Ask PW about her faith

[painted wolf]

Thank you grandfather

wa:do

 

[Me Myself]

I look forward to them.

Storm... I feel I should add some more about medicine... Medicine is kept private as it is something that can be lost. You do not own your medicine, it is a gift and if you do something that disrespects that gift, it can be taken back. Gifts after all are to be treated with respect and are a sign of respect by the giver... nothing is owned by the individual but is held in trust until someone new requires it. Some people however don't want to earn what they want and will steal. Most elders feel the same way about medicine. Which is why it is kept private. (a lesson I learned the hard way already)

wa:do

If it is not too private or spiritualy inapropiate (and hopefyully it is not ) ... how was it that you learned it?

 

[painted wolf]

If it is not too private or spiritualy inapropiate (and hopefyully it is not ) ... how was it that you learned it?

I told someone I really should have known better than to trust about a vision I was given, seeking advice on what it meant... and I lost all visions for quite a while and lots of things in general started to break down. Spirit guides shut me down for a while and I'm still trying to fully recover from it. One I haven't seen since.

wa:do

 

[TsalagiElder]

I told someone I really should have known better than to trust about a vision I was given, seeking advice on what it meant... and I lost all visions for quite a while and lots of things in general started to break down. Spirit guides shut me down for a while and I'm still trying to fully recover from it. One I haven't seen since.

wa:do

Sometimes it is meant to be in order to progress along your path....

 

[painted wolf]

Sometimes it is meant to be in order to progress along your path....

Yeah, and the lesson was learned.

wa:do

 

[Breathe]

I apologize if this has been mentioned before - but I remember TsalagiElder (I don't know how to use the correct form of respect to an elder, my apologies ) mentioned meditation before.

So, I'm curious, how does one perform meditation whilst following your path? Is it by repeating the name of the Creator, by focusing on concentrating on one's breath, or something else?

Also, how important is the traditional language to your path? Is it important to use the traditional language's prayers -- or does it depend on public or private, or can they be in any language?

Thank you.

 

[painted wolf]

I apologize if this has been mentioned before - but I remember TsalagiElder (I don't know how to use the correct form of respect to an elder, my apologies ) mentioned meditation before.

So, I'm curious, how does one perform meditation whilst following your path? Is it by repeating the name of the Creator, by focusing on concentrating on one's breath, or something else?

I don't know the name of the Creator... that's a powerful word that isn't for everyone to know.
I'm not Keetoowah.

I generally go and find someplace and be still... I leave prayers and gifts and keep as aware of my surroundings as possible.

Also, how important is the traditional language to your path? Is it important to use the traditional language's prayers -- or does it depend on public or private, or can they be in any language?

Thank you.

There are specific ceremonies and prayers in the Cherokee religion... but I haven't had the opportunity to participate in them.
I also don't speak the language other than a few words here and there, though I'm trying to learn more.

wa:do

 

[Breathe]

Thank you for the answer pw

Do you believe in local spirits (genius loci or similar) or anything like that? If so, are the gifts for these spirits, the Creator, symbolically as thanks for nature, or something else?

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Where would you like me to begin? I try to walk the path of my First Nations ancestors... Right mow most of my influence has been from elders of Cherokee, Abenaki and Mi'kmaq nations.
I'm not legally a member of any nation (there are government regulations on tribal membership and I don't feel like jumping through the hoops for one... and Cherokee are traditionally matralineal and I get my Cherokee blood from my father.) Thus I make no claims beyond my own experience.

My faith is monotheistic, there are no holy books, no money is ever involved and all spiritual experience is personal.

wa:do

Are native american beliefs/concepts similar to Buddhism or Hinduism?

Thanks for allowing me to ask PW..

 

[Debater Slayer]

This might be a repeated question, but do you believe that God is all-powerful/omniscient?

 

[painted wolf]

Thank you for the answer pw

Do you believe in local spirits (genius loci or similar) or anything like that? If so, are the gifts for these spirits, the Creator, symbolically as thanks for nature, or something else?

I do... and all of the above.

wa:do

 

[TsalagiElder]

I apologize if this has been mentioned before - but I remember TsalagiElder (I don't know how to use the correct form of respect to an elder, my apologies ) mentioned meditation before.

I have no formal name or title, members of my family call me Grandfather, even though I'm a great grandfather... little humor....

So, I'm curious, how does one perform meditation whilst following your path? Is it by repeating the name of the Creator, by focusing on concentrating on one's breath, or something else?

