GSM: The Gift of the Great Spirit

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Multitudinous treasures in nature are available

for humankind's respectful and loving use.

Gerlinde

 

 

 

" Everything on the earth has a purpose,

Every disease an herb to cure it

And every person a mission.

 

This is the Indian theory of existence. "

 

Mourning Dove, Salish

http://www.indigenouspeople.net/natlit3.htm

 

 

[shri Mataji Nirmala Devi shares with us all the precious knowledge that this

whole world is for our respectful, collective and loving use. This understanding

is beautifully acknowledged in all Native Traditions that always demonstrate an

inherent, deep respect for Mother Earth and Her healing treasures.]

 

 

" In the nature one goes absolutely thoughtless. For Me it is such a pleasure to

meet you all under the trees. There is a beautiful atmosphere created by these

trees. How much they work hard for us - think about that. All is built-in, in

them, built in to produce this chlorophyll, this greenery, and all that is built

in them. But see how collective they are. You have to learn a lot from them.

Every leaf is allowed to get the sun, every leaf. How they grow, how they are

organized, how they behave like this, nobody thinks even - and what is it

working out in them? They haven't got realization, but how do they work it out

in such a beautiful manner? Because they are under the complete control of the

Divine - absolutely, they don't have to worry. Even the animals are, that's why

they are called as Pashu, means they are under the complete Pash. Pash is the

complete control of the Divine and Shiva is called as Pashupati, He's the one

who looks after all this affectionately and in a very delicate manner. All this

is created for human beings. These human beings don't understand that all this

world, which is created, is for the use of human beings, not for abuse - but

use. " (Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Picnic at Richmond Park, 1995-06-25)

 

 

[The use of herbs as medicine is a tremendous gift from the Divine for the

collective use of all, as related in this Native Traditional story.]

 

 

" The Gift of the Great Spirit "

" Deep in the past, a hungry old man, covered with sores, came to a village. At

the longhouse of the Turtle Clan he asked for food and shelter, but the

matriarch was disgusted by the sight of him and told him to go away. Next he

went to the longhouse of the Beaver Clan but was turned away again. The Wolf,

Deer, Eel, Heron, and Hawk Clans also refused to help him.

Tired, the old man came to the last longhouse in the village, which belonged

to the Bear Clan. Here, the clan mother welcomed him and offered him food and a

bed. The next day the old man became ill, but he told the woman of a secret

plant which, if prepared in a special way, would cure him.

He got better, but over the next several weeks he became sick again and again,

each with a different illness. The woman gathered herbs and prepared them as he

instructed, and each time he got better. Then one day the old man changed into a

handsome warrior. He told the woman that he was the Great Spirit, and because

she had been kind to him he had taught her all the cures for sickness.

Since that day only the women and men who belong to the Bear Clan, which

became the Keeper of the Medicine, have known the cures for many illnesses. " [1]

 

 

" Natural medicines "

" Colonists learned that Native people knew a lot about the plants and other

natural materials in their territories. Many colonists were cured of illnesses

by Native medicines, and these remedies became well-known folk medicines

throughout the colonies. Native people used plants such as witch hazel, ginseng,

cranberry, goldenseal, and saw palmetto as medicines. Today, more than 170

medicines are made from plants that were used by Native people. "

 

" Native healers used herbs, fruits, leaves, roots, flowers and bark to make

medicines that relieved pain, helped heal wounds, or helped people recover from

fevers, stomach problems, and other illnesses. Certain medicines also helped

ease the minds of people who were anxious, upset or grieving. "

 

" Traditionally, Native people have thought of well-being as the combination of a

healthy body, mind, and spirit. They believe that illnesses are not always the

result of problems within the body.

For example, Native people believe that stress and other emotions can make

people sick or stop them from recovering. Traditional Native remedies for

diseases and other ailments are combinations of natural medicines and spiritual

treatments. Many ideas about health and wellness today are similar to those held

by Native people. These ideas are known as holistic medicine. Holistic medicine

focuses on healing the whole person, instead of just the sickness or

disease. " [2]

 

 

References:

[1]Bial,Raymond.The Iroquois.Benchmark Books, Marshall Cavendish Corporation.New

York,1999.ISBN 0-7614-0802-9 pp.83,84

 

[2]Walker,Niki/Kalman,Bobbie.Native North American wisdom and gifts.Crabtree

Publishing Company, New York, New York 10118,2006.ISBN 13:978-0-7787-0384-6(rlb)

pp.20,21