Differences between Indian beliefs and New Age

This was a very interesting topic! Enjoyed reading it.

What amazes me are the non-Indians, some of them living in distant lands who have embraced NDN spirituality while having little to no knowledge of us as a people. Hundreds of tribes, each having their own unique culture, history and language. Years ago at another site, I conversed with a young woman from the Netherlands who claimed an ancient Cherokee ‘shaman’ visited her while she was dreaming. She said he appears on a painted pony with a medicine shield and wears a war bonnet . For one thing the ancient Cherokee people did not have horses until the early to mid 18th century, nor did they carry medicine shields or wear war bonnets. Personally I think she either misinterpreted what she saw, or else was making this whole story up using the stereotypical images of American Indians known to her.

Ever since the first Europeans arrived there has been an effort to change the spiritual beliefs of native people. During the early days of conquest conversion was forced upon natives by their conquerors. They survived death by converting to Christianity. Children were sent to mission schools where their culture, spirituality and languages were eradicated. As for the more powerful steadfast tribes, Christian missionaries later applied more clever ways which included blending Christianity in with the natives ancient beliefs. Various tribes were told that their individual concepts of a creator spirit was one in the same with the Christian god, even going as far as making other spirits into either angels or demons. Many of the Haudenosaunee adopted the teachings of a Seneca prophet called Ganyodaiyo, or Handsome Lake who had blended Quaker beliefs into his people’s own sense of spirituality. Another such blending resulted in violence and more oppression. The Ghost Dance religion brought about by a Mormon influenced Paiute called Wovoka. This dance craze alarmed the United States government and brought terrible misfortune to the plains tribes, especially the Lakota prisoners held at Wounded Knee. This also prompted intelligence agencies of that time to research the various tribal spiritual beliefs of American Indians. After attaining only a smattering of knowledge concerning native spirituality, the United States government began banning native ceremonies and rituals, then came a renewed effort to get more American Indian children into government funded, Christian missionary staffed boarding schools where native culture and language was forbidden.

After five hundred years of this, some of us still remain, still retaining our ancient beliefs and still affirming our ancient cultures all the while still taking a stand against those who would take everything away from us.

Small wonder that American Indian activists see some of the New Age spiritual leaders as another assault upon native culture and a great disrespect to our spirituality. American Indian activist keep up with these New age leaders and as of late have contested their practices with success. One who some of us affectionately call ‘White Ego Woman’ more or less had her medicine show toned down quite a bit by AIM activist in Michigan a few years ago, even having her bird of prey feathers confiscated by the Department of Fish and Wildlife agents. Fearing legal problems with AIM, Suraj Holzwarth known as White Eagle Medicine Woman changed from traditional American Indian attire into another costume during her Michigan medicine show. She also had to stop using our traditional songs. With AIM members protesting Holzwarth and hipping potential attendees at the entrance of her ‘carnival grounds’, needless to say the turn out of paying customers was not what White Ego Woman expected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHtJYR-neIY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oIZf...feature=relmfu

Some of these New Age wannabee ‘Native American Shamans’ have moved their operations to Europe where they have attracted new flocks of followers far from tribal lawsuits and American Indian activists, duping many ‘earnest seekers’ of knowledge who have little understanding of real American Indians and their various cultures and beliefs.

No American Indian person in a good sense refers to women as 'squaws'

Perhaps after a better understanding can be established and these ‘Profit Prophets’ unmasked for what they are, then ‘earnest seekers’ can sit and make talk with us in a better way.

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

What amazes me are the non-Indians, some of them living in distant lands who have embraced NDN spirituality while having little to no knowledge of us as a people. Hundreds of tribes, each having their own unique culture, history and language. Years ago at another site, I conversed with a young woman from the Netherlands who claimed an ancient Cherokee ‘shaman’ visited her while she was dreaming. She said he appears on a painted pony with a medicine shield and wears a war bonnet . For one thing the ancient Cherokee people did not have horses until the early to mid 18th century, nor did they carry medicine shields or wear war bonnets. Personally I think she either misinterpreted what she saw, or else was making this whole story up using the stereotypical images of American Indians known to her.

This cracks me up. My wife and I were discussing this very same thing, sharing from our recent history lessons. In our history class the professor was sharing exactly what you had said, the natives did not have horses and not even the wheel until the mid 18 th century.

I do not consider natives to be Neanderthals or primitive people, much as evolutionist have depicted our ancient ancestors. It is almost entertaining to consider the lengths evolutionary scientists go to prove the existence of prehistoric cavemen. Darwin believed that the “the Negro” and other natives, primarily from Australia, are more of a sub-species, somewhere between Caucasians and apes. And “civilized” races would one day exterminate the “savage." Much to what you have shared half breeds were to be taken from their mothers and raised by the church so that they could be westernized, married to white citizens, and "Breed the black or savage out of them." Native Indians are not alone in sharing this history.

Small wonder that American Indian activists see some of the New Age spiritual leaders as another assault upon native culture and a great disrespect to our spirituality.

