Differences between Indian beliefs and New Age

As far as I understand, New Age is to do with the New Age..Where as Native American Spirituality is based on the Old ways, I accept that much of new age has adopted aspects of the Old ways though.

Native American can find its roots even further back in time to Mesoamerican beliefs. Now then, Wisa'ka...Get a load of this.

Mesoamerican Petroglyph




Irish Petroglyph from Neolithic times.




The Spiral is I think possibly representative of the heavens.




Good stuff, thanks for sharing

Interesting Neville.

Now isn’t possible that people from two different hemispheres could make a similar image ?

Mississippian mound builder symbol -



An ancient Navajo whirling log symbol -



But are these pre-Columbian swastika-like symbols connected with a certain little German dictator who wanted an Aryan master race to rule the world, or whatever eastern hemisphere ancient culture he ripped this symbol off from ?

Similar symbols having wholly different symbolic meanings.

Now isn’t possible that people from two different hemispheres could make a similar image ?

most certainly.. because Spiral Petroglyphs occur in the Australia Outback The Scottish Highlands, Africa, Asia and indeed the two places I previously mentioned.

The Spiral was a very extensively used doodle, decorative design. This is how I came to suppose that the Spiral meant something quiet important to those peoples. And yet something deep down from within as well. As you said, You have doodled a spiral (I might add for no apparent reason to yourself at the time-) The shape itself seems embossed in our psyches.. No end of folk doodle a spiral... Maybe there is no why , we just do.

I don't want to de rail your inciteful thread here. but as you will have noted the Spiral crops up all over the place even today it is to be seen in many corporate logo's




The spiral has mutated a lot from its earliest representations.. But looking at us, or rather inside us, we have found.




and as I already mentioned about the galaxy above.. I cannot help at least tickling the possibility that there is something very fundamental about the spiral in all of us.

Unless as is also possible, I am stretching credulity a little too far .

I wonder if that Kennewick Man/guy introduced this spiral symbol while he was bestowing his superior knowledge to the extremely primitive ’Native American’ people ? Oh where would we be if it wasn’t for Mr. Kennewick, or Kenny as I like to call him ? LOL!

The Irish one looks like a coiled snake.

The Irish one looks like a coiled snake

The iconography of the snake/serpent is indeed a whole new and extensive subject deserving of it's own thread.

A little later than "Kenny" L'Anse aux Meadows Discovered in 1960, it is the only known site of a Norse or Viking village in Canada, and in North America outside of Greenland.

And thanks, I'm thinking this to be an insightful thread as well, Neville.

My Interest in Native American spirituality should on the face of it be possibly unexpected .

I am white British, born in these Islands and appearance wise akin to the Roman invaders having once had dark brown hair (Its grey now) and Brown Eyes, Medium thick brows and Italian features.

My Spiritual Path can be described as a bog standard Pagan, Hearkening toward the Irish , Welsh Celts with a little bit of Cornish lore . it follows then that ordinarily I should only have a passing interest in anything native American. aside from noting a few similarities in funerary rites and the carved decoration as already listed.

A few years back I had a spiritual crisis thanks to a fraudulent medium and decided to turn my back once and for all on spirituality of any kind.

However ,as you do , I gave it one last chance before leaving it for good.

I said . "OK .. Tell me who my Guide is now."(to my head)... The name that first popped into my head was George Running Bear.... I googled him, because if it was a made up name by my imagination, my faith was over.

I googled him and got confirmation that George Running Bear, Was The Grandson of Red Snake of the Iroquia Nation from Huron. Not very good confirmation for any one else. but for me.. I almost fell off my chair. So I have since took an interest in Native American Spirituality, and I am glad I did, The proof , if ever I needed it that I am indeed (as everyone and thing else )a part of the great Circle.

Too bad about your spiritual crisis, Neville. I know someone who got spanked by a fraud. The result was her family splitting up and other misfortunes.

I guess my thread would incite some, stir them enough to do a little research concerning the differences between new age and the spirituality of American Indian people so as to know there is no set 10 'Native American commandments or overall 'Native American' religion. Perhaps to some I'm being blasphemous, or distorting how they expect us to be, or even threatening one's sales pitch and play for power as they cherry pick bits and pieces of another's spirituality to be utilized in personal gain. Traditional spiritual leaders do not look at their spirituality as a business or a pathway to a 3 or 4 million dollar palace complete with a throne of antler and a bit of cosmetic surgery to boot, all the while having lots of money rolling in.

Can you imagine how those ancient people of Britain, or other parts of Europe felt when the Romans and later the Christians brought about change to their aboriginal culture and spirituality ?

Why wouldn't a lot of American Indians experience similar feelings ? In modern times at least we can speak of these concerns without the fear of being tortured to death, burned at the stake, or crucified. Of course when speaking of such concerns in these times, an American Indian may experience other types of resentment.

George Running Bear, interesting. Perhaps you have a link concerning this Wendat ?

Ahhh, ‘Running Bear’ the book by George B. McMullen about a Wendat’s(Huron's) capture and escape from the Haudenosaunee during the Beaver Wars. A friend of mine gave me a copy some years ago. I didn't think McMullen was Wendat. Isn't this book historic fiction ?



http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?category_id=668

In the book, Running Bear was the grandson of Red Snake, but I could be mistaken as it's been awhile since I read it.

Isn't this book historic fiction ?

Channeled apparently

In modern times at least we can speak of these concerns without the fear of being tortured to death, burned at the stake, or crucified.

And thankful I am for it, These forums would have a distinctly char grilled aroma about them were we back in the days of persecution and intolerance.

Can you imagine how those ancient people of Britain, or other parts of Europe felt when the Romans and later the Christians brought about change to their aboriginal culture and spirituality ?

Head spinning, Pagan to Pantheon to Christian and back to Pagan again , then Christian again. Here.s a bit of Audacity for you. A Neolithic Sacred site called a Henge at Knowlton and look what the Christians did