Over 5.2 million Native Americans reside in the U.S., comprising 537 tribal nations and villages. Each tribe has its unique death philosophy, with each incorporating customs, rituals, and practices to honor the deceased. The experience of loss and death of traditions, family, language, culture, trust, hope, and life has been familiar for American Indian populations.
The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy) and Navajo are two examples of Native American death and mourning traditions. In some tribes, death rituals include painting the faces of the dead red. The genocide of indigenous peoples, also known as colonial or settler genocide, is the elimination of indigenous peoples as part of the process of colonialism. In April 2020, three Indigenous people were killed by police, causing Indigenous people to adapt their end-of-life ceremonies.
Native American death rituals focus on providing the spirit with the necessary things to arrive safely at its destination. About 100,000 or nearly a third of the aboriginal population of California died as a direct consequence of the missions of California. Eurasian infections and epidemics had major effects on Native American life in the colonial period and nineteenth century, especially. Mental healing may occur through relaxation, storytelling, family activities, ceremonies, and rituals. Many Native Americans now die in hospitals.
These essays document specific acts of Native American violence across the North American continent, including contributions from anthropologists, spiritual leaders, and the spirits of all dead Native Americans from Turtle Island.
📹 Life Does Not End Navajo Beliefs on After Life
Navajo Historian, Wally Brown, teaches about the traditional Navajo Beliefs on life after death. An old saying best translated to say …
How many of the Cherokee died?
In March 1839, the Cherokee Nation was reconstituted after a brutal ordeal, with over 4, 000 deaths, including infants, children, and the elderly. John Ross was elected Principal Chief in August 1839, and Tahlequah, Oklahoma became its capital. About 1, 000 Cherokees in Tennessee and North Carolina escaped the roundup and gained recognition in 1866, establishing their tribal government in Cherokee, North Carolina in 1868. Today, they are known as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Does Turtle Island still exist?
Turtle Island Preserve is a 501(c) nonprofit education center founded by Eustace Conway, who inherited the vision of earth stewardship and human betterment from his maternal grandfathers’ legacy of Camp Sequoyah. The center serves as an interpretive guide and partner for people seeking enriching, satisfying, nurturing, meaningful, and transformative experiences with their ancestors. Located in a remote valley, Turtle Island celebrates lifestyle practices of earlier people from prehistory, focusing on the foundation of where things come from and go.
The center features gardens, goat milking, cheese-making, and crafts like bowls, spoons, and tools. Visitors can also enjoy the clean environment, beautiful streams, trees, pristine forest, and horse-drawn farm. The preserve offers a pleasant state of mind, with hand-split shingles, hand-carved log buildings, and log bridges, all of which stimulate all senses and create a sense of time and place.
What does the number 7 mean to the Cherokee?
The Cherokee Nation seal, adopted in 1871, symbolizes the early governmental structure and the endurance of the Cherokee Indians. The seal features a seven-pointed star representing the seven age-old Cherokee clans and Sequoyah’s syllabary, which means “Cherokee Nation”. The wreath of oak leaves represents the sacred fire that the Cherokees have burned in their land since time immemorial. The seal is authorized in both English and Cherokee languages and records the adoption of the Constitution of the Cherokee Nation West in 1839. The seal was imprinted on all documents until the dissolution of the Cherokee Nation at Oklahoma Statehood.
What were the Cherokee death rituals?
The Cherokee people traditionally considered their surviving family and home as unclean after an individual’s death. Personal belongings not buried with the deceased were burned at the grave site. Fire is sacred to the Cherokee and is used to purify the uncleanliness that remains. A priest would perform a ritual to cleanse the house and hearth, kindle a new fire, place a medicine pot filled with water, boil a tea, and give it to the family. They would drink and wash themselves in the tea, smoke inside the home, burn a fire with cedar boughs, and purify weeds.
In the present day, many traditional Cherokee funeral traditions persist, including community feasts, vigil prayers, and burial with valued personal belongings. Some traditions are culturally important but are limited by settler state laws. A large percentage of Cherokee individuals today are Christians and engage in Christian funeral practices, often held in both English and Cherokee languages. Burial is common in Christian Cherokee communities, where burial happens on the deceased’s homestead instead of at a cemetery.
How many Native Americans were killed by the US?
Native American genocide in the United States is a complex issue involving mass murder, forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, collective punishment, starvation, internment, genocidal rape, and cultural genocide. The destruction of Native American peoples, cultures, and languages has been characterized as genocide, with debates ongoing on whether the entire process or specific periods or events meet the definitions of genocide.
Some historians, like Raphael Lemkin, consider the displacement of Native Americans by European settlers as a historical example of genocide, while others, like Gary Anderson, argue that ethnic cleansing is a more appropriate term.
Historians have long debated the pre-European population of the Americas, with Ned Blackhawk suggesting that North America’s population halved from 8 million to under 4 million between 1492 and 1776. Russell Thornton estimated that by 1800, 600, 000 Native Americans lived in the regions that would become the modern United States, declining to an estimated 250, 000 by 1890 before rebounding.
What was the friendliest Indian tribe?
The Pawnees, a tribe with a reputation for amicability in the United States, were celebrated for their fortitude and resilience. They engaged in several legendary battles to safeguard their existence, territory, and belongings.
What is the most feared tribe in the world?
The Sentinelese, an uncontacted tribe on North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean, are the most isolated in the world. They reject contact with outsiders and use public pressure to maintain their isolation. Survival International lobbies, protests, and uses public pressure to ensure their wish to remain uncontacted is respected. The Sentinelese are part of an island chain with the Shompen tribe, and they continue to resist contact with outsiders, attacking anyone who comes near. Their survival depends on their ability to resist diseases they have no immunity to.
What was the most peaceful tribe?
