Retrospection

[Carol Anne Kincaid~Paradis]

Have a peaceful day. Happy Trails my Friend Blessings 

Retrospection

It was evening in the bad-lands, and the red sun had slipped behind the far-off hills. The sundown breeze bent the grasses in the coulees and curled tiny dust-clouds on the barren knolls. Down in a gulch a clear, cool creek dallied its way toward the Missouri, where its water, bitter as gall, would be lost in the great stream. Here, where Nature forbids man to work his will, and where the she wolf dens and kills to feed her litter, an aged Indian stood near the scattered bones of two great buffalo-bulls. Time had bleached the skulls and whitened the old warrior's hair, but in the solitude he spoke to the bones as to a boyhood friend:

"Ho! Buffalo, the years are long since you died, and your tribe, like mine, was even then shrinking fast, but you did not know it; would not believe it; though the signs did not lie. My father and his father knew your people, and when one night you went away, we thought you did but hide and would soon come back. The snows have come and gone many times since then, and still your people stay away. The young-men say that the great herds have gone to the Sand Hills, and that my father still has meat. They have told me that the white man, in his greed, has killed - and not for meat - all the Buffalo that our people knew. They have said that the great herds that made the ground tremble as they ran were slain in a few short years by those who needed not. Can this be true, when ever since there was a world, our people killed your kind, and still left herds that grew in numbers until they often blocked the rivers when they passed? Our people killed your kind that they themselves might live, but never did they go to war against you. Tell me, do your people hide. or are the young-men speaking truth, and have your people gone with mine to Sand Hill shadows to come back no more?"

"Ho! red man - my people all have gone. The young-men tell the truth and all my tribe have gone to feed among the shadow-hills, and your father still has meat. My people suffer from his arrows and his lance, yet there the herds increase as they did here, until the white man came and made his war upon us without cause or need. I was one of the last to die, and with my brother here fled to this forbidding country that I might hide; but one day when the snow was on the world, a white murderer followed on our trail, and with his noisy weapon sent our spirits to join the great shadow-herds. Meat? No, he took no meat, but from our quivering flesh he tore away the robes that Napa gave to make us warm, and left us for the Wolves. That night they came, and quarrelling, fighting, snapping among themselves, left but our bones to greet the morning sun. These bones the Coyotes and the weaker ones did drag and scrape, and scrape again, until the last of flesh or muscle disappeared. Then the winds came and sang - and all was done."

Legend of the White Buffalo

Legend courtesy Jim and Dena Riley

The White Buffalo is sacred to many Native Americans. The Lakota (Sioux) Nation has passed down The Legend of the White Buffalo–a story now approximately 2,000 years old — at many council meetings, sacred ceremonies, and through the tribe’s storytellers. There are several variations, but all are meaningful and tell of the same outcome. Have communication with the Creator through prayer with clear intent for Peace, Harmony, and Balance for all life living in the Earth Mother.

Spirituality among Native and non-Native Americans has been a strong force for those who believe in the power of the Great Spirit or God.

It matters not what you call the Creator. What matters is that you pray to give thanks for your blessings and trust the guidance from the world of Spirit. Many truths about Spirit are told and handed down from generation to generation.

White Buffalo Calf Woman

The legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman tells how the People had lost the ability to communicate with the Creator. The Creator sent the sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman to teach the People how to pray with the Pipe. With that Pipe, seven sacred ceremonies were given for the people to abide to ensure a future of harmony, peace, and balance.

Legend says that long ago, two young men were out hunting when, from out of nowhere, came a beautiful maiden dressed in white buckskin. One of the hunters looked upon her and, recognizing her as a wakan, or sacred being, lowered his eyes. The second hunter approached her with lust in his eyes, desiring her for his woman. White Buffalo Calf Woman beckoned the lustful warrior to her, and as he approached, a cloud of dust arose around them, causing them to be hidden from view. When the dust settled, nothing but a pile of bones lay next to her.

As she walked toward the respectful young hunter, she explained to him that she had merely fulfilled the other man’s desire, allowing him, within that brief moment, to live a lifetime, die and decay. White Buffalo Calf Woman instructed the young man to return to the People and tell them to prepare for her arrival to teach them the way to pray. The young hunter obeyed.

When White Buffalo Calf woman arrived with the sacred bundle (the prayer pipe), she taught the People the seven sacred ways to pray. These prayers are through ceremonies that include the Sweat Lodge for purification; the Naming Ceremony for child naming; the Healing Ceremony to restore health to the body, mind, and spirit; the adoption ceremony for making of relatives; the marriage ceremony for uniting male and female; the Vision Quest for communing with the Creator for direction and answers to one’s life; and the Sundance Ceremony to pray for the well-being of all the People.

When the teaching of the sacred ways was complete, White Buffalo Calf Woman told the people she would again return for the sacred bundle that she left with them. Before leaving, she told them that within her were the four ages and that she would look back upon the People in each age, returning at the end of the fourth age to restore harmony and spirituality to a troubled land. She walked a short distance, looked back toward the people, and sat down. They were amazed to see she had become a black buffalo when she arose. Walking a little further, the buffalo lay down, this time arising as a yellow buffalo. The buffalo walked a little further the third time and arose as a red buffalo. Walking a little further, it rolled on the ground and rose one last time as a white buffalo calf signaling the fulfillment of the White Buffalo Calf prophecy.

The changing of the White Buffalo Calf Woman’s four colors represents man’s four colors–white, yellow, red, and black. These colors also represent the four directions, north, east, south, and west. The sacred bundle left to the Lakota people is still with the People in a sacred place on the Cheyenne River Indian reservation in South Dakota. It is kept by a man known as the Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, Arvol Looking Horse.

The legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman remains ever-promising in this age of spiritual enlightenment and conscious awareness. Many of us are looking for signs of peace in today’s world of confusion and war.

“With the return of the White Buffalo, it is a sign that prayers are being heard, that the sacred pipe is being honored, and that the promises of prophecy are being fulfilled. White Buffalo signals a time of abundance and plenty.” (from Sams and Carson, Medicine cards)

Though harsh as the world we live in may be, throughout recorded history, there have been spiritual leaders teaching peace, hope, and balance (synergy) amongst all life. This was taught by great teachers such as Jesus, Buddha, the Dali Lama, and Native American leaders.

Chief Crazy Horse, Chief Seattle, and Chief Red Cloud are a few of the visionary leaders who committed their lives to bring peace and internal happiness to all who they touched. They were tangible signs of goodwill toward all men, women, and children.