I am interested in the Native American ways...

[Philomath777]

As the title says, I am interested in your ways. Mainly, in the sense of your spirituality... This is what is the most interesting thing to me, as this is my passion. I have been interested since I was a child...

I am thankful for anything... and if it is nothing instead, then I will accept and respect your decision.

Thank you for your time in even considering my proposal.

-P

[Thunder Bow]

There are many Tribes and many Spiritual Ways. Today, many of the ways are lumped under Hollywood definitions. Hollywood glorified and used Plains Indian Cultures to entertain us in old western movies. Of course there and many other Native Cultures than the Plains Indian. Research Native American History to learn about the other tribes.

New Age definitions of Native Spirituality follows the more typical Hollywood format. You may identify with a certain Tribe, or you may just like the fuzzy purple New Age dream catcher approach. The choice is yours.

If you like nature, that is OK too. Most original Tribal cultures were hunters and gathers. Thus they had a deep spiritual connection with the land and elements they got their direct survival from. We modern people lack that because we use Money. Thus we get what we need from a store.

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

By all means learn about many of the people.. And as Thunderbow has stated 'The Hollywood' image, is not a true representation and is largely incorrect anyway.. The US goverment manipulated history and rarely told the real truth.. For a start they made over 460 Treaties and broke every single one..

Get to know the real people and be prepared to listen and learn.. Take time yourself to connect to the earth.. There are or should I say 'were' over 600 different tribal groups, so you will have no shortage of choice..
It is a good thing that you ask and respect the answers...

For me, I was lucky enough to be able to travel and study such a vast subject, following a deep connection also since childhood..

These tribal groups, have been around for over 10,000 years... They truly were the First Nations.. Good luck with your quest...

[Philomath777]

I do not just like nature... and I do not simply love nature... I adore nature...

I used to go bare foot in the grass and when I found a bare spot, I would kneel down and grab some dirt and rub it through my hands... Then I would just stand on the dirt with my bare feet for sometime until I felt content... Now that I live in a city, as I walk I touch trees and bushes all the time... I will go out of my way to walk in an area with more nature in it, and soon I will be able to do this again as I made sure to pick a garden level apartment!!!

I would be interested in a Native American tribe that is the most related to nature... Do you happen to have a suggestion?

Also, do all of the Native American tribes happen to have anything that is common between them all?

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

I think they all connect to nature..
Even in a city, 'Touch the wind, let the Wind touch you.. In order to listen you need to be still.'.. Michael Looking Coyote..

[Philomath777]

Originally Posted by Star Wolf Medicine Woman

I think they all connect to nature..
Even in a city, 'Touch the wind, let the Wind touch you.. In order to listen you need to be still.'.. Michael Looking Coyote..

I love that!

Even so though... the wind in a city isn't the same as the wind in the country... Though, to some degree I can do this!

[Thunder Bow]

The thing North American Tribes have in common, are that they are hunters and gathers. The did not have any political and economic system that was subservient to a "Ruling Class" (kings, queens, and the like).

You seem to want to develop your current connection to nature, rather than developing a spiritual or psychological connection to Native American Peoples. Remember we Native Americans are Human too.

[Philomath777]

Originally Posted by Thunder Bow

The thing North American Tribes have in common, are that they are hunters and gathers. The did not have any political and economic system that was subservient to a "Ruling Class" (kings, queens, and the like).

You seem to want to develop your current connection to nature, rather than developing a spiritual or psychological connection to Native American Peoples. Remember we Native Americans are Human too.

To be fully honest, I thought that the connection to nature was the one and same as the connection to the Native American's spiritual and/or psychological...

If I am wrong, please let me know so I may understand better... and repent.

If they are different, then I would love nothing more than to learn how to develop a spiritual and/or psychological connection to the Native American peoples...

Yes... I do know that the Native Americans are human as well... You, though have some of the greatest culture I have ever learned and seen... well... what I have had the chance to learn by textbooks, museums, and lectures. For this alone, is the sole purpose of why I am wanting to get information directly from the source... To learn ALL of your culture...

[Thunder Bow]

Remember, as I said, Native Original cultures had a direct spiritual connection to their environment because they got every thing they needed from their immeadate environment. Thus the nature connection you speak of. This only natural.

In today times we are mostly just like you. Learning a culture is meaningless unless it ties directly into your every day life. One can gather all kinds of knowledge, but what good is it, if it has no meaning in your every day life.

Maybe you can tell us here, what is it about native cultures that means so much to you. How can you relate this to you personally? Do you feel and think like an "Indian" inside? Learning is not enough, you have to "Be".

[Philomath777]

Originally Posted by Thunder Bow

Remember, as I said, Native Original cultures had a direct spiritual connection to their environment because they got every thing they needed from their immeadate environment. Thus the nature connection you speak of. This only natural.

In today times we are mostly just like you. Learning a culture is meaningless unless it ties directly into your every day life. One can gather all kinds of knowledge, but what good is it, if it has no meaning in your every day life.

Maybe you can tell us here, what is it about native cultures that means so much to you. How can you relate this to you personally? Do you feel and think like an "Indian" inside? Learning is not enough, you have to "Be".

I have studied Shintoism, Confucianism, Druidism, Hinduism, Christianity, Catholicism, Agnostic point of views, Atheist point of views, Buddhism, Mysticism, and Taoism... Incorporating many beliefs into one... I have therefore made my own personal religion. I do not preach this religion. I am about to order everything... soon... Though, I suppose if someone was interested I would talk about it, I do not know as no one has been interested enough to ask... I have also incorporated science into this religion... Basically, I gather the knowledge and incorporate it into my life... As long as it fits within my own personal code of morality... I therefore wish to quote from Confucianism: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". I personally would not want someone to dig up my ancestors, or to sacrifice my loved ones to a deity.

Before I came over to Ireland, I went squirrel hunting. I thanked the squirrel for its sacrifice... allowing me to live another day. This is one example I have incorporated into my religion as I had heard Native Americans did this... Was it Native Americans who did this, or should I give credit to another culture group? If it was not Native Americans who did this, I will still keep this practice either way.

I also took a wilderness survival course... Learning how the earth can provide me with everything I need. I am confident enough to go naked into the wilderness and be able to live the life of a hunter/gatherer.

Only recently have I realized how alike I was with Native Americans (from what I have heard, due to the connectedness with nature). The only thing I am wishing for is a confirmation of this, and to also know if I have missed anything from the Native American culture, in which I can incorporate into my own.

If you remember me saying I would take dirt and rub it through my hands, so that I may become connected with it. The earth quite literally has nourished me... I also understand that this could mean by the ways of food (berries, nuts, animals), I fully encompassed this as I did this with the soil and rocks of the earth. Apparently, from what my parents told me was that when I was a child I used to eat rocks and soil. My body may be of the earth, which was from a sun, but I have chosen to incorporate it into my life even after my birth. I even had a dream that I was a wolf (had multiple wolf dreams in fact), and I took a bite of the earth (not the whole earth, I am no destroyer) and I spit it out. After this, I realized that I had gotten away from what I loved so much... I chose to study the earth after this and reconnect, as I now have an undergraduate degree in geology... I study everything actually... This is why I have chosen my name of Philomath (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philomath). Though, I have certain fields of study that are akin to me personally. I choose to study the earth, and I have also chosen to study humans... I am currently working on my higher diploma (another undergrad) in archeology, with the goal of obtaining my MA in this field, next year depending on my grades.

This is why I want to know about Native Americans a lot...