The Four Directions (Native American) How East meets West !! [ We Are all related ]

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Related to:

Wu Xing (The Five Elements of the East)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xing

When praying or engaging in anything sacred, the Lakota look to the four directions. Everything in this world comes from these four directions. The four directions also represent the four sons of Tate, the wind. Each direction has a representative meaning, and often the four directions are depicted as a cross that resembles a plus sign within a circle, and a color.

If you begin to study the four directions you may notice quickly that the colors equated to each may appear differently from reference to reference. For example, in the book Sioux Indian Religion authors Raymond J. DeMallie and Douglas R. Parks depict the correlation between the direction and color this way:

Black for the west 

Red for the north 

Yellow for the east 

White for the south 

And, they add blue for the sky and green for the earth, as is often done.

The issue of attributing color to the four directions may be baffling. Just about every book you read may line out the color/direction relation differently. The differences may even go beyond the generality of different books to the specifics of individual Lakotas or Lakota groups or bands. For example, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, a group that uses the four directions and their corresponding colors to identify their organization, describes them this way:

White for north, for wisdom gained through winter stories 

Red for east, and enlightenment 

Yellow for south, and innocence 

Black for the west, and its power All the diversity is intensified by the fact that many a "sham shaman" contributes yet more spin on the issue. 

So which is correct? How can you tell bogus interpretations from time honored ones? Well, you can't.

The metaphysics and religion of the Lakota are as subjective as those of any religion. Maybe even more so because of the emphasis on individualism, i.e. one's own vision. No where is this more true than among the Lakota holy people and interpreters. The variations in the colors for the directions can easily and readily differ from individual to individual, as each is guided specifically by their own visions. Perhaps humor is part of the spiritual picture as well, as Wakan Tanka no doubt would take delight in watching some people try as they might to codify the colors en masse while knowing that the information was attained in a highly specific and individual manner. 

In accepting all interpretations as truth, it is easy to see that the spirits work in mysterious ways. Perhaps they also are trying to encourage a looser, more eastern way of looking at things rather than have something as central as the four directions fall to tendencies of codified and dogma-ridden western religions. Inconsistency may actually be the way to a fuller understanding of the Great Mystery.

If you have a desire to conform, however, it may be noted that the second set of correspondents listed above - white/north, red/east, yellow/south, black/west - seems to be seen in a majority of references. A sample of representative meanings for these corollaries might include:

The black west as the place where the rain originates, and a place that represents the end, or finality, as things done in the dark are final things. People with an affinity for the west may become heyoka, or sacred clown that does everything backwards or in a contrary manner. The bald eagle is associated with this direction. 

The white north offer a cleansing, purifying and strengthening power. Operating as winter does when it cleans the earth of the weak, the white north sends tests and teaches the courage, endurance and wisdom that comes with the trials of life. The white eagle is associated with this direction, and it is said that those who have a vision of the white eagle become healers. 

The red east is a place where peace, light and new life rise up each day. Blood and birth are from the east. The spotted eagle, being all these things, represents this direction and its feathers are said to bring insight and visions. 

The yellow south sees a sun that is strongest when facing this direction. The yellow south, like its representative bird, the golden eagle, stands for the peak of life, warmth, understanding and ability.

http://www.indigenouspeople.net/longwalk/

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Conservation of Four Elements

http://www.indigenouspeople.net/elder.htm

Earth --N-- / | \ Fire W--O--E Air \ | / --S-- Water

Greetings,

Elders, Spiritual Leaders, Ada Deer, Katy McGinty, Jim Pipkin, Brothers, Sisters, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We of the Algonquin First Nations wish to express our sincere gratitude for the special invitation to be with you.

May we work together with one mind, one heart and one Spirit as we reveal the Truth, the reality of our modern day situation!

We would like to share with you the Sacred Instructions from the Creator to the people of this Earth.

It was mentioned at that time that there was a sacred gift given to our non-native people (white race), the gift of the fire element, known as technology.

As we examine the history, this is obviously the truth. In the beginning, weapons were formed as tools for survival. As the years went by, advanced inventions were created of many kinds for survival!

As these inventions were created the meaning of honour and respect was neglected, thus forming a damaging effect on this planet that we all know today. This caused pollution to the planet, fire, water, air, that is out of control.

This is known as abuse to Mother Earth and to the other three elements mentioned above.

People with modern technology today build missiles with Uranium. 

This is a dangerous area to be involved in. When Uranium is mined it causes a disastrous and destructive effect not only to people, but to creation, whose effect lasts for countless generations. 

It causes radioactive contamination of the land, poisons the water and air.

We hope that this information given will be considered and taken seriously. 

Action must be taken soon so further contamination of Uranium will be stopped to the earth and its creation.

We as a people acknowledge and appreciate the positive benefits of modern technology that has created computers and useful modern communications systems.

Progress has always been a goal for our non-native people. But with progress there is greed and competition. If continued, this progress will destroy our Mother Earth and its Creation.

Let us not wait any longer. Let us work with common ground and begin to work together to do what can be done to conserve and protect our lives, our childrens' lives, and all life. 

So Mother Earth can begin to heal, as we heal, together with one mind, one heart, one Spirit and one Prayer.

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Healing Process

The direction towards the Healing Process is Recognition.

Acceptance towards this Recognition is important.

Motivation towards this Acceptance is the Key to the door-way of this Healing Process.

When Change comes into effect then Healing can begin.

Forgiveness is the Key to the awakening of the true meaning of Love and Under-standing.

We begin to accept values that are so important to all life.

As we accumulate values, we begin to have balance and harmony with our-selves, with others, with all life, and with our Mother Earth.

We must begin to work from the Heart, not from the Brain. Everything is centered from the Heart.

It is the work from the Heart that will bring us as a people to learn the necessary survival skills. 

This is the urgent need of our modern society.

The Sacred Instructions given by the Creator to Native people at the time of Creation were as follows:

A. To Take Care of Mother Earth and the other 3 colors of Man.

B. To Respect this Mother Earth and Creation.

C. To Honour All life, and to support that Honour.

D. To be Grate-ful from the heart for All life.

It is through life that there is Survival.

Thank the Creator at All times for All life.

E. To Love and express that love.

F. To be Humble. Humility is the gift of wisdom and understanding.

G. Kindness. To be Kind with one-self and with others.

H. Sharing. The Sharing of feelings and personal concerns and commitments.

I. Honesty. To be Honest with one-self and with others.

To be Responsible for those Sacred Instructions and to administrate those Instructions to other Nations.

We of the Algonquin Nations believe this to be the direction to follow for all man-kind because there is a urgent need for Spirituality.

Through Spirituality, we as a people will begin to learn how to Care, Respect, Love and Honour one another with Humility as a people.

As we follow this Spiritual direction, Mother Earth may begin to heal and as she heals, she may Survive as a result. Only then will she truly be able to continue to exercise her responsibility as She was originally created.

Submitted by Spiritual Elder William Commanda and Helper Frank Decontie.

Excerpted from The Book of the Elders, by Sandy Johnson and Dan Budnik, Harper Collins Publishers, San Francisco, 1994