Native American/Indigenous Spirituality From The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

It has been a while since we posted anything from Native American/Indigenous Episcopalian priest The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston but his theology is never far from what this blog is about.

"The length of night is not measured by hours, but by the worry we carry with us into the darkness. For a burdened heart the minutes move more slowly than memory. The visual world recedes and we are left like watchmen to keep our lonely vigil high on the solemn walls of our fear. When you face a long night of your soul let go of time and kindle again the flame of hope entrusted to you by the Spirit. It never fails to burn bright. You are a keeper of that flame, a citizen of light only passing through the shadows on your way home.--1/6/23

"Please, Spirit, give me the energy I need to do what you would have me do. There are times when my intentions run ahead of my abilities. I bite off more than I can chew. I spread myself too thin. I become tired and things begin to slip. When that happens, I pray you will do a small intervention: breathe your strength and common sense into me and let me take up my mission with a renewed passion."---1/4/23

"Our song will go on, long after our voices are still. The sound of our joy will be carried on the wind, scattered through the forests, rising as high as the mountains, sparkling beneath the sun. Those of innocent heart and hopeful dreams will hear it. The poor and the lonely will hear it and find the promise they have been seeking. The faithful and the courageous will draw our sound in like a deep breath, so life-giving and eternal will be our song of praise."---1/3/23

Charlie Stephens: Giving Back Indigenous Land

My friend Charlie Stephens put together this important opinion piece about how they and their partner made the decision to turn over or return a parcel of land---36 acres---to tribes in the Sierra Foothills of California. The piece ran on the KQED radio station in San Francisco yesterday. You can hear and read the piece by going here or you can read it below. The questions of land and land ownership are basic to any people's freedom, but those questions do not stand alone in the cases of Indigenous peoples given the histories of settler violence, government control, and dishonesty that, when taken together, are genocidal. This powerful article should give readers pause to consider what we can all do and if we're brave enough to make the kinds of decision that Charlie and their partner did.

So much land was stolen from Indigenous peoples over much of American history that the debt can never be repaid. But Charlie Stephens decided he would do what he could to make amends.

In 2016 my partner and I bought 36 acres of off-the-grid land in an area of the Sierra Foothills covered with pine, madrone, cedar and oak. We were greeted by owls, bats, deer, bobcat, and hawks, and by clear night skies and air that smelled sweeter than what we breathed in our Berkeley neighborhood.

In 1862 under the Homestead Act, Indigenous land was parceled out and sold to white homesteaders for as little as $1.00, in exchange for agreeing to fence in the land and keep Indigenous people off it. About 270 million acres of land was stolen under this policy. Between 1906 and 1910 California’s Rancheria system provided land to Indigenous people not living on reservations but then just as quickly took it away (yet again) as Congress terminated this agreement in 1958. The Williamson Act of 1965—still in existence today—continues to perpetuate these issues.

This winter we will be giving these 36 acres back to the tribes for a symbolic $1. The land will be stewarded for conservation and cultural practices, bringing together elders and youth to harvest traditional plants for ceremonies, to care for the land with each other, and to have “back” what never should have been taken.

The tribal member we are working with said the last time someone offered to return land in this area was when he was three years old, and that it fell through at the last minute, echoing the historical failure of white promises.

Talking with him, I started to imagine the return of Indigenous land as a more common process, that here in California and beyond, donating land might outweigh amassing and protecting personal wealth. Soon this land we have loved will be back in the hands of the people who should have had it all along. I encourage others to consider doing the same even if it requires some financial discomfort or loss. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”

With a Perspective, I’m Charlie J. Stephens.

Charlie Stephens is a writer, educator and bookstore owner.

  

Native American and Indigenous wisdom

 

From The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston:

"Peace on Earth. Peace for every living thing. Peace among nations. Peace for our children. Peace in our future. Peace of heart and peace of mind. Peace to those I love and peace to those I find hard to love. Peace where there is conflict. Peace where there is hope. Peace as our vocation. Peace in all of our prayers. Peace on Earth."---Dec. 20

"Most of us have a miracle story we could share. It may not be as dramatic as parting the oceans, but it is a story we can tell because we were witnesses to the truth of it. One of my stories is actually not that unusual: a person diagnosed by medical science who suddenly and inexplicably made a recovery. I saw that happen more than once. Is it a miracle? Yes, I would say so, another small proof that there is more going on in life than we can understand much less control."---Dec. 19

