Spirit Guides

Animal Totems

Contact

	We must send our children to schools, schools that are still stuck with the curriculum and mindset of the industrial revolution. We teach them to sit at a desk, to be obedient to the system, and to relinquish their dreams. For many children, school is purgatory - something to be endured. They are taught little of life, and how to live in this difficult world. Enduring soulless days of tedium, children switch off and look for stimulation elsewhere. It doesn't make sense to me that we teach children nothing of relationships, dreams and goals. It doesn't make sense. We are encouraged by the system to absolve ourselves of personal responsibility. Our behaviour and actions are not of our making. It is always someone else's fault. Our only responsibility is to the state. We are enslaved into paying taxes. We have licences for everything. We are made fearful of not taking responsibility for these demands. Even as adults we are still being schooled into becoming obedient robots, operating only when we are told to stop or go.
Freedom existed once for one race. The Native American Indians lived freely, truly and within their own truth. They lived by no mans rules, other than the law of right and wrong. Please do not mistake me; it was not a perfect life. It was tough. At times it was feast or famine. The Indians lived without materialistic need; indeed they had no comprehension of materialism. They did not want for money, cars or houses. They lived a simple life. Nature dictated how it was, and the Indians respected her, bending and flexing to her will. The Indians worked hard. The men hunted and the women took care of their families. Children learned from their elders. They quickly aspired to take responsibility for their own actions. The role models were of a high standard. This harvested men of truth and honour. Everything was undertaken with respect. When an animal was killed, it was honoured for sacrificing its life. Every part of the animal was used. Animals were only killed when they were needed. There was no sport in the killing. Yet the Indians, the Europeans told us, were purported to be savages. We hear the historical tales of the battles. But there were no battles, only bloodthirsty massacres. The Europeans wanted what the Indians had. Decisions were made to rid the land of the Indian, much as a farmer would do to vermin. Women and children were slaughtered without mercy. One by one, Europeans crushed the tribes, and moved the remaining Indians into barren stockades. Most of them starved here, or lived a soulless restrictive life. The Indians began peaceably. They did not want war. They wanted to work side by side with the white man, whom they wished to call 'brother'. But as the annihilation continued, the Indians could not sit and do nothing. They were men of pride. They believed in justice. As they started to fight back, this provided new fodder for the army chiefs, who could now righteously state that the Indians were savages. The Indians attacked in defence of their lives. They became vengeful as their family members were killed. The Europeans then set about targeting the big chiefs; amongst them of note were Sitting Bull, Bigfoot, Crazy horse and Red Cloud. The army chiefs figured that without these spearheads, the tribes would weaken and submit.
The white man wanted the Indians land, notably the Black Hills, which was sacred land to the Indians. But when gold was found, this was the end of the holy land, as the gold diggers appeared by the thousands. In other parts of America, the Indians had prime farming land. This to was taken. Despite promises being made by the government, treaties were broken time after time. The Indian was of no importance. He was disposable. He was uneducated, and therefore was considered a lesser being. The Indian children were taken away from their families; their hair cut short, uniforms supplied and their personal [often sacred] belongings taken away from them. The 'experts' believed that this generation of Indians needed to learn how to be American. It is hard to imagine how difficult this must have been for the youngsters, who were used to a free and untroubled life. Now they were being indoctrinated into the system that holds all of us today. Thousands of healthy mustangs were slaughtered. The Indians revered their horses. They were often used for bartering for goods. A young Indian might offer a father several good horses in return for his daughter's hand. The killing of the horses made no sense, other than it was a way of removing a mode of transport for the Indians. It reduced their power, rendering them vulnerable and reliable on the white man for those things that he needed. No longer able to hunt, the Indian had to depend on the white man for food and water. Slowly but systematically we were creating a society that is bound by a lack of freedom. When the Indian submitted to our will, we changed the possibilities indefinitely. I often wonder what would have happened if this part of history had never taken place. If no one had ever found gold, would it have been something else? If the Indians had been left alone, what kind of great leaders would we have today, to pioneer our direction? Would we all be living much simpler lives, exchanging our skills, our crafts and our goods with each other? Most people might believe that the technology of today has enhanced our lives. They describe it as progress. But how about the progress in our hearts? For many their hearts are deadened, their souls flattened by fast living and greed. We live in a world of growing obesity, suicides, violence, stress and depression. We have too much. Yet we have no appreciation of that which truly matters. If you are reading this, then I have hope. There is a calling, and I feel it right now. People are wanting more. The world is challenging its ways. We have to stop caring about the colour of another mans skin. We have to stop caring about the other mans ways. We have to stop trying to change him. We have to try and teach our children that there is only one creator, and that religion is responsible for so many unnecessary wars. We can never get back to the Indian ways, and perhaps we wouldn't want to. But we have to pull ourselves back from the brink of oblivion and find a better way to live side by side. Learn to live without greed. A 32" Television or a new Mercedes car will not fulfil you. There is no learning in this. Have those things by all means, but do not be dependent on them to make you feel whole. There is only one way that you can fill up the hole in your heart, and the space where your soul waits. This is the way of giving. Give of yourself, Give to others, no matter how little or how much you have. Give your time. Give your smile. Give your caring.   By making a difference to others, you will make a difference to your own life. The good energy will spread. This will help to dissipate the poison that is dominating our world. Fight for your personal freedom. Have the courage to speak your truth. Live a life without fear, and help your children to this place of wisdom and courage.

 

Counter added 6.12.06