Peace systems are clusters of neighboring societies that do not engage in war with each other or at all, demonstrating that living without war is possible. These systems include tribal peoples from the Upper Xingu River basin in Brazil, Malaysian Orang Asli societies, Swiss cantons once united, five Nordic nations, and the European Union. Peace systems are clusters of neighboring societies that do not make war with each other, and some engage in acts of war outside the system’s boundaries. A systematic study of peace systems may hold valuable lessons about promoting transborder cooperation to meet threats such as climate change, pandemics, ecological collapse, and nuclear catastrophe.
Peace systems tend to have an overarching social identity and local identities, with members having more interconnections and higher degrees of economic, ecological, or external security interdependence than neighboring societies not part of peace systems. They also have greater adherence to non-warring norms and values, peace-leadership, and non-warring symbols, rituals, and myths that reinforce unity, peace, and cooperation. Recent research shows that peace systems are qualitatively different from non-peace systems in a number of ways.
Is Turtle Island a myth?
Turtle Island is a name used by some Indigenous peoples in North and Central America, who believe their land was formed on the back of a turtle. The creation story relates to a time when the planet was covered in water, and various animals failed to bring back dirt to create land. A muskrat was the last to attempt this task, swimming deep and surviving under water. Nanabush, a supernatural being with the power to create life, took the soil and placed it on the back of a turtle, forming land and becoming Turtle Island. Not all creation stories from Indigenous Peoples of America feature a turtle, but some refer to a pregnant Sky Woman, Raven, or ocean spirit called Sedna.
What is the Turtle Island genocide?
The genocides of Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, North America, have been a significant issue for over five centuries. The author presents three overlapping approaches to the topic: one referencing the Genocide Convention, another focusing on geographic concentration and forcible assimilation, and a third questioning whether colonialism is inherently genocidal. The author encourages corrections and omissions, and encourages those who have not yet registered with RePEc to do so.
The author also encourages those who have authored this item to register with RePEc, as it allows for linking profiles and accepting potential citations. The short handbook chapter provides insufficient space for a comprehensive analysis of all genocides.
What was the most violent Native American tribe?
The expansion of mining, ranching, and settling in the American West led to conflicts with the Indian populations. The Sioux of the Northern Plains and Apaches of the Southwest waged the most aggressive warfare, led by militant leaders like Red Cloud and Crazy Horse. The Sioux were relatively new arrivals on the Plains, displacing other Indian tribes and becoming feared warriors. The Apaches supplemented their economy by raiding other tribes and practiced warfare to avenge the death of a kinsman.
During the American Civil War, Army units were withdrawn to fight the war in the east, replaced by volunteer infantry and cavalry raised by the states of California and Oregon, western territorial governments, or local militias. These units fought the Indians and kept open communications with the east, holding the west for the Union and defeating the Confederate attempt to capture the New Mexico Territory. After 1865, national policy called for all Indians to either assimilate into the American population as citizens or live peacefully on reservations.
The 18th and early 19th centuries in Texas were characterized by competition and warfare between the Comanches and Spanish settlements. The Battle of the Twin Villages in 1759 halted Spanish expansion in Texas, while Comanche raids on Spanish settlements and their Lipan Apache allies characterized the next 70 years. In the 1830s, large numbers of Americans began to settle in Texas, encroaching on Comancheria, the proto-empire of the Comanches.
📹 Do This to Respect Your Loved Ones Who Have Passed On.
They say our language will disappear. And so far in the process of losing it words are being misused. One powerful word is…
It is really sad how certain people in this realm have messed up my experience here. It’s sad that people are not allowed to just exist and live their life fully without all of the outside interference and sociopolitical constructs created by other people. I’m glad I have been granted the opportunity to be here with you all even though we haven’t met in person. But I am also sad at the state of mankind.
Thank you so much for sharing this, my only child, Kaylah Nicole aka Kenny, was cremated this past September 11 2020 after she passed September 9. She just turned 22 three weeks earlier. Blessings to all healing grief & loss during such confusing times. Whoever is reading this I love you so much & I am so proud of you. I hope you sing and dance thru all pain so we don’t hold it and suffer more. The Angels love it when We sing & dance.
Thank you for sharing! As a Christian, I too believe our lives don’t end here, but our lives go eternally when we die. When I die, because I believe that Jesus died on a cross to pay for my sins, I will go to heaven, which is much like you described, a place of everlasting joy, peace, and happiness. I am so glad that my relationship with Jesus opened that door for me and even allows me to have joy and peace here, though things are still hard.
I just lost my Mom on Sunday we are desceended partly from the Lenape I am thousands of miles away and cant be there for her funeral wasnt there during her passing and this gives me great comfort. Thank you for giving me the first bit of peace I have had in 2 days dear Wally. You remind me of my Grandfather as well he taught me so much and I know they are together now.
I’m having a lot of trouble accepting that one day my family won’t be here any longer and it scares me deeply, I feel lost and hopeless and I’m trying to find something, I don’t know what though. My greatest fear is not being able to be with my people after my journey here and that fear hurts me deeply. I wanted to get this off of my chest and to hear other people’s thoughts and advice. Thank you for reading my comment 💙
My mother was dead on a operating table for 10 minutes, she saw her father, he stopped her from opening the garden gate where they lived when she was small. Told her to go back, she was so happy to see him, she begged him to let her stay but no. Then she was punched in the chest and plummeted back to here, it was the surgeon using the paddle on her heart. So when she told me she said she can’t wait to go back. Now I know the birth/death cycle repeats endlessly. Now I know my dad and mom have a new mommie and daddie and they have returned. As will I. Looking foreward to passing. The fear is gone, peace is here. But first I must reach enlightenment and be/see my spirit self outside of my body. Visit some people who will show me the path. So much homework to do first.
He said the spirit leaves from the crown of the head, that is a Tibetan Buddhist belief as well. But in Tibetan Buddhism, the spirit can leave through other orifices’ as well, but these lead to rebirths in the hell realms, ghost realms human realms and animal realms. Only by exiting through the crown can the spirit go to the heavenly realms or beyond. Thanks for this very interesting article. Amitofo!