"Like a silhouette against the sun I see you standing on the horizon, looking out into the shadowy expanse of time, arms outstretched as if in prayer or greeting. How long you have stood there I do not know, but I imagine it has been for a very long time, so deep is the desire of your heart, the longing for an answer to your appeal. Who are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? Only the Spirit knows. All I understand is that you will still be there when the moon reclaims the night, for I will be standing beside you."---Dec. 18

Native American and Indigenous Wisdom

 “Essence Of Life” by Mi’kmaq Artist Shianne Gould

Raymond Robinson of Cross Lake had been been fasting alongside Theresa Spence. He was 10 hours behind her without eating, during the January 11 march to Parliament Hill in 2013. I was Theresa's eagle staff carrier and made sure to walk alongside him and Jean, the other faster.

During a stop to allow those behind to catch up, Raymond crouched. Wincing, he said he wasn't feeling well. He got up and walked when the rally proceeded, but stopped again. He said he was light-headed and had a pain in his abdomen. Police asked if he wanted a ride back to camp but he said no.
He recovered a bit and marched on.

A block later, he stopped again. I thought for sure he wouldn't be able to go any further. The whole rally stopped, the organizer saying, “We won't leave a warrior behind.”

Then the organizer called for women drummers to come up. Within a minute we were encircled by these women, singing for Raymond. I stood behind him and a woman asked me to move. She had her hand extended toward him. “I'm praying for him”, she said. Another woman smudged him with sage.
The song stopped. Raymond got up for a second but bent back down. It wasn't looking good. Then he stood up again. He looked behind and put his arm in the air, acknowledging the crowd and telling them he was okay.

He never showed weakness again during the march and proceeded with the rally with more energy than ever, shouting "You can't stop me, Harper" and the like. He went on to deliver a speech at Parliament Hill. It was amazing to see that, the power of the women and the drums. I'll never forget it.
~Lenny Carpenter

Note: All of the above images come from the Standing Bear Network on Facebook. These images, and everything posted on this blog from Native American and Indigenous sources, are posted here because I regard them as necessary to healthy spiritual growth, political consciousness, and reparations. We can't go through our lives as healthy and whole people without the meaning of these images and theses words being central to our lives.

An Important Announcement...

Let's please change our way of thinking and talking. This comes from the Standing Bear Network.

At the request of many elders we will now refer to the unidentified Indigenous woman murdered by the serial killer in Winnipeg as ‘Buffalo Woman’ instead of unidentified woman. Until her name is found, we honour her, kitotimnaw (our relative).

Native American and Indigenous Wisdom

From Standing Bear Network:

Image by John Gonzalez 

You'd be surprised at how many times good men sit in their car, on the bed, in the bathroom, in the living room, and cry, because they're so stressed, or lost, or confused, or hurt, or ready to give up. But when these good men show their face again they look perfectly fine, unbothered and still manage to smile and go about there business like nothing happened.

Good men are some of the most resilient, overlooked, and underappreciated people, and they go through so much.

Can I speak to your spirit for a second? You are the glue that holds everything and everyone together. Your very presence is power. When you speak it resonates and yet your silence is deafening. In all that you go thru as you fight for not only who you are, but who you are striving to be, just know… I see you.

If you're a good man and you're reading this I just wanna say…

When you can't win the day, just keep winning the moment and keep going. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

~via Zach Trout, Nehiyawak



From Steven Charleston:

Some of us have winter souls. We go on the inward journey by an ancient instinct, seeking solitude when light and dark dance more closely than at any other time. There are secrets in the gray clouds and revelations in the cold wind. Hidden deep beneath the snow are memories, reminders of the long path that has brought us this far. Some of us have winter souls, drawn to deeper thoughts, sitting in a chair by the window, looking out at infinity above the bony-fingered trees.

From Steven Charleston

Helping me stay focused on my spiritual commitment is the thought that somewhere out there someone is waiting for me to act. Like a ripple effect, what I do now will impact others, until like dominoes falling each individual action will create a momentum. The momentum of justice, of healing, of reconciliation: somewhere in the world people are waiting for me to take one more step forward. The rest will be up to a plan far greater than I may ever understand.---December 7


If you do nothing more than be a kind and caring person, in my eyes you are a person worthy of acclaim. We should celebrate your accomplishment and honor your name. Most of us know the reason why. It is not easy to follow a spiritual path. It is not easy to live in an ethical and compassionate way. There are many sacrifices that are required. Many obstacles to be overcome. A holy life is an aware life, disciplined and intentional. So if you achieve that: I would say you are a great success.---December 6