As a Christian I think the same way in regards to New Agers. It is a dishonest approach, picking and choosing to what caters to one's self. If a person does not like a certain teaching or it does not correspond to how they want to live their lives, they reject it or twist it in order to accommodate their own system of beliefs. I consider them a mongrel sort of people having no understanding for the purity of faith. I am going to send you a link Wisa'ka, no I will post it here, this is my personal website, and I compiled a thread on The New Age Movement that speaks from a Christian perspective. Perhaps you may find some resourceful information in helping you understand the NAM better.

Originally Posted by TeeHee

This cracks me up. My wife and I were discussing this very same thing, sharing from our recent history lessons. In our history class the professor was sharing exactly what you had said, the natives did not have horses and not even the wheel until the mid 18 th century.

Southwestern people such as the Apache began acquiring horses in the 17th century. Eastern woodland tribes like the Cherokee acquired a few horses, but theirs was not the horse culture of the plains Indians.

However with many of the tribes, horse stealing was an honored practice.

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

Southwestern people such as the Apache began acquiring horses in the 17th century. Eastern woodland tribes like the Cherokee acquired a few horses, but theirs was not the horse culture of the plains Indians.

However with many of the tribes, horse stealing was an honored practice.

Good to know, thank you Wisa'ka for the additional history lesson.

Originally Posted by TeeHee

Good to know, thank you Wisa'ka for the additional history lesson.

No problem.

Seeing no other American Indians here of similar convictions, I hope to begin establishing an understanding. I do not expect my words to be accepted in the same manner by everyone, nor can I tell snakes to become hummingbirds, or hummingbirds to become slugs. I only wish to present perspectives that will transcend the stereotypical manner of how American Indians are viewed.

But back to the topic, from personal experience and that of other American Indians I know, there are big differences between our beliefs and that of the New Age leaders mentioned. I say to the others who have been duped by these individuals -

Come and get to know us a little better.

Originally Posted by Neville

I should ideally say something in defence of the "New Age" type of whatever it is.

I feel sure that like many a barrel of Apples there will be the bad one here and there. A Lot of what comes under the umbrella title of New Age is in fact borrowed or adopted from the Old Age way of doing things.

New Age comes in for a lot of criticism when a lot of it, Gaia worship , Crystal Healing and many things that might be considered new agey have been around since Neolithic Pagan times.

I would just like to clarify the term New Age. It is not really about new knowledge.. much of it IS indeed ancient wisdom! The term refers specifically to very ancient and long term astrological cycles in earth and humanity's spiritual development. We were in the Picean age and then entered the Aquarian age. The two have very different focuses. The term "New Age" referred to the entrance into the Aquarian Age, symbolized by the woman pouring water (spirit or enlightenment) down into the earth. It is meant to symbolize the feminine part of each soul (in men and women alike!) accessing spirit through the feeling aspect of the heart and bathing the earth in it, as in the old saying "as above, so below". Unfortunately the term began to represent those whom I refer to as "meta-physlers"... moving from one shallow glance at any given discipline to the next before fully absorbing it!... and therefor took on a pejorartice tone never intended in the original term.

Since there are those who seem to know about the Cherokee, here is one fanciful depiction of a Cherokee -



This is more how a Cherokee would look at the time that tribe began to acquire horses and firearms -

Originally Posted by LightFilledHeart

I would just like to clarify the term New Age. It is not really about new knowledge.. much of it IS indeed ancient wisdom! The term refers specifically to very ancient and long term astrological cycles in earth and humanity's spiritual development. We were in the Picean age and then entered the Aquarian age. The two have very different focuses. The term "New Age" referred to the entrance into the Aquarian Age, symbolized by the woman pouring water (spirit or enlightenment) down into the earth. It is meant to symbolize the feminine part of each soul (in men and women alike!) accessing spirit through the feeling aspect of the heart and bathing the earth in it, as in the old saying "as above, so below". Unfortunately the term began to represent those whom I refer to as "meta-physlers"... moving from one shallow glance at any given discipline to the next before fully absorbing it!... and therefor took on a pejorartice tone never intended in the original term.

Then perhaps those who are interested in ancient wisdom should not rely on the teachings of leaders who misrepresent American Indian culture and spirituality. No matter how flowery the presentation.

Male and female, the grandmother and grandfather. A balance.

[Riboflavin]

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

Indian beliefs
1 Pluralism. Indian beliefs are generally pluralistic, meaning that your beliefs are right for you, and our beliefs are right for us. There's a caveat, however: The religion that is "right" for you is determined by your nationality. I know little about Hopi beliefs, for example.

2 Taboos. New Age has no taboos.

http://www.bigorrin.org/archive25.htm

1) Well at least your beliefs dont call for you to kill or try to convert us. The idea that we can live together and respect each others beliefs is at the heart of new age.
2) While new age doesn't have a list of taboos, thats mostly because committing taboos is so unthinkable nobody has even thought to try to make a list. Anything that falls under the definition of harming others is basically taboo.