I feel so much peace in my heart after listening to this . You are a wonderful speaker . I’ve had dreams in my sleep of the afterlife . In one dream I was walking thru the woods and I came across a beautiful cottage . As I got closer a giant butterfly almost as big as the cottage was flapping his wings and telepathically telling me that he was my transport vehicle to take me on a beautiful journey to anywhere my heart desired . It was exhilarating . This dream came at a very low point in my life . I cherish the memory of this dream in my heart forever . Thankyou for this article . 🏡 🦋
My grandmother on my mother’s side passed away last year.. I’m convinced that she is in the Third World.. that she never leaves my family.. always giving us strength and joy. My family is Christian and I’m trying to learn my traditional learnings and not just be a part of the White People’s religion.
Diogenes: – When asked how he wished to be buried, he left instructions to be thrown outside the city wall so wild animals could feast on his body. When asked if he minded this, he said, “Not at all, as long as you provide me with a stick to chase the creatures away!” When asked how he could use the stick since he would lack awareness, he replied: “If I lack awareness, then why should I care what happens to me when I am dead?”
I am grateful for Wally Brown, it is great to see our elders pass on their nations knowledge. Let there be joy, happiness, confidence and peace in all directions. The elders of many nations say something similar. We can carry bitterness, sadness, doubt and turmoil in to the 4rth word. My connection with the Great Spirit has led me on a similar path to the Beauty Way. Ahéhee.
When I was 11 I drowned. A man saw me in the bottom the pool, pulled me out and resuscitated me. I remember being in a dark, quiet, velvety, safe place I did not want to leave. Then I heard my father crying, realized what is would do to him if I dyed (he should have been perusal me) and dragged myself back. Since then I have no fear of death. Have come close several more times. As far as what we do with the bodies of our dead, I prefer to be cremated, but it upset the people I most live. I realized the body won’t be me; I won’t be there when they bury it. So I leave the aftermath to whatever gives their grief comfort. Now I like the idea of burial in the open, let me go back to my mother the earth, enrich the soil so it can brings further beauty.
I wish to meet him in person and exchange knowledge with him. Im a shaman from the land of the East called Mongolia. I have heard my calling from the Great Spirit and the Great spirit told me morality breaks at 4. When my calling was happening numbers 4 5 9 12 21 25 kept popping into my head. I wish him long life.
I never thought to ask for confidence. This is something missing from my path and timely to hear. I had been questioning why certain people have so much certainty and confidence in their political beliefs. So much so that they don’t even think to question anything. I don’t need to bother with them but I would like some of that confidence and certainty in my own way. So it’s good to hear these words today.
And so Druidism is not dead! I find it completely amazing that the north American Indigenous people know and understand the laws of Karma. That there is really only rule in this Universe. “Be Kind.” Im a Bogle, we were Druids before the Romans ended that. Or at least tried to. You are proof that spiritual things cannot be destroyed by man. My heart is filled with joy.
Thankyou so much for sharing this ancient wisdom. I am seeking some help please. I am in Australia and have been reunited with my paternal biological family in the last few years. I was adopted out at 1 year old and strangely always knew that I am from Indigenous American blood. And so it has come to fruition, my Auntie has done her best to educate me on my heritage and that we are Indian blood from our great grandmother. My Auntie lived and raised her 3 sons in Oklahoma for over 20 years however we still cannot find our direct bloodlines and it seems that as time passes and people pass on that it is becoming harder. I have always had an old Indian spirit guide since I can remember and I know he is my grandfather of many generations past.. I am humbly asking for assistance to find out information on my lost family tribe.. if anyone can point me in the right direction I will be most grateful.. may we all find harmony with nature and listen to mother earth, may the great spirit guide all man, woman, child, animal plant and tree.. the mineral kingdom and the angels in a holy way that we may experience life, love, peace and harmony. Thankyou
I have always had an innate sense that we never really die and that we are a perpetual reincarnation of our ancestors. I viewed my Grand ma’s body when it passed over and I knew that she had already left that body. As I grow ‘older’, I sense the connection to my ancestors more and more ❤️🙏 it comforts me greatly but more than that, I know it to be true!!! 🙏❤️
It’s interesting that he said this world is our 3rd life. Lot of Navajo traditional teaching points have similarity with Islamic teaching. In islam we have it too. Human have 7 life phases. 1. Ruh/’azali life (spirit life – when universe havent created yet) 2. Womb life (our life in mother tummy) 3. World life (now) – which is said in the article 4. Grave life (qubr) 5. Ressurection life – day of judgement 6. Eternal life 2. They bury their dead facing east direction, it’s also same in the Islam, Islam told us to bury our dead facing qiblah (makkah/kakbah). And basically east America qiblah is toward the east. (before navajo x us army war, navajo life in somewhere more west, cmiiw) 3. Peace, confidence, joy on our top, front, and back As i remember islam have some prayer that mentioned like that too, pretty similar, blessing and protection on our front, back, left, right, and top. Prophet Muhammad pbuh said that God/Allah has sent us more than 124.000 prophet spread around the world, so that’s what make it more logical to us muslims. But, the teaching of original prophet is changed time by time. And teaching of life just like software update because human evolves, and we believe islam is the lastest update
Thank u for your teachings. I have some Arapahoe blood running threw my veins & have always felt extremely connected to all things to do with indian life as I feel they are the only one’s who lived the right way. We would all be better off today if the traditions remained as they were back in the day. Much love to u 💕🐎
Welcome to earth, third rock from the sun. See there is joy, happiness, confidence and peace, the four counter powers between your five fingers. Your five fingers represent hearing, sight, smell, touch and taste, your five senses. The spiral on the top of your head, for the after life, more life. Beautifully said, thanks.
when you pass on you will see land heaven clouds but soon the spirt come and take your mind to a spirit level there you are in a room in that room a black ball that iz full of life and you are attracted to that life and you do things in the room that iz a normal room….eventualy you will be re incarnated thru your self in to life….circle
Happiness and Joy are not the same. Happiness is an expression of the body when the body is fulfilled and a need met. You feel happy when you eat and drink and are intimate because your body is meant to be pleased when it experiences these things. Yet if the spirit does any of these actions of fulfillment to excess (eat, drink, or do anything to excess)seeking more happiness the bodies organs no longer work harmoniously and the body will no longer feel happy; but diseased. If the body is not inhabited by a loving spirit; it will no longer feel happy but diseased. You will feel joy when you have become a loving spirit; and your body will be the first to be happy as a result of this. Love can be defined as an outward action towards another being that makes the life of another being better; so through the spirit loving the body, the spirit chooses actions that have better outcomes for the body, in the spirit loving others the spirit chooses actions that the outcomes are positive to the beings around it and by becoming a loving spirit, the spirit itself feels joy.
