Universal Great Spirit

week 42

Universal Great Spirit

Why is the great world spirit always referred to as a man? God is a Him. Allah is a Him. Jehovah.. Buddha... Grandfather Great Spirit is a Him. The male is the dominant fatherly spirit, whereas we refer to Mother Earth, Gaia and other nurturing spirits as She. Women have a duality, reflected in for example, Demeter - nurturing and mourning mother. Gives life and takes life in destruction whilst mourning the loss of her daughter Persphonie. It's an interesting way to look at things and it's deep rooted in most cultures, throughout recorded history. I don't know enough to really go in to it, it was a random thought, that found it's way through my fingers as I typed.

My mum gave me the book Black Elk speaks, which I thought was one of those automatic writing accounts from a Native American.  It wasn't. It's a book compiled by a journalist and published in 1932, who spoke with the holy man towards the end of his life. He recounts his memories as a young man living with his tribe, the changes with the forced locations to reservations and the brutal treatment given to them by the American government as their lands were stolen right from under them.  Mostly he talks about his journeying in to the spirit realms and how he became a great leader among his people.  It's not a how-to book, it's a biography, one which I highly recommend. You can read each chapter online via the First People website.

The True Peace
"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is known that true peace, which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men."

Black Elk - Oglala Sioux


Earth Prayer
Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice. You lived first, and you are older than all need, older than all prayer. All things belong to you -- the two-legged, the four-legged, the wings of the air, and all green things that live.

"You have set the powers of the four quarters of the earth to cross each other. You have made me cross the good road and road of difficulties, and where they cross, the place is holy. Day in, day out, forevermore, you are the life of things."

Hey! Lean to hear my feeble voice.
At the center of the sacred hoop
You have said that I should make the tree to bloom.
With tears running, O Great Spirit, my Grandfather,
With running eyes I must say
The tree has never bloomed
Here I stand, and the tree is withered.
Again, I recall the great vision you gave me.
It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives.
Nourish it then
That it may leaf
And bloom
And fill with singing birds!
Hear me, that the people may once again
Find the good road
And the shielding tree.

" I think I have told you, but if I have not, you must have understood, that a man who has a vision is not able to use the power of it until after he has performed the vision on earth for the people to see... It was even then only after the heyoka ceremony, in which I performed my dog vision, that I had the power to practice as a medicine man, curing sick people; and many I cured with the power that came through me. Of course it was not I who cured. It was the power from the outer world, and the visions and ceremonies had only made me like a hole through which the power could come to the two-leggeds. If I thought that I was doing it myself, the hole would close up and no power could come through. Then everything I could do would be foolish..."

Revealing this, they walk.
A sacred herb -- revealing it, they walk.
Revealing this, they walk.
The sacred life of bison -- revealing it, they walk.
Revealing this, they walk.
A sacred eagle feather -- revealing it, they walk.
Revealing this, they walk.
The eagle and the bison -- like relatives they walk.

"The Six Grandfathers have placed in this world many things, all of which should be happy. Every little thing is sent for something, and in that thing there should be happiness and the power to make happy. Like the grasses showing tender faces to each other, thus we should do, for this was the wish of the Grandfathers of the World."

Black Elk - Oglala Sioux

It would appear that there are many cultures who do believe in a great spirit, a creator, a Universal being that resides at the centre of the Universe and in our hearts and minds.  Isn't it strange that so many peoples, have the same idea? And that idea is personified in male human form. I wrote in one of my first blogs about the All. About our connection to the Universe and standing there and feeling it in the world around us.  Those are hard feelings to put in to words and I'm not sure I can succeed in doing so. Besides, those would be my feelings about my perception of the Universe. It's different for each person.  Instead, I shall leave you with some inspirational images.

Remember my Truth and Trust blog. Don't be one of those people who tell others their path is wrong.

We are only here for a blink of an eye. Live. Laugh. Love.