Someone knows. Someone knows your story. Someone of absolute trustworthiness and unconditional love. When you are seeking support in your life turn to this source. Receive the presence of wisdom and of comfort. Feel a sense of renewal. You do not ever have to explain or justify yourself. Someone already knows and cares for you all the more.---December 5


Sometimes it is not the big things that get you as much as the little things. The seemingly endless conveyor belt of little issues, needs, problems and distractions that keep coming while you try to stay focused on the bigger needs of life. World peace gets swallowed up by the hot water heater breaking down. Environmental justice gets delayed while you cope with car trouble. It’s the little stuff that gets you. So here is a blessing for everyone trying to contend with the everyday headaches of life: may you be lifted out of your daily problems, until you can catch your breath, and see your way forward to calmer ground.---December 4

Think about it, smile about it, pray on it, pass it on or leave it on the shelf...

(Some of my friends will get this, some won't.)

 

Beauty before me, Beauty behind me...

 

"There is a spiritual skill that many of us will probably need in the days to come..."

"There is a spiritual skill that many of us will probably need in the days to come: the ability to maintain a sense of calm in times of trouble. While I cannot predict the future, common sense and the front page both tell me we have more economic and political white water to come. Therefore, I engage my focus on serenity now in order to be prepared. I intentionally sit still, breathe slowly, and look to the Spirit in meditation. I steady my soul. I become the calm I need."
---The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church

Hopeful Meditations From The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

I am taking many liberties here by lifting some meditations from The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston that can be found on the Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church Facebook page. I find hope here, and in most everything that Rev. Steven Charleston writes. I hope that you will find something here as well that will give you pause or move you. You will find additional meditations from Rev. Charleston if you follow the links provided, but I hope that you will like the Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church Facebook page and make it part of your daily check-in.

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon recently repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery, a major theological and democratic step forward. Please read about it here.

October 26: "I have been out walking with ghosts again, the shimmering images of my ancestors, always present, but barely visible, walking before me in the cool shadows of evening. I know better than to talk too much, for silence is the language of the sacred. Instead I listen, as any youngster should, to the wisdom of those who have seen more seasons than can be counted. I receive their thoughts like a benediction. I hold their vision in my mind like a familiar dream. Do not be afraid, they whisper, as we walk on to find the moon already waiting."

October 25: "Let the birds rise up from the wetlands, pin-wheeling through the salty sea air, sun sparkling on their wings. Let the herds walk majestically by, in long train arrayed, crossing the prairie with a dignity countless years old. Let the fish dart between the cold river rocks, silhouettes of life almost unseen, so suddenly do they turn in their weightless world. Let the human family proclaim, across the breadth of this spinning blue ball, calling out to their kin from every clan of sentient being: we see you, we need you, we honor you still."

October 24: "The door stands open. The sunlight beyond offers its invitation. The clear sky beckons. The path begins with your first step. As light as air. Unencumbered. Joyful. Come out into life with the wonder of a child. What seemed hidden is revealed. What once appeared overwhelming could now fit in the palm of your hand. You are free. Liberation is a gift of the sacred. The Spirit releases us from old constraints, old fears, and blesses us with a renewed sense of hopeful possibilities. The door stands open. Come out and be free once more."

October 23: "If I had to pick a word to describe the time in which we are living I would say: unsettling. Uncertain. Tense with expectation. Where are we going? What will happen next? We are not sure. I am not sure. Like you, I feel as if I am standing on sand. I am working hard to keep my balance. I am determined to hold on to my hope. I am confronting the unknown with something I consider to be a steady truth: human beings who care for one another are more grounded than those who do not. If there is a rock beneath the sand, it is mutual respect. Which leads to mutual learning and mutual cooperation. When we share those things, we can look uncertainty in the eye."

October 20: "I have come here today to do the manual labor of love. I have come to push back the rising mist of despair that seeks to enfold people before they realize it. Those deep shadows can roll forward when we least expect it, riding the winds of sorrow, swallowing up the light of hope. But not here. Not on my watch. I will not let them pass where I stand. I will reach out in the strength of my love to stop them. I will roll them back. I will let the light continue to shine wherever I am. I will do the labor of love for as long as it takes and for as many as I can."