Meditation is a personal thing and it's done like any other person would do meditation, I find a quiet spot where I can sit and clear my mind of all thoughts and just listen to all the natural sounds around me, I then close my eyes and think of a pleasant happening from my past and let my mind go. Each person has their own different ways of going about meditation and there is no wrong way to do it, it's whatever works for you.

We the Keetoowah, in ordinary conversation use the name "Creator", we can not use the real name that we know the Creator by in everyday language because it is a sacred name.

Also, how important is the traditional language to your path? Is it important to use the traditional language's prayers -- or does it depend on public or private, or can they be in any language?

I use traditional language when offering up a prayer, my heart does not speak English and then there is the sacred language that only the Elders know for certain sacred ceremonies

Thank you.

I hope I have answered some of your questions.osay

 

[painted wolf]

Are native american beliefs/concepts similar to Buddhism or Hinduism?

Thanks for allowing me to ask PW..

I can't speak for all 300 odd religions out there, but I've seen a few parallels. Generally more so than with Western religions.

wa:do

 

[painted wolf]

This might be a repeated question, but do you believe that God is all-powerful/omniscient?

Well... God is all, anyway.

All powerful compared to what? I'm all powerful to an ant... and an ant is all powerful to a grass seed.

wa:do

 

[TsalagiElder]

This might be a repeated question, but do you believe that God is all-powerful/omniscient?

The concept that you ask is unknown to us, we pray to the Creator for all that we have and for all that he has created, we respect the spirits of all other living things as we all should. We also believe that to some degree we can determine our own destiny by what we do and how we treat others in this life, it affects our afterlife. So in some respect I guess that our Creator is not all powerful/omniscient because he allows us some leeway to determine our own destiny. But then again I look at it this way. A teacher teaches you the knowledge and gives you the tools to go out into the world to make the best of yourself, the teacher can do no more than that, what you do with that knowledge and those tools depends on you. osay

 

[Breathe]

I do... and all of the above.

wa:do

Beautifully said.

If I ever get to go to the States, I'd love to visit and watch a traditional ceremony (that's open to the public). Sounds like the type of religion I admire.

Also, is there a term for the religion which is preferred by its practitioners? Is it Keetoowah, "Traditional Cherokee", or something else?

 

[Debater Slayer]

Well... God is all, anyway.

All powerful compared to what? I'm all powerful to an ant... and an ant is all powerful to a grass seed.

wa:do

I assume you're a pantheist, then?

As for the all-powerful part, I mean all-powerful as in infinitely powerful: similar to the concept of the omniscient/all-powerful God in the Abrahamic religions.

 

[painted wolf]

Beautifully said.

If I ever get to go to the States, I'd love to visit and watch a traditional ceremony (that's open to the public). Sounds like the type of religion I admire.

I'm sure you'd love it.

Also, is there a term for the religion which is preferred by its practitioners? Is it Keetoowah, "Traditional Cherokee", or something else?

I'll let TsalagiElder answer that one.

wa:do

 

[painted wolf]

I assume you're a pantheist, then?

And a monotheist... it's complicated.

As for the all-powerful part, I mean all-powerful as in infinitely powerful: similar to the concept of the omniscient/all-powerful God in the Abrahamic religions.

Our concept of god isn't the same as in Abrahamic faiths... we see the world in a fundamentally different way.

"Infinitely powerful" sounds like a riddle to me... can god be more powerful than god is right now? How can it be "infinitely more powerful" otherwise?

wa:do

 

[TsalagiElder]

Beautifully said.

If I ever get to go to the States, I'd love to visit and watch a traditional ceremony (that's open to the public). Sounds like the type of religion I admire.

Also, is there a term for the religion which is preferred by its practitioners? Is it Keetoowah, "Traditional Cherokee", or something else?

Odion, you ask a very good question about "Traditional Cherokee" religion. Let me correct some misconceptions here, what I'm about to say, I don't mean it to criticize, it's meant to teach. The Tsalagi do not have what is commonly known as a religion, it is a belief and culture, and what I mean by that, is that we live it every day of our lives it is a part of everything that we do,it's how we conduct ourselves with others and the respect that we show for our Elders and all living things. The Keetoowah of the Tsalagi are the keepers of the ancient customs, ceremonies, medicines, and sacred ways of the people, we're mostly the Elders of the different families that make up the people. We pass on the knowledge that we have acquired over many years from the Elders before us to those who will become the Elders of the future. It keeps the traditions and ancient ways alive.