Each day we will process about 50,000 thoughts or thought seeds. Positive thoughts will produce positive results. Have you ever been aware of what you are thinking about during the day? Of the possible 50,000 thoughts in one day-if the positive thoughts were flowers and the negative thoughts were weeds-how would your garden look at the end of the day?

Great Spirit, let me plant positive seeds.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

It is always amazing to hear someone scoff at the serious things. Perhaps they only scoff because they can't recognize anything really serious outside their own personal problems.....Or maybe they are just afraid to acknowledge anything they don't understand.

Whatever it is that keeps people thinking in such a limited area adds to the residue of dullness in their minds. And until they can mature enough to believe in something worthwhile they continue to add layer after layer of residue to the mind.

It is not surprising that some people believe themselves in possession of all knowledge to the point that they feel free to ridicule those who are still in the process of thinking things out. We can never truly judge another's reasoning. We can only see the results and with time it may be the person will break through that accumulation to wisdom and kindness that is so necessary in tolerating others' opinions and beliefs. Then will the residue diminish and there will be a renewal of the spirit.
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November 25 - Daily Feast

Agreement is a power tool in getting things done. It has been written that where two agree as touching anything on earth - it will happen. This can explain why some things happen and others do not. It is not often that we set out to agree with someone. More often we want to put our point across and we're not set to hear what someone else thinks is good. But this is one of the spiritual laws that govern a person's ability to live well on this earth. When you have a need, or there is something important that needs to happen, call in your agreement partner and make a pact. This is the gi ga, the covenant between two people that produces results.

~ At times we did not get enough to eat and we were not allowed to hunt. ~

CRAZY HORSE - SIOUX WAR CHIEF, 1877

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 25

"People and nations who understand the Natural Law are self-governing, following the principles of love and respect that insure freedom and peace."
--Traditional Circle of Elders, NAVAJO-HOPI Joint Use Area

The Natural Laws work hand-in-hand with the circle. Each part of a circle will look to the center and will see something different. For example, if you put an irregular shaped object in the center of a circle and you have people standing in a circle around the object, each one will describe it differently. Everyone in the circle will be right. Only by honoring and respecting everyone's input, can the truth about the object be revealed. We need to learn to honor differences.

My Creator, let me honor all differences.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Frequently quoted American editor and author Christian Nestell Bovee wrote that sensitiveness is closely allied to egotism - indeed excessive sensitivity is only another name for morbid self-consciousness.

He wrote that the cure for it was to make more of our objectives and less of ourselves. And it isn't easy to make less of ourselves.

Everyone at some time has felt extreme sensitivity toward people and surroundings. It is a sensitiveness that does not always have a good effect - seemingly for no reason at all we exercise no control over the emotions. It can be frightening to realize that we are quote as capable of destroying as we are, at other times, of building.

It is written in the essays of Aristotle that there are right things to say and a right way of saying them; and the same is true of listening. So often we make a casual remark, not meant to be tactless, but somehow it turns out that way. When there is a desire to appear witty, or clever, at someone else's expense, there should be no pride in the results.

And when we listen to someone's casual remark and take offense, we must examine our own thoughts. If we allow our minds to run in channels of vulgarity and mockery, then we can also expect to interpret others' words to mean the same things.

We can so easily read the wrong things into others' conversations, and in our own efforts to express ourselves say such foolish things that we lose the priceless gifts of relaxation and fun of conversing with other people. And for these reasons we must cultivate the art of speaking and listening with the warmest heart - which harbors nothing that is not right.

It is a good idea in the most sensitive times to recognize them for what they are and to make a pact within one's self to by pass this time for serious thought and decision making. This, above all, should be a time for relaxing against the wind of oversensitivity. To resist it only strengthens it, and to look at it clearly and coolly will take away its mystery and its heat.

It is well to remember that the too-sensitive person is not the true self, but the one with the marvelous mental attitude most certainly is - wait for that person!
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November 26 - Daily Feast

The Tsa la gi (Cherokee) sense change. He doesn't take it from the world not does he hear it from a voice comes from a man. But when he stands by the flowing stream with arms outstretched, the voices speak. The wind has lifted high above, barely touching the limbs of autumn trees, but it has in it a voice that calls us to be ready for change. It is not an imagined thing, not a lower-spirit voice, but a true message from the Great Spirit to stop looking at hardship and fear, to prepare. A spirit of firmness comes in this call, but it is sweetness as well - a sweetness that heals all the wounds of centuries. It asks all the people to stand together in the true sense, and then they will never fail.

~ Remember! I have warned you to beware.... ~

PACHGANTSCHILHILAS - DELAWARE, 1700s

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 26

"In our traditional ways, the woman is the foundation of the family."

--Haida Gwaii Traditional Circle of Elders

We must pay attention to the role of the woman in the family. She is the heartbeat of the family. She should be respected and treated in a sacred manner. We should listen to her guidance. We should help make her role easier by helping with chores or just telling her how much we appreciate her.