An important reminder to non-Native parents before school starts

Taken from the Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church and Native Americans Facebook pages:

As summer comes to an end and the school year begins, if you have non-Native kids please take the time to help them understand that many Indigenous children wear their hair long and/or in braids.
Hair is sacred in many Indigenous cultures, our hair is a symbol of strength, wisdom, and identity. Some teach that your spirit lives at the base of your neck and spine which protects you. The longer the braid grows to the earth the more grounded you are.

 
#BackToSchool #LongHair #NativeCulture #IndigenousTradition

Pic: via Pete Cardenas

"Our tears and smiles reveal the hope hidden behind our daily life, the quiet need we never express."

"Prayers do not need special times or special words. Our prayers exist unspoken in the

 silent spaces between our actions. They are an expression of our ancient spiritual instinct,

 a reaching out into the other world for any help that may be there. Our heart speaks more

 eloquently than any mantra about the things we long for and wish could happen. Our tears and

 smiles reveal the hope hidden behind our daily life, the quiet need we never express. We are praying every day, whether we acknowledge it or not. And our prayers are being heard every day, whether we believe it or not."

--The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church

"Be at peace today. Even if it is one of your worst days: be at peace."

"Be at peace today. Even if it is one of your worst days: be at peace. What hurts us will one day cease. What worries us will be resolved. What we long for will be revealed. Even if we are engaged in a great struggle right now, we can be at peace in our mind and heart through the Spirit, for life is more than what limits us. There is an endless love surrounding us, broader and deeper than any ocean. There is beauty and hope and healing. There is change and there is renewal. Remember this promise in sunshine and in shadow. And be at peace. Be at peace today."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

"Your private hopes and dreams are not idle thoughts of no consequence, but elements of a sacred vision, a roadmap to a more loving future."

"Your private hopes and dreams are not idle thoughts of no consequence, but elements of a sacred vision, a roadmap to a more loving future. That is why they are important. They are the shape of things to come. They are an expression of the confidence you have both in yourself and in the power of the Spirit. Never underestimate what you see when you are looking through the eyes of faith. You may be seeing the first hint of a reality you are creating, a glimpse of your legacy to generations yet unborn."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

"Creation is alert to the power of the holy."

"Tonight the drums of the ancestors resound among the dark clouds. Shafts of brilliant light tear open the sky to let the rain pour in from heaven on high. Creation is alert to the power of the holy. Earth opens her arms to the falling rain. All creatures great and small listen to the passing of the storm. It is a sacred time, an invitation to humility. We are such small parts of the greater whole. We are small beings huddled together on a rainy night. We are part of a great pattern, an endless life, a sacred love, that floats across time and space, clouds like ships, sailing the storm-tossed sea."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

"Who knows the real you? Who knows your whole story?"

"Who knows the real you? Who knows your whole story? Most of us have people who are close to us, people we love and trust, who know a great deal about us. The majority of people, of course, know very little about us, even though they may think they do. But there is one person who knows the real story of our lives, who knows even our secret hopes and private fears. The Spirit knows each one of us. Personally. Deeply. And with a profound compassion."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

"We will help one another across the finish line of nightfall. And who gets access to this special kind of love? Everyone. Anyone."

"I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, except for one thing: I do know that whatever happens, all those under the umbrella of love will come through the day together. None will be left behind. None will be forgotten. All will be valued. We will help one another across the finish line of nightfall. And who gets access to this special kind of love? Everyone. Anyone. All we have to do is open our hearts to loving others as the Spirit loves us: without hesitation or qualification, an acceptance that sets our souls free for any tomorrow that may come."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

"Sometimes I think my spiritual outlook could be explained in two words: keep going."

"Sometimes I think my spiritual outlook could be explained in two words: keep going. It may seem like a bare and simple kind of philosophy but there is more than you might think. The foundation is a very fundamental truth: we cannot predict the future other than to say it is unpredictable. So my vision begins with “keep” going because it assumes we are already going, already deep in life and moving the best we can. Going is about knowing our direction, keeping our strength, and celebrating the challenge of the journey. Life will be what it is: keep going."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

"I am glad to report that I have been keeping a promise I made to myself many months ago."

"I am glad to report that I have been keeping a promise I made to myself many months ago. As things were starting to seem grim I told myself that no matter how rough things got, I would never forget to smile. Not that it would magically change things for the better. Not that I was trying to pretend otherwise. No, just a simple non-verbal message to the universe that life isn’t finished yet, that there are always reasons to be thankful, and that a brief blessing passed between friends and strangers can make a difference. Happy to say I am still smiling and being smiled at in return. A promise is being fulfilled."

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston