Differences between Indian beliefs and New Age

[Riboflavin]

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

Another big difference is our diets and views concerning hunting, fishing and gathering. Where many New Age Movement followers are Vegans and Vegetarians, or else would not hunt game animals, my family and friends, the American Indians known to me all either hunt, or at least are able to prepare bagged game and dress hides.

I’ve read a lot of New Age material concerning the evils of hunting and eating meat. I respect a person’s choice of diet, but feel somewhat insulted when our traditional ways are mentioned with such scorn to make Indians look like bad people because some of us have held on to our hunting, fishing and gathering skills. Practices to us that are very much entwined with our spirituality. There are certain rituals before the hunt. During the hunt, conditions are observed and after the kill apologies are made to the animal’s departing spirit all the while thanking both the mother and wild spirits of the hunt for providing and assisting. After a big hunt celebration abounds, often the hunt is re-lived through dance all the while more thanks are given. For eastern woodland Indians, hunting and fishing to us is just as spiritually important as our agriculture.

Most of the game animal is used. Meat is consumed on the spot and preserved as well. Hides are dressed, tanned, and made into traditional clothing or processed for other useful materials. We are thankful for all of it. Although I do not use that much bone, unless of course for a whistle, antler makes for fine knife and tool handles as well as carving material. We do not hunt just for the sake of killing and sport, or to have trophy animal heads hanging in our studies. Hunting, fishing and gathering is what we have known even before crossing onto the western hemisphere. A time long before some men told and wrote stories of a god who kicked people out of the garden. A garden that later those beholden to that god, decided they were going to kick us out of as well.

Some New Age people want to adopt certain aspects of Indian spirituality all the while denying or leaving out what’s most important which involves the hunt and all the spirits associated with such. Why break off a crystal from an ancient formation just because it’s pretty or can be sold without so much as a hint of spiritual preparation ? The same reason we do not just enter the forest, locate quarry, shoot it down without so much of a hint of spirituality.

It somewhat confuses me how people want all the sparkle and pretty of what they call ‘Native American Spirituality’ but can’t seem to accept the whole truth of it.

Western culture doesn't have a spirituality beyond christianity that we can call our own. Most of us grew up being fed countless half truths and fabrications. Which is why you might've noticed new agers don't have a very firm grasp on reality. Really, its all we can do to find what is useful and what we can relate to and move on from there. Your words hold a great deal of disapproval, and some anger. Well I cant really blame you. We do the best we can with what we have. Most white city people really can't relate to hunting. I know only a few people that do it regularly. I've known some soldiers too.. I've never hunted an animal, nor have I ever killed a man, but of those I have met that have, I would not call any of them remotely spiritual.

Who among those I have seen that would teach me about the hunt? The hunt that sustains the body, or the hunt that sustains the soul? Who among my society would teach me of a righteous external struggle, let alone the inner struggle? Who has given thanks for their bounty that I might know who/what to thank? My society has no parallel, and I've had no teacher. I've been, for the most part, forced to carve out my own way, with the limited knowledge I've learned by experience on my path, and seeking the deeper truth of it.

What I don't understand is why you expect people who can't relate to your culture and ways to understand and be able to place in context all of what your spirituality is. Most western white people were not raised the way you were, nor can we see all the things you see. Even the basic principles of logic by which you place this world in context are completely different to anything western white people grew up with, myself included.

For example, If we think of giving thanks for the food by saying grace, we are only thinking about thanking an abstract concept of god that we have something to eat. There is nothing about the food, or about the relationship we have with the food. It's not the same. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but in this case I will. You thank the food itself, the substance itself, the relationship you have with it, and the greater nature that allowed you to have it within that context. For you it is alive and you thank that life. For us it's just an inanimate object and the context of our "thanks" is purely the fact that we have food to eat vs not having food to eat.

Religions.

Marketers ? Then for some it's more of a business than spirituality No wonder I keep hearing about 'money energy'. The golden calf, eh ? Perhaps this is the reason NDNs are somewhat secretive when it comes to our beliefs.

I would have no problem sharing some knowledge with a sincere seeker, but not over the internet. What knowledge I have shared on such venues does not seem to be taken seriously, perhaps that’s the reason I’ve encountered little to no NDNs on New Age venues. If NDNs remain secretive about such knowledge, then what’s to keep the New Age marketers from fabricating their own version ?
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IMO not disseminating information because your afraid of a few opportunists is kind of a cop out. We live in a full spectrum world. There are places that are nearly heaven on this earth and there are places that are nearly hell, but there's always at least a few pigs everywhere you go.

[Thunder Bow]

I had my account activated and this is my 1st post.

In todays modern world we all make and spend money. If the people of a Native Tribe make and spend money, they are assimulated into the Modern World and have adapted their ways. Thus all of us here, are assimulated into the Modern World and Practice their ways. No matter what your Genetic Heritage happens to be.

All Spirituality paracticed today is influenced by our Modern Lifestyle, be it "New Age" or "Traditional".

No one living in North America gets their surviveal needs from their Direct immediate environment. If spending Money is involved, that means we get what we need from some place far away.

For one to have a close deep spiritual connection with the land (Their Immediate Environment) they must hunt and gather direclty from that eniviroment. All things one owns, eats, and use came directly from that environment.

In modern times even those who claim to hunt and gather from their imeadiate environmet, still buy their clothing, vehicles, bow, gun, knife, and other suplies from a "Store". If you spend Money You are indeed assumulated into the Modern World. Thus your Spirituality is indeed influenced by your Modern Life Style.

Thus secret ceremoneys, and the like are influenced by our Modern Life style, and are indeed part of our Modern World. WE lost our deep heart felt deep spiritual connection to the land and all there is, due to the Fact we make and spend Money!

Being aware of this fact is a step in the right direction, however we will not be able to duplicate exactly the Spiriuality our ancestors originaly had, and that is the way it should be. For each generation has their own hair!