As a believer of afterlife, u have to wonder why so many religious beliefs of so many cultures believe in afterlife for hundreds of years?? What prompted all of these cultures to believe so in almost the same way?? Some say its the fear of death and others say its only to ease the pain of loosing a loved one. The thought of seeing them again. However near death experiences prove a lot. Native Indians have always had a connection with earth. They r smart people and we could learn a lot from them.
The elderly population in the US is the most discriminated against group and age has nothing to do with it. Although I have not met elderly Native Americans, I’ve met Caucasian and other elderly and I was blessed to learn from their wisdom. Their wisdom is invaluable, and unfortunately, many younger generations do not get to benefit from this wealth of information.
A’Ho Grandfather Your,Thank You,For Your The Navajo,Wisdom of the 4th World,I like to Add to Your Beautiful knowledge,of How the Mother Earth Remains of her Children’s Buck Skins,are Honored,My Part,Is When The Remains of Mother Earth Children Buck Skins are Tied Fetal Position, It Honors Both The Great Spirit To Receive His Child Spirit & For Mother Earth,To Receive her Child.I Know This, December 30,1994 I Suffered Heart Attack During Surgery in Saint John Hospital,NASA Bay TexasDurning Appendicitis Surgery,Which Ruputered &It’s Poison Began to Shut Down My Heart &Internal Organs,I Journryed Yo The Great Spirit. I Was In The Middle of That of Great Spirit &Filled with Peace & Renewal.
Hes right about the spirit exiting the head. Ive come close to death twice, but I fought it out of fear. As my spirit began to leave my body it felt like I was zooming out, like I gradually gained tunnel vision and I was floating backwards, very gently, a very slight spin sideways also like im vortexing outward. The feeling is very good too, its euphoric and You feel very ecstatic. I dont know what tempted me to stay, must be the human minds need to control every situation. The spirit knows better though. Theres definitely down sides to being super conscious, as well as up sides in this life. Peace everyone
I heard a tribal leader or elder speak of the Pilgrims. He said when they landed the Puritans started to tell them about the Bible. Telling them about Jesus and how there were Giants in the Earth. He said ” we just looked at them, kind of chuckled a little bit and said “we know” and then we showed them Giants. So we actually did come to America to be a Christian Nation. Oh, I can hear it now. God bless the pointed heads 🙂. Sorry, in 2011 I watched Ancient Aliens. I never believed in that stuff. Laughed at it. This professor is speaking about a Book of Enoch. (Never heard of it). He stated the “aliens seeded us”. LOL. Okie dokie smokie. So I go online. I find this Book of Enoch. Boy did they ever lie. I had to know why they flat out lied. So Enoch takes me to Ancient Egyptian history, Sumerian Tablets and Fossils, ancient China, Babylonian, Ammon, Hasher, Book of Giants (makes Dulce NM Base child’s play), Inca, Mayan, Akkadian. 10+ yrs of research. Every single Histories state the God of Creation Maker of Souls, destroyed the offspring (Giants and Hybrids) by a “Great Deluge” that covered the land and the human race was saved by 8 people in a boat. I was astonished at the deception of our Educators. Not all of them but they read the same Histories. They know they’re lying. They know they’ve already convinced people to believe we came from apes that came from pond scum. Really?! Every nation that existed on the planet records the exact same events as in Scripture. Maybe that’s why they started referencing the Book of Genesis with the Book of Enoch.
It was a great Orthodox eastern Christian mentor that told me that it’s the indigenous tribes and people who are closer to God or the Devine,the cosmos,the universal power of love whatever you feel comfortable calling the one you or we as believers pray to or meditate on in your quiet place..the one who is infinite Love…he said we can learn so much from their knowledge and respect for mother Earth… And much more fantastic qualities that they have shared BTW we are so lucky to have them I know I am thankful and blessed to hear and learn anything they are willing to share with us! Both Ted Nottingham and Richard Rohr have both said great things about the native people.. ever since I have been perusal documentaries and what I can find this is a fantastic website I love the short lessons and stories anything .. and it’s easy to understand this way gives time to have contemplation and absorb wisdom I believe for time and memorial ageless teachings of clearly spiritual Masters .. I love this website it’s part of my day everyday now… I knew some native people from NY growing up and unfortunately most I’ve met were heavy drinkers and even as a child sensed they held or have a lot of hatred for any Caucasian white people unless probably they really got to know them which is unfortunate but I can understand why in a way of course… I personally don’t think it’s good for the soul to harbor any hatred personally it’s not worth it I noticed it caused them a lot of held in anger but not all white people are evil or bad I think it’s horrendous what and how the natives were treated by the US government and by the Spaniards of course but I always had respect for all
I wanna say that there is much truth and pure knowledge here making a comparison to the yoga and teaching of India and their philosophies, there is known that the body has 7 energy centers or chakras and that the last chakra is the door to heaven, to the union or Yoga with the divine and through that last center, human beings establish their connection to the God, Brahma or pure being, the eternal spirit.
