“The Old Cheyenne” by Edward Curtis
The energy in Nature is mysterious and profound. ITPI member Jerry Patchen shares his experiences with Native American stories, traditions, and the interconnectedness of all living things. |
I am enchanted by the words of Sri Aurobindo, "Apparent Nature is secret God." This quote was shared with me by Michael Murphy, the founder of Esalen, who resided at the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India for a year and a half in the early 1950s.
Native American Indians honor and respect the Mother Earth and all of Nature as their “Relations.” The Indians were free of the hubris of having dominion over all life. Indians insisted that we are not separate and apart from Nature. Pre-Darwinian Indians honored all Nature: birds, animals, flowers, plants, trees, air, fire, wind, and water as an inseparable part of us. Their cosmology transcended the belief that humans uniquely possess a Spirit or Soul. Indians believe that all life forms have a Spirit that ultimately transcends the Earth.
Traditional Native Americans took their cosmology a step further. Imagine a buffalo-hunting Indian Chief wearing his feather bonnet, riding his horse on the Great Plains while communicating with all birds, animals, flowers, plants, trees, air, fire, wind, water, earth, sky, moon, sun, and stars. Indians discovered our Spirit can communicate with the Spirit of all life. Indians grew up immersed in Nature communicating with the Spirits of birds, animals, and all life. When this life view is embraced, one learns to perceive a language beyond words that is just as real as the spoken word. The sounds, sites, movements, patterns, intuitions, and feelings that are communicated by birds, animals, plants, trees, and all life provide inspiration, direction, and omens that become important guideposts in our lives.
An old Arapaho Indian Chief who was roaming free on the Great Plains was removed from his homeland and confined to a Reservation in Oklahoma. The old Arapaho Chief commissioned his grandson, Lone Man, to watch a nesting Red Tailed Hawk for four months. Lone Man learned the meaning of all sounds, calls, whistles, cries, and screeches of the Red Hawk. If the Hawk turned its head a certain way, approached its nest from a certain direction, flew in a certain pattern, Lone Man understood the meaning. Lone Man merged with the Spirit of the Red Tailed Hawk. He used that gift in profound ways in healing ceremonies in the tipi.
As an attorney, on various occasions, I would arrive at an important decision on a legal case, yet doubts lingered in my mind if I had the correct strategy. I would drive on a busy freeway to the Courthouse ready to act on the decision. Then in the middle of a major city, I would suddenly observe a Red Tailed Hawk circling in the sky above me a few hundred feet. It was a good omen; a clear signal to proceed with my strategy. Seeing the Hawk boosted my confidence to proceed as planned. I knew my strategy would be correct and successful, and it reliably was. The Red Hawk blessed me.
Nature is a sacred mirror to our Soul. Ecstatic experiences occur in Nature. The morning sunrise, the full moon, the stars, rainbows, and butterflies create a profound connection with Nature and Love that is palatable. Being embraced by the sights and sounds of Nature can create an appreciation for those around us and all life. Nature fosters an astonishing mental clarity, powerful visions through our senses, and elevated awareness, including deep and meaningful self-examination with a sincere motivation for self-correction and improvement.
I heard Michael Murphy mention that the extraordinary capacity of an individual can affect the weather. I had an awe-inspiring experience with an old Pawnee Chief named “White Thunder.” We were sitting up in a tipi during an all-night ceremony. During the night, a staff was passed to the Pawnee Chief. He sang old sacred songs while a drum was beating. Suddenly, continuous lightning began to occur all around. There was constant thunder. It was not rolling thunder; it was continuous thunder and lightning. It was a very dark night, but suddenly the sky was as bright as the noonday sun. It was White Thunder. The Pawnee Chief sang two songs then stopped and spoke a few words. When he stopped singing and spoke, the lightning and thunder ceased. He began singing again and the constant thunder and lightning returned brightly lighting the sky. I was sitting next to the old Pawnee Chief. I was astounded. Witnessing this phenomenon, I understood the origin of the Pawnee Chief’s name, “White Thunder.” I looked at the old Pawnee Chief, and our eyes locked. I said, “Damn! That’s powerful.” With an austere gaze at me, he momentarily shook a gourd rattler in his hand. Simultaneously, there was a quick burst of thunder and lightning. I treasure the experience of being introduced to “White Thunder.”
We can experience the Mystery, yet we are confronted with a Great Mystery that our small minds can never grasp.