Differences between Indian beliefs and New Age

Originally Posted by Riboflavin

1) There are a very few justifiable reasons for killing, why would you think that i think otherwise?
2) It's not a contradiction. I'm only tolerant of peaceful religion, not violent religion or violence under the guise of religious sanctity.

Many tribes have both hunter and warrior societies. But I suspect these concepts of hunting and war are vastly different than those of the New Age Movement.

These are of the ways that we have known for tens of thousands of years.

Originally Posted by RiversLady

Here's some ancient knowledge as told by Pocarino for ya Wisa'ka:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPB45AUmchM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vUOg3Y7ve4

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.

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

2 Taboos. New Age has no taboos.

Oh, there's one i know of. The mind, thinking.
But that's not a taboo of the New Age.
That's a taboo of individuals within the New Age community.

Another issue NDNs have, concerns of non-NDN claims of channeling or having visits with our ancestors.

Now keep in mind I’m not doubting some of these people are experiencing something, or stating that channeling of this sort is not absolutely impossible as do some NDNs claim, but wonder why are our own ancestors are keeping us in the dark concerning their interactions with non-NDNs. Last spring a Lumbee friend of mine suggested that this is a subtle attempt at making non-NDNS think that NDNs are not worthy of our ancestors’ guidance and in that unworthiness our ancestors are excluding us in their association with non-NDNs

I’m still pondering that, but have not ruled it out as a possibility.

Whenever hearing or reading accounts of such channeling and ‘visits’ I’m puzzled by the names of these supposed ancestor spirits. Names like White Eagle, White Feather, white this and white that, or maybe even Silver Birch. For many of us ‘white’ does not always symbolize piousness or pureness. I have yet to hear or read accounts of channeled ancestors with names like Black Elk, Black Fish, Black Hawk, Black Hoof, Black Kettle, or Black Wolf, all real NDN names of both tribal and spiritual leaders that have been translated into English. Many NDNs do not necessarily think black bespeaks of evil.

Perhaps names like White Eagle appeals more to white seekers more so than Black Hoof, or Six Killer, or Stabber ?

Aside from names that never seem to be spoken or written in native language, I am also puzzled by the sketchy at best origins of these supposed ancestors. They are either referred to as ‘Native Americans’ or else coming from some large well known nation like the Lakota, Blackfoot or Cherokee with never any information pertaining to what sub-tribe, clan, or band they originated from.

NDNs know the origins of our own ancestors.

A Cheroenhaka I know suspects that such supposed messages and knowledge shared by these supposed ancient ancestors are of a nature which benefits non-NDN receivers and conveyors - Notability, book sales, paid admissions to weekend ceremonies, or else something of a greater agenda.

I’ve pondered that as well and feel this is a strong possibility.

The run down on White Feather


"White Feather as we know him, is not a Red-man. Who he truly is we do not know. We understand that he uses the astral form of a Native American, a former member of the Blackfoot tribe of Montana through whom he expresses himself. He tells us that by being able to leave an aspect of his consciousness in this body, he is able to connect with this world through mediumship, it being otherwise impossible due to the gulf in vibratory rates between the realm in which he resides and our earth.


He has operated through Robert Goodwin for nearly forty years and first made himself known in a small development circle run by Arthur Phelps, (himself a trance medium) at The Forward National Spiritualist Church, also known locally as Earlsbury Gardens, situated in Birchfields, Birmingham, UK.

His command of the medium, essential to enable the quality of communication necessary for the work to come, took many years of careful, painstaking development, which is still ongoing. The circle would meet every Friday in a small converted former air-raid shelter at the rear of church and after almost twelve months of sitting the guide announced himself one evening with a few stuttering words, spoken in almost broken English. Each week, virtually without exception he would address the gathering through Robert, gaining in his ability to use his instrument and offering deeper and more profound philosophy as the weeks and months passed. It was several years later, that Phelps suggested that Robert was ready to demonstrate in public.

White Feather is a teacher. He does not give evidential messages and he does not heal, except perhaps through his words. He has often said that he chose to confine his mastery of the medium to teaching because it offered him greater possibilities to impart truth to mankind.

Across the years he has addressed all sorts of people, from all avenues of life. He treats everyone the same - with deep respect, kindness and love. His only desire is to help his fellow man - something which he does in abundance and like all renowned spirit teachers, desires no reward other than to know that he has served the Great Spirit and allowed the truth to be revealed to those who seek it"

Robert Goodwin and 'Amanda', supposedly he and she channels this White Feather making a good living doing so -

I realize my words must be upsetting to those who've relied upon these non-NDNs who claim to be channeling our ancestors along with the plastic medicine people, both in my opinion and that of other NDNs tend to make a mockery of our spirituality all the while filling their coffers.

Sometimes by telling the truth one may experience the ire of others who are wrapped up in such falsehoods as well as those who are pushing those falsehoods.

[whitelight]

When you say "new age cocktail" I immediately thought of this "new religion" called Happy Science. It claims that all prophets were brought to Earth as a preview to the one prophet, this man who has invented the religion, who has written something like 900 books (? how that is even possible I don't know). I was in East Africa for some time and it was incredible the number of people listening to what this man had to say, but the reasons for it make some sense of it. For example they paid for everyone who wanted to to hop on a taxi and go to a grand stadium in a major city. Of course many people signed up because they'd never even been outside their rural village before. Sadly, Happy Science pried largely on young, impressionable minds.
I don't think these people are simple, I think the marketers behind New age religions are very, very intelligent. I thought of all this because I've heard the accusation that Native peoples are so secretive with their religions, and won't let other people be apart of its practice. If this is so I can understand why, it wouldn't take long for it to be appropriated by some other, and turned into something it's not. Thanks for your post, very enlightening

Originally Posted by whitelight

When you say "new age cocktail" I immediately thought of this "new religion" called Happy Science. It claims that all prophets were brought to Earth as a preview to the one prophet, this man who has invented the religion, who has written something like 900 books (? how that is even possible I don't know). I was in East Africa for some time and it was incredible the number of people listening to what this man had to say, but the reasons for it make some sense of it. For example they paid for everyone who wanted to to hop on a taxi and go to a grand stadium in a major city. Of course many people signed up because they'd never even been outside their rural village before. Sadly, Happy Science pried largely on young, impressionable minds.
I don't think these people are simple, I think the marketers behind New age religions are very, very intelligent. I thought of all this because I've heard the accusation that Native peoples are so secretive with their religions, and won't let other people be apart of its practice. If this is so I can understand why, it wouldn't take long for it to be appropriated by some other, and turned into something it's not. Thanks for your post, very enlightening

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 ?