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Sweet Grass
SWEETGRASS
The elders tell us that it takes longer for us to heal today and the reason is because the old trails our ancestors used to use to find us have been destroyed. by colonialism, assimilation, manifest destiny, and ethnic cleansing, towns and cities where the old trails used to be...so now our ancestors are having a hard time finding us to help us heal.
So we must burn sweetgrass~
a kindness medicine...with a sweet gentle aroma when we light it
21 strands to make a braid..the first 7 strands represent those 7 generations behind us~
Our parents
Our grandparents
7 generations behind us~who we are and what we are is because of them~they've brushed and made the trails we have been walking up til now...the trails have been destroyed.
The time has come to heal and connect with our ancestors. They paid a tremendous price for us to be able to speak out against injustices, we do not have the right to remain quiet.
The next 7 represent the 7 sacred teachings...
Love, Respect, Honesty, Courage, Wisdom, Truth and Humility
The elders tell us how simple, powerful and beautiful the teaching are
Love: unconditional affection with no limits or conditions that starts with loving yourself.
Respect: due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights or traditions of other, with consideration, thoughtfulness, attentiveness, politeness, courtesy, civility, deference.
Humility freedom from pride or arrogance, being humble, when we truly understand the teaching of humility, that we are not any better then anyone else and you are not any better then me. that at the end of the day we are simply human beings, this is what makes this teaching powerful and beautiful.
Courage:bravery, permitting one to face extreme dangers with boldness withstanding danger, fear or difficulty
Wisdom:the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment the quality of being wise.
Truth: the face of the matter, veracity, sincere, candor and genuineness
a determined in principle entirely by how it relates to things
Honestly:have a character of integrity, and honor be free from fraud or deception, legitimate truthful.
The last 7 strands are those of the 7 generations in front of us~
Our children
Our grandchildren
as well as those children yet to be born
It is important because everything we do to Mother earth will one day effect them... We have lost our way, everything we do to Mother Earth gives us everything we need to heal ourselves and the earth. We must go back to our roots and bloom.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children"
These teachings need to first start from within ourselves, respecting ourselves, they tell us that the teachings need to first start from the inside.
So on the morning you /we burn Sweetgrass, we can get a white or yellow cloth (1 meter) with Tobacco: hang it on a tree facing the east direction.
This should be done in the morning and not at night.
Lest us never forget we are the whispered prayer our ancestors prayed.
They are waiting for us
A'ho
Reprinted with permission from Vatowood
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