Great Spirit, I ask you to bless all the moms.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Remember all those times when you made three trips to the other room to get something, and before you got there you had already forgotten what it was? Didn't the thought of age dimming your memory enter your mind at those times?

There's really no need to waste time thinking that way. It is not the case of a scattered memory, but a skittery mind, jumping from one subject to another with only circumstances to remind you.

And haven't you awakened sharply in the middle of the night because suddenly you remembered something you should have done, or something you must do? Age gain? No, it was the only time your subconscious mind ever found you quiet enough to remind you of something you wanted to remember.

Life would be so much more orderly if we took several minutes night and morning to sit completely away from outside sights and sounds to recall the important things. As long as we are able to see and hear the activity about it we have difficulty thinking soundly. The conscious mind is capable of carrying just so much, and then the debris must be cleared away before the "filed away" things in the subconscious can be remembered.

"Be still and know....."
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November 27 - Daily Feast

Those who have always been self-sufficient find it going against the grain to accept help from someone else. They have become the caretakers and giving over that responsibility is clearly unacceptable. But they can come to realize that leaning on someone else can be a sign of strength. Not everyone can do it - not everyone is willing. It takes a special strength to ask for help. But who knows what part this plays in the healing process. A time can come to show kindness and to be cooperative and to make it easy on someone else. This may be the proving time - the time that gives us a new understanding and compassion.

~ My brothers, a power which I cannot resist crowds me down the ground. I need help. ~

CHIEF STANDINGBEAR - PONCA

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 27

"The Natural Law is a spiritual law. Its powers are both light and dark."

--Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman Traditional Circle of Elders

There are some characteristics that are evident in the system which the Creator made. He made balance, harmony and polarity. In other words, every (+) plus has a (-) minus. Every positive has a negative; every up has a down; every problem has a solution. The Spiritual Law is the same-it has light and dark. Both are good, so both need to be honored. Lessons can be learned on both sides.

Great Spirit, teach me the powers of the Natural Laws.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
It doesn't seem that a simple thing like going fishing could have such excellent results when the world suddenly seems too much. It is a very difficult thing to worry about when your mind is fixed intently on a little red and white plastic float bobbing in the water.

Just taking one's mind off the general routine of living even for a short time is like a much needed and appreciated vacation. We seldom recognize the need for getting away from the monotony of following each day with another day exactly like it. We lose the value of the hours and minutes and lump them all together and plod along expecting miracles to come someday and save us.

The effort we have to give is in releasing the problem and concentrating on something beautifully simple and uncomplicated. Living doesn't seem so ominous when we can go fishing for a little peace and quiet, and sidetrack the things that weigh so heavily on our minds.

Good health is such a blessing. We don't all realize how much we aid or harm our own health. In fact, we give much more thought to being careful not to get wet than being careful not to get angry. And it is said that anger can lower resistance to colds much quicker than getting wet.

It is a proven fact that to feel love builds a resistance to illnesses while resentment and hate can destroy both mind and body.

Longfellow once wrote that joy, temperance, and repose would slam the door on the doctor's nose. There's no doubt but that most doctors' noses are safe. But they, too, would be glad if more patients would exercise their abilities to lift themselves out of mush of their ill health by knowing some measure of joy rather than self-pity, some healthy thoughts and less thoughts of self.

We lower our resistance to ill health in many ways, but none works against us as surely as worry, anxiety, and care, plus our inability to recognize the fact that we are our own greatest enemy.
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November 28 - Daily Feast

Cold wind and mist have pushed in to dampen the spirits of grownups - but not the children. These natural things are a part of their enjoyment during a Thanksgiving holiday. The woods ring with voices and the sounds of sword fights as rotten sticks collide in midair. No real duel could be this exciting or cause so many to roll in the leaves or to hide behind the gnarled wild rose. Evening brings a rush of feet. Coyotes have set up their evening concert and the horned owl has squalled enough to impress them that it must be suppertime beside the fire. It has been a good day and something to remember thankfully.

~ I will tell you my people, and I believe it, it is not wrong for us to get this food. ~

CHIEF WENINOCK - YAKIMA

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 28

"People say that crisis changes people and turns ordinary people into wiser or more responsible ones."
--Wilma Mankiller, CHEROKEE

There is a saying, conflict precedes clarity. The Medicine Wheel teachings say, in order for something to change it must first go through a struggle. When a crisis enters our lives, other powers are there to help us. We will learn some lessons. Will I honor and respect the next crisis?

Great Spirit, if a crisis occurs today, let me learn the lessons of wisdom.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
Surely there is nothing so peaceful to the eye as the quiet, soft-hued hills resting in the autumn sun. We think if we could only get to those hills we could walk in the warmth of that sunlight and feel that peace in every nerve and muscle.

But so frequently we are unable to follow our wills. We are forced to sit where we are. And the very thought of being bound to this spot sometimes makes us restless, perhaps beyond reason. It creates a feeling of panic, that life will never be peaceful.

