Take me to where the Buffalo Roam

At various points in my life, I have wanted to experience living on an Indian reservation, having the opportunity to soak up some wisdom from the elders and live more simply. (Living more simply, always always on my list of to do, and such a challenge) For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to cultures that honor nature and abide by an ethic of compassion and love of all things and people.

A while back, I met an old Hopi man,Istaqa, meaning coyote man. We had many conversations about life, war, mother earth, ethics, love, parenthood etc. Anytime I asked him a question, he would not respond with an answer but instead provide a story. He helped me to not only admire the practices of his Hopi ancestors, he ignited my own internal compass for accessing knowledge. He also used a saying, "Have you eaten yet?" This was his way of asking how are you? At first I thought, how bizarre to ask if I have eaten. But then I understood. It is the basic need for nourishment which gives life. From there all else is up to us. How many times has someone asked, "How are you" and you felt like saying, "Not good?" If someone instead asked you if you had eaten, would that change the way you felt about your present state? Maybe it would encourage you to nourish yourself better or perhaps it would make you realize that your life is abundant because your basic needs are met. I love this saying and sometimes use it for fun. We often forget that many people of the world are not so fortunate to have plentiful food and basic resources, so if we think about this question, "Have you eaten," we recognize something significant.

In my experience I learned that with a quiet mind in a quiet place, preferably in nature, all questions have their answer. There is nothing the heart and mind does not know. In one of my favorite John Butler songs, "Sometimes," he sings, "Somethings its hard to see the truth and yet it is harder to ignore." In my daily intention to provoke the good within myself, I always draw on the inspirations from Istaqa and the wisdom of the Native cultures.

Here is a Lakota saying on how to live life. I really love this. Thank you for allowing me to share.

Friend do it this way - that is,
whatever you do in life,
do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.

And if you do it that way,
the Power Of The Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.

When one sits in the Hoop Of The People,
one must be responsible because
All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.

If you do it that way - that is,
if you truly join your heart and mind
as One - whatever you ask for,
that's the Way It's Going To Be