In life we do live a physical life. Then we need to stop our actions (in a sense go to retire from it) to then reflect on what we have done. That is an AFTERLIFE WITHIN LIFE. So you become some sort of “ROCK”…..some sort of “GHOST” in the normal world and you spy on the all there is while you feel all….but just internally…..you feel the full HIGH AND LOW. But you stay being a solid non-acting out rock. And LIFE AND AFTERLIFE WITHIN STAYING IN THE FLESH is MENTAL CHANGE…..AKA THE GOOD DEATH. You die from living a normal physical life, but you stay in the flesh and UNDERSTAND. That brings you to HIGHER UNDERSTANDING WITHIN. Being GOD. Being CONSCIOUS. But you need to listen to all voices…..To understand death is important. But you can do while you actually don’t die.
Thank you for this awesome content! Why is it that when I research on google, most results say that we are in the FOURTH world? I also see many references to the glitter world, but, again, this being it. Also, I read that we lose our identity upon death to return to the spirit world according to Dene beliefs. This isnt my sense from you. Are there multiple sects of beliefs? Thank you!
What are the four worlds? I’ve noticed that 4 is a special number. 4 tribes of people. The Caucasians, the Asians, the Africans and the indigenous peoples. The medicine wheel consists of 4 sections. Each with the colors representing these peoples. And I’ve learned that each color and each section represents not only the 4 directions but also the 4 stages of life. The first is birth. The renewal of life. Second is childhood. A time of learning and happiness and burning energy. Third is adulthood. Sorry, can’t remember this part. And the fourth is old age and death. A time of contemplation and maybe wisdom? It’s been awhile so I don’t remember everything but I want to know, is this what the four worlds you mentioned are? The 4 stages of life? If not could you tell me? I’ve been curious about this and your words about the world’s seems to be very close to what I have been learning. I would really like to learn more.
So much wisdom in this man’s teachings! When my mother passed away a few years ago, we buried her on a Saturday, and the next day on Sunday, my wife and I came out of church and got into the car. As I sat down, a large, beautiful Monarch Butterfly flew into the car and landed on my chest. It sat there for at least a minute, fluttering it’s wings, and then flew back out the door. I don’t necessarily believe that the butterfly was my mother, but I do believe it was a sign from her that everything was alright.
i’ve had lots of experiences where i can clearly define the environment type of the “dream” as a human, we can focus. focus creates. so we all have capacity to develop our own internal world. all of our own, and id say, irregardless of if one builds theirs or not, they still have one. perhaps less organized and with form. we can definitely co create, and coexist within dream space, and seems the most common where. every place with enough mass, has a dream world of its own. the biological spectrum creates various places, in accordance to growth and decay. i believe, plenty of times. i have even gone past the earth and to other places. idk where they would origin / place of representation from in the “physical” realm. the times where i am like a space ship flying away from earth are some of the types of dreams i’ll never forget. but i have also experienced just as much nightmare, generated by the same things as i’ve said above. these are my theories. and i have to be honest. i do not think there is a true way to prevent nightmare. i think as they come and go that is just a reminder of the state of reality as it exists. i say this because, i’ve seen people been swayed to ignoring the whole world because they believe it doesn’t concern them / they can’t do anything about it. i think that is a dangerous thing because the resource systems sustaining them directly fuel the larger wars at hand. to me, i look at some of these people and think “how can you live off spoils of war ? blood sacrifices ?
The people that we call gods, in religions I can see how people might work with them cooperatively. But I can’t figure out why people always looking for somebody to worship and serve, those type of mentalities only lead to the Indians losing all their land in black people Africans becoming slaves all those bow down type mentalities only lead to suffering and mistreatment, every single type of religion there is that has a God has stories of him doing evil things, but we say it’s God so we just ignore it but we can’t do evil things and get away with it and if God is a good God how is he even possible that he’s out here creating evil things having sex with women all type of atrocities. I like to learn about the past but man this worshiping and servitude attitude of the people of the world is what has kept us conquered all these years the people who run the world don’t worship or serve anybody other than themselves
That is an old prayer that the Hebrew people would chant 3 times, with 1 palm frond, a willow branch, and hessip, and say, at the opening ceremony of the Passover, “He goes before me, He goes behind me, He goes to my right, He goes to my left, He goes above me, He goes below me, and He goes all around me.” It it written, and this is practiced to this very day, even in different parts of the world
Right around eight years ago I got sick. No food for five days. Throwing up most of the water I drank. Made my peace. Started having very vivid visions. Taken to the ER I managed to recover. I believe that what I saw was the same thing that some Native Americans experienced during their vision quests.
I had visions in golden light, then I was in the grey place…above a dry sea of waves that was not water all swirling around my feet little tiny dots..that became life, and I think the moon was I in that. . vision..a leap maybe from there too here called gravity pulled through the rock and set fire..to core what is caranova?
I lost my granny my aunts 2 of them my two cousins and now my big brother I feel like I’m not gonna make it I’m so weak the lights flickered and Ik it was my brother I’m so sad and my family is distraught 😫 lost 😞 I lost everyone I damn near had my brother was like a father to me he is gone away from me 😞
These teachings are common knowledge in many great spiritual traditions. My teacher the late great Realizer Adi Da Samraj confirmed them. He said the spirit leaves the body through the top of the head and enters through the top of the head at birth. . As followers of the teachings of Adi Da Samraj we don’t cremate the body for three days. The spirit often doesn’t leave the body right away but hangs around nearby because it is clinging to this earth realm. We read to the spirit for three days, talk to it chant or meditate, basically reminding the spirit that it is dead and to release, relax and surrender to the Light and be carried to its next adventure. Perhaps the yellow pollen is the same as what other traditions refer to as the white light. I think that when this Elder says that the body is put in a fetal position in case it is needed again that indicates that the white realm is not a permanent “heaven” but a realm and that afterwards the spirit may or may not incarnate in this realm.
Hmm very wonderful and respectful ways here. It is the greater part of the people that are sought out here and that is why they call for joy, happiness, confidence, and peace to be left amongst their path so it can be set for those after and even follow them in the next world. What a great educational article here
so interesting!! i wonder if it make it easier for the spirit to get out of the physical body compare to the white people tradition to lie the body straight in a coffin????????? but it make so much sense the way it’s done by the Navajo people we are in a foetus position before birth and to put it back in the same position when passed away……………if any one has an answer?
