Spiritual Health: Finding Balance in Natural Spirituality

Truth

Most 'traditional' practicing Native Americans will state candidly, "I do not know exactly who Creator (God) is!" when asked the question 'Who is your God or who do you think God is?' The all knowing White Man emphatically states exactly who God is and implicitly describes a Spirit World beyond, and of course threatens great punishment for those who do not comply with his specific instructions on how to get there. A traditional Indian has too much regard for Truth, to make such misleading statements. They recognize the extreme amount of real Truth abounding in Nature to make exotic statements of which observable proof is seriously lacking. Generally, if an Indian has not observed it, they will never make misleading comments about what they have not observed. That is why it was so difficult for them to believe in the white man's conjurations, especially so, when none were observable. A Creator they believe in and admit having never 'seen', they see enough of Creator's Creations that it is obvious to them; a Great Higher Power, Great Mystery and/or Great Spirit exists and furthermore it is quite obviously, benevolent. It is also regarded as a supremely 'Truthful' power. Their suppositions of a Spirit World beyond differ considerably from what the White Man forced them to believe when the Indian's spiritual ways, ceremonies and beliefs were federally banned for almost a century. From the 1880s to the Freedom of Religion Act recently passed by Congress in 1978, Native American religion or Spirituality was banned. This unconstitutional practice was effective for most tribes. The Oklahoma tribes are deeply converted to the White Man's belief system. Native Spirituality among the Northern Plains did not die out during this time however, it simply went underground. The Sioux were one of the major tribes to keep their ceremonies, culture, customs and language intact, and a resurgence of Nature-based spirituality is well underway among all age groups especially on Sioux (Dakota/Lakota) reservations. Proselytizing missionaries now have little influence.