And then we look up into the limitless sky and see the depths and immensity of the universe, and we know that nothing binds us. That is, unless we want to be bound.

If we were to go to those hills, there would be others in the distance that would look as inviting. To hunt for peace outside ourselves is to ever be in search, and so to be bound again. But to loose that infinitely beautiful truth that peace is never there or there - but here, within me.

Most of us are lovers of familiar things. We love the routine of living, the security of knowing what is going to happen at a certain hour on a certain day. We love the knowledge that we will continue to love others even though we may not like what they are doing at the moment. We find great peace in knowing others will continue to love us even when we've been foolish.

The exciting and livable life is not always one of being on the go, being in entertaining places. The real life of life is not spangles that glitter and one continual round of gaiety.

Life is contentment; living in depth with a genuine love for work seasoned with recreation and freedom to worship where we choose and to pursue our talents as we please.

English author Samuel Johnson tells us that the fountain of content must spring up in the mind; and they who have so little knowledge of human nature as to see happiness by changing anything but their own dispositions will waste their lives in fruitless efforts.
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November 29 - Daily Feast

Too much looking back robs us of our natural ability to change things. We are too good at finding reasons for failing, too well trained in using logic to work out knotty decisions. Every thinking, praying human being has access to supernatural answers to his problems, but he cannot use only human reason. And more than anything he must not give excuses or blame others for his own mistakes. Not can we say that if we sit still long enough a miracle will happen. We have to use our minds and our hearts and our spirits - but we must also obey the rules.

~ Some of us seem to have a peculiar intuition. ~

OHIYESA - SANTEE DAKOTA

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 29

"Life, the circle, a measurement with no beginning and no end."

--Phillip Deere, MUSKOGEE-CREEK

The circle teaches us how the Creator made things and how to live. It teaches us how we should look at creation. Life travels in a circle. In the East is the baby, to the South is the youth, in the West is the adult and in the North is the Elder. Then we return to the Earth Mother to start the cycle again. We observe what is `around us' from the center of the circle. This develops our point of view. We must be careful not to become self-centered.

Great Spirit, let me observe life from the circle's point of view.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

We all develop our own ways of centering our lives on something. In our minds we each have a design of what we think we are capable of being. If we want to be what we think we are capable of being, then we must hold our design firmly in our minds until it is secured as the focal point.

Each life must have that focal point, the center of interest where all phases of life come together. A focal point gives strength and meaning to the smallest details of everyday living.

Dimension and depth belong to the life that is centered. Though it may take many forms we must always have a "home" to return to, knowing that here are the roots, the things that really matter.

There must be a blending of our lives with others. But to be happy with one's self, that focal point must be steady and true before we can feel contented that "all's right with the world."
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November 30 - Daily Feast

Lack of wisdom makes us believe we are destined to go through certain experiences. You can hear it in voices when we say, "It runs in the family." The thing that runs most in the family is the mouth - the need to warn and show fear and tell everyone we have bad blood. There is no bad blood that Spirit cannot fix. There is no ailment that is above His name. There is only hardheadedness on people's part to learn about it. If someone in your family had a magic recipe, you'd be conniving to get it. Think of all you could do, think what miracles you could perform. Yet, you have a spiritual gift that is idle - when it could be your greatest miracle.

~ They brought their accursed firewater to our village, making wolves of our warriors.....and when we protested and destroyed their bad spirits, they came in multitudes on horse back.... ~

BLACK HAWK - SAC, 1700s

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 30

"Someone must speak for them. I do not see a delegation for the four footed. I see no seat for eagles. We forget and we consider ourselves superior, but we are after all a mere part of the Creation."

--Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA

Whenever we make decisions, we need to look around and see who would be affected by them. If we change the course of a river, who, what will be affected? If we put poison on the gardens, who, what will be affected? If wee cut the trees and too many are cut, who, what will be affected? We need to become aware of the consequences of our actions. We need to pay attention to our thoughts. We are accountable to our children to leave the Earth in good shape.

My Creator, help me make right decisions.

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'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

There are two words in every life that mean more toward perfecting that life than any other thing. Those two words are the basis for every action. They are "personal responsibility."

Daniel Webster once wrote that the more important thought he ever had was that of his individual responsibility to God. It was his personal responsibility.

No matter how understanding other may be, how kind, and tolerant, there comes a time when we cannot ask, not expect to receive, help in our struggle. There are simply times when other people cannot cover for our poor performance. It soon becomes time for us to stand on our own feet, express our own feelings, and search out our own beliefs.

Others can run interference for us, make excuses for us, and guess at our feelings. But we don't begin to live until we've accepted our personal responsibilities. We must learn to express truth in everything from showing our love to voting in an election.

Life is one personal responsibility after another. Shifting it to another's shoulders loses some of the most important steps. Failure to recognize it is folly; ignoring it is stupidity; and accepting it is to find more truth and more strength than was ever imagined or expected.