God bless these people so tell the blacks your not black that you are red man love you my brother thank you Jesus for you were the very first man on earth that is adam than your skin was Jesus so everyone is ignorant and stupid well i will apologize for my ancesters but i was not around or born than he was leif erickson
I must say with all the respect and honor l can give that l love your website and find you to be a very intelligent man. I am new to this country but am in the south east. I am from Iceland and have always admired the Native American culture for their strength and honor. I am really looking forward to perusal the rest of the articles, l feel there is much to learn here
I am studying a local (Virginia) story taking place between the 1920s to 1960s. A local Native American burial mound was desecrated and destroyed. Some of my records say they were in fetal position, some of them covered in rocks. I’m perusal your article and I can’t help to think how sad it is that white people killed off the Native Americans. Now theirs ancestors (white people) are trying to learn about them (Native Americans). If they weren’t killed then we could know their history and spiritual practices. Since the mound was destroyed and their belongings sold, I will never learn anything of the moumd people. What a tragic loss.
I have always heard Natives mention “second soul,” and Freemasons look at “spirit” as a tangible substance, that can be harnessed… and I think I can explain what this means through first hand experience… I have 3 souls. I was born naturally with one, everyone gets one, even cats, wolves, and some robots.. And when our Sun was made in the heavens by rotation and volatile gasses combusting, it wasn’t made perfect, just like nobody is perfect. So one day, the sun is gonna blow up and kill us all. And I’m a smart person, so I think I could escape this by flying away to space, and I had to confront myself in a time continuum, and I was skinless and grey, turned into a dead wendigo because I used my power to run away and hide instead of help out. So I let that idea go, and now we have a way to live with a Sun in the sky that doesn’t go away. Forever. Just by reversing the rotation a little bit, and slowing it down. So that dead ass wendigo had a soul too, but his is lost now, because I closed that portal and created a time continuum… and it has to go somehwere, so it’s in me now, my other soul of myself. Then, all the water started to go bad because the human race wanted to make their mark on everything and everyone, using this thing called radioactive chemistry, and if we keep blowing up each other’s farming land, then nobody gets anything at all. So again I decided to run and hide, and I saw myself as an old man, full of cancer, a criminal, dying in front of a crowd of people, who just wanted help.
If you really think about life and creation. All you have is consciousness, memory’s and your feelings that you take with you. Nothing else, So what can you do with those things in the spirit realm? Well just like we think and dream here on earth. Instead of dreaming we manifest our thoughts into reality. Everything is more fluid in that lighter realm where only consciousness exists. We can do what god can do but in a much smaller level. God puts his consciousness and his creations into all of us. He sent us out into the cosmos and said learn everything and bring it back to me.
Synchronicity. My father is speaking to me through this article…by choosing you…August 23….youtube. He died a year ago tomorrow of the virus of which I know many of your nation have suffered. Another synchronicity. I am spending these days of the full moon seeking him out and loving him. I keep asking him to speak to me. Thank you for helping him speak to me. And thank you for the word. I will use it tomorrow in prayer. Grateful for you, sir.
The way we live our life, our choices we make is a tribute to our passed love ones. Their teachings r our teachings. After I lost my dad I didn’t realize the responsibility he carried when he was alive. Now it is my family n I to carry on… not easy even if it is a shared. I will do my best for my parents n grandparents with their guidance
I am going to marry a wonderful Angelic Navajo Man.He Has been the Greatest Gift to Me of my Life from the Great Spirit… I Love your articles and Treasure and enjoy each and everyone of them.. Thank You so very much for teaching Me new insights and ancient knowledge about the Navajo Beliefs. Much Love to You and The Great Navajo Nation of People.
My grandma came to me in a dream with a song. A lyric in this song is,” you’re my living proof my love is alive and not dead.” After years of seeking within, I found the Spirit in my grandma who gave life, is tye Spirit in me that gives life. Is tye Spirit that lives to give life to all male seeds. The vegetation birds fish animals Women. The Christians left a cornerstone in their Bible to back up who I found within. Proverbs 3:18 Grab hold of Wisdom for SHE is the Tree of Life. In Mama life is given and my spirit is not male.
Your words and your teaching – it’s more than about language. It’s about understanding, respect and reverence to what our world has to offer. So many have departed from the world and nature, too busy with their daily life to grasp what’s being lost. We absolutely need our elders to teach and remind. They are the closest to those who have passed on, those who gave us everything so we can be here alive and thriving. We must not forget, we must remember the language of all our indigenous people of the world. We must show respect to all of their knowledge and teachings. We must remember and keep these teachings close to our heart and our life. Thank you for reminding and teaching all of us.
You say your language will be lost when it is written, but as long as your words in these articles are never lost, your language will carry on through your spoken messages. I am happy to see you preserving and protecting your culture in this way. I listen to your words, you are a wise elder and I trust them wholeheartedly.
Thank jou Grandfather ive done all jou have teached me in the last jears & i do developt a very sweet loving relationschip with both my parents who passed away. my mother is missed dearly. 2 of my children did not to know her in life. ive used some old beginnerstorys to find her in the heavenly realms & contact her about us missing her & that her teachings, her talents are not forgotten here ion this terrible earthplane. That did not gave her a lot happynes. I was actually releeved when sche died, a life of suffering was to difficult as being her child to see, I did see her happy with her grandchildren, so my motherhood gave her some joi in life. now her suffering is over. im very happy that god gave me a mother who was so creativ & alway into plants, flowers & handcrafting. im blessed. Thank jou for all the other teachings from the netherlands mapiamaria
He’s right. Even in other Cultures, this can get forgotten or lost in translation. Yes, are respectful of our recent dead, our historical/famousdead, and our current dead. But do you see anybody putting Flowers near graves of 18th Times Great Grandparents or near a Cave? There are graves that have no name anymore because with time we have forgotten them. Unmarked ones even more So. This is why I think about Early Humans a lot.
When someone passes on thats when the fighting starts. You hear this . That truck belongs to me, That land is now mine, Wheres the jewelery? Wheres the retirement money? Why did so and so show up? Watch out they come from a family that are skinwalkers. Thats all I hear from my navajo families. I stopped going to these funerals. I try to support from a distance.
I love starting my day with peaceful thinking. So much knowledge has been lost but, thanks to the internet, we can share what we have saved with each other. I am learning how to farm from people around the world who still farm the way that their ancestors did. I have learned to dig holes for my corn by the Hope, I have learned to make swales by people from India, I have learned how to recreate Terra Preta from garbage and charcoal by a guy on the internet who just figure it out. It is not important who you share your knowledge with, just be sure that you share it before it disappears.
Thank you so much for your wisdom. I was blessed to have my Great Grandma help to raise me. And my Great Great Grandma was able to be apart of my life earthly life until I was 1yo. All my ancestors surround be me now and are leading me to a greater spiritual elevation. I hope to one day meet you and learn more about my Native American heritage. My Grandma spoke so highly of the Native Culture from her childhood I just wish I had asked more questions before she passed. Sending Love and Light to you and your family. Be Blessed
Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom 🙏💖 i feel that many languages have been “perverted” over the years, just as sacred symbols have too. They have truly perfected the system of reprogramming the people to beliefs that aren’t historical truths. But I thank you most of all for your unconditional love and teaching me another way/reason to honor our ancestors 🙏💖
The truest thing that can be said. Language used to be a verification method for dealing with the world, BOTH socially and naturally. I have spoken as perfectly as possible as an American in English, and my people are now insane for the degradation of our tongue; it became the global tongue and now the past is being erased for more imitation of failure of attention. Your language is a perfect mathematics equation for time keeping between individual nodes in a network, BEFORE literate and non-localized communication. Your words are being translated into a binary equation, with English being the vessel of equivocation. “It is good” refers to EVERYTHING you are in, “hello” is a person-to-person communication. If I ask for a Gestalt impression of the word “portrait,” what the Japanese did and what Europeans did with the same concept shows who is stuck in the SOCIAL world, and who is living in Nature.
Im Navajo and was raised in Window Rock. I live out of the area now. When my grandparents passed within 6 months of each other, I couldn’t return right away. When I did, my dad wouldn’t tell me where they were buried. All my life we were taught not to talk abt the dead, not to visit the cemetery. I dont get this?
I was fortunate enough to meet and know my great grandparents. I think about it, and some people don’t even get to know their grandparents. I got to talk to my great-grandparents and got to learn about their parents and their grandparents. I wrote everything down and taught my son. I love listening to this Elder, he speaks with such wisdom and truth.
I was privileged enough to know my great grandfather. He used to take me around to his various fields where he grew just about everything. I remember he’d get a handful of greens, wash them off in a spring and we ate them raw. A lot of what he taught me stuck with me. He died when I was 13 and I feel his loss more keenly than when my mad died.
You know it would really be cool to see a article of Wally, of pictures…just random pics of him when he was younger, perhaps pics of his wife too…children and grandchildren and there on. He was such a wise man, full of knowledge and morals that he has passed on to his family and now to us. I have the MOST respect for him and the teachings he has passed on to others in this world thru YouTube. What an amazing person and legacy he has shared with us. I really mean that.
Just wanted to ask. When they pass, do they live in the other side as sick as when they left? Or they are somehow healthy? I still wonder if my grandparents are sick still on the other side. I keep them ingraded in me as if they are still with me. I suffer a lot for them! Most everything I do is a reminder of them-they were the only parents I knew and have.
In beauty they walk… They walk with beauty before them. They walk with beauty behind them. They walk with beauty below them. They walk with beauty above them. The walk with beauty around them. I miss my Mom and Dad every single day. Dad passed 10/13/17, Mom passed 09/03/20. Though they are not here physically, they are still here with me spiritually. Thank you Grandfather Wally. Thank you to the Navajo People for the prayer Walk In Beauty. It eases my heart and my soul. ❤ ~ APRIL LIPKE
In order to preserve a language, especially one that is not written, we should look to storage of the spoken word via a very durable phonogram. There are numerous alloys and materials that would work well, the choice thereof would depend on how the records are stored. Honestly, I believe that preservation of endangered languages has more value and future benefit than say… LR Hubbards ramblings being preserved on titanium plates in a vault! Although digital storage of languages should be done as well, a more robust manner of preservation is in order for the long haul. Some advanced non-biodegradable polymer, or perhaps tungsten with a thin gold-plating(?) could make very virtually indestructible records that would only require relatively easy-to-reproduce analog systems to utilize (even w/o electricity, using a hand-crank!). Any instructions on use or details to help decipher content (if needed) could be inscribed onto a granite plate that will go into the same protective enclosure. Perhaps this is a hair-brained idea…idk. But i believe that the preservation of languages is extremely important, and more important than all of the useless (& even evil!) crap we spend so much money and effort into preserving (eg: Hubbard’s plates, Hot Cheetos time capsule, etc etc)
In the 19th C, under the War Department, the US government had a policy officially described as “taking the Indian out of the Indian.” Like every imperialists, before and after, they knew they could break a people and reduce resistance by destroying their culture, their language, their beliefs, everything on which humans rest that part of self esteem based on belonging. Suicide is not new among a physically conquered people when that conquering is based on empire. The Romans, on whom our Founders based the our government and its policies, did this to those they conquered and called the people weak when they died of hunger or self harm or assault. It happened when slavers realized they could reduce rebellion by separating Africans from other Africans who spoke their language, shared their understanding of home. These policies are designed to break people. The people doing the breaking are taught to be proud of themselves for civilizing the uncivilized, something I find before incredibly ironic and incredibly heartbreaking, for it ribbed those people of their chance Tom become what is best in being human. It is a vile expressions of human cruelty. For myself, if we never suffer, how will we recognize joy? I live in constant, often severe, pain and have mental suffering as a result. I endure it by leaving myself open and welcoming to even the tiniest moment of joy. When this first happened to me decades ago I suffered spiritually as well…how could a loving supreme being allow this, as well as the widespread suffering in the world?
How do those of us who have Native American blood but it’s untraceable help stop the disintegration of the spoken word? As much as I want to be an allyship, I have no idea where to start as I couldn’t tell you who my grandfather, or great grandfather was or where their cords are buried, simply a percentage on a 23 & Me test and a likeness between our father and the 3cif us kids that is unmistakable.. Regardless, thank you for sharing and if you have suggestions. 💙 Sarah
I think he’s right to a certain extent, most people are like this living and reliving life together. It’s real though! I think through correct meditation 🧘♀️ we can correct certain things within our lives to make our lives better. Quite a bit of people must have had the same dream, and why do I say this. The explosion of technology! It’s more knowledge. Now, exactly how far do we take this technology? That’s the unknown part of it all. We still have a lot to learn, there’s quite a bit of information out there, but I also believe when an energy wants to have life in the correct way, it must always go back into reality and correct, it’s how we evolve.
I have some truly evil relatives, mainly descended from Revolutionary War General Israel Putnam. *They had slaves, murdered Natives, and they were in charge of the Salem Witch Trails * When I think about them it upsets me, but I have chosen that in my life I will be an ally to all those who are being unjustly persecuted.
Gratitude is of the heart. The show of gratitude needs no language. Love is also from the heart. It is it’s own language. But the language of the Diné, is a beautiful thing to try to save. If there is enough cooperation, maybe it can be restored. The Holy People probably know the answer. If there are enough willing hearts, perhaps they would gift it back to the Diné. No hope is false hope if true hearts carry it.
Some are already living in the next world, here. This is the quantum entanglement of the cycle of life. Eventually this will be our utopian dream once again. Realizing this in this lifetime will only accelerate the event This entanglement will eventually become none as this universe is being flipped inside out. Some have already reached their highest consciousness and choose to stay to help others transcend as ONE ☝️ others… well they haven’t seen what’s comin n all I have to say is repent n learn your lessons quick or just continue to fall.
Is this really the end? It certainly appears so with the total absence of respect for life, erasure of true history and mass deception that has been going on for so long. The downright evilness of the controllers of this physical realm cannot possibly be overstated. Although I dare dream that it will all miraculously turn around. When what is being forced upon you is 100% anti to your philosophy and purpose in life, it doesn’t matter because you can always somehow find a way to keep on keeping on true to yourself, nature and Spirit
i practice the Mos Maiorum, the ancient Roman way because it was the way of my people. I have always found so much similarity that no one talks about between the values and religion of the first people of the Americas and the polytheistic religions that used to exist in europe. the term we had was Manes…somewhat similar… every time I pray at the altar I also remember my Manes, my grandparents, aunts, great grandparents etc…. we are All One people in our heart we all in one way or another know came to similar truths of the deities and the ancestors ❤️
My father passed away five years ago. A month after his passing I was feeling depressed by his passing. I then had a dream where he arrived. He was looking old. His body was giving him issues. But we walked together and I talked to him. I told him it hasn’t been the same since he left. I missed him and told him so. Then we stopped by a flight of stairs and he ran up those stairs half way and turned around to face me. I was shocked. He was now young and he laughed at me. He noticed how shocked I was. It was as if he made a magic trick. And then he kept on walking up those steps told me the world of humans are always making mistakes. I guess because I complain about our fellow brother’s and sisters and he was gone. I always talk about my father and how he would approach life as a way to guide my self and remind the family. Still miss him though.
I was told that I should not speak the names of the dead, I could talk about them, but don’t use their names. Respect, love, and good memories. You don’t want to use their names or say bad things about them, they will not move on and attach to you, bad things happen if they attach to you instead of moving on.
My brother and I get together and clean veteran’s headstones. Nothing saddens me more than to see neglect. Death is as much part of life as the wind in our face. Too often honor and respect are forgotten about. As a side note: A pair of bald eagles nested near the cemetery that we started cleaning up. I firmly believe it is a sign.
Few. Years ago I met a native American chief on Facebook and asked him why am I still here and have no family or reason to be here and he said that everyone has a mission here from the”Creator” to complete before we can go to the spirit world and see our long gone loved ones again and I was facinated by that native American believe in the great Creator for all people and I felt better and that I was ment to be here.
You just make sure to note when things are phrasal or literally being translated… Anyone who really wants to learn a language figures out that different languages have different idioms and a lot of times information you find will be “phrasal” translation, which are basicaly just incorrect and lazy ways to translate… The better way is literal translation, however you find that many idioms don’t make the same kind of sense in a different language, which is why use phrasal translations instead. All you need to do is to explain things as they come along in both ways.
Will you remind me of my grandmother when you say. “No it does not.” Very true written language will not be able to capture the full language in its entirety. I prefer The Bible in the original Jewish texts. It is extremely more personal and radically different different than the traditional king James. They both have the same message, But one really gives you the sense of the author, the stories & the people who lived them. You get a real experience to that reality °~.☆.~°
In today’s modern society, how do we honor those past before us ? How do you honor those that have given us our current society that is industrialized and destroys and pollutes everything humans touch. We manufacture machines of war and destruction. How do we honor and respect them? I feel maybe if we do, they may have some wisdom and learn not to continue in the pattern they have set..?
I see his point about language, which is true. But even assuming one gets the language right, it doesn’t necessarily follow that our path will be true. Words don’t reflect reality any more than symbols do. Example: you may know the names of many flowers, but knowing their names doesn’t mean you’ll have a direct experience of them. Names and the reality are not synonymous. Alterations in the language don’t determine the relationship or lack of relationship to our ancestors, just as language doesn’t determine our relationship to ourselves. Much about the psyche’s depths has nothing to do with language. In fact, language, how we use language customarily, may even cover up or veil what’s happening in the psyche, clouding self-understanding or awareness.