These are Native Earth Teachings, the Original Teachings of the Earth and Sky, of Mother Nature and Father Spirit. These are the Heart Wisdom teachings, known by Native people closely attuned to the Earth body and the Spirit Mind. These teachings are from the Spirit of Guidance for those who sincerely wish to be in the Heart of the Mother Love and who wish to be in harmony with the spiritual wholeness of Life. Those who have this sincere wish are the true Rainbow People and will be filled with the Love and Wisdom of the Great Spirit.
These Teachings carry forth an essential wisdom of the Native American Way of understanding Nature and living in harmony. Since there is now a revival of many Native American Tribal Traditions, each having their particular beliefs and rituals and particular Medicine Teachers to lead the way, these Native Earth Teachings should not be misconstrued as being of any particular tribal tradition. This is not an ethnology of any one tribal cosmology or ritualistic practices. Rather, these Teachings attempt to reveal the fundamental Native View and shamanic practices, which are as relevant today as in the past. If you wish to learn exact tribal customs, then you must ask a Tribal Medicine Teacher or ask to live with those people.
Those following the Way of the Earth respect and support the revival and strengthening of tribal traditions. Yet we do not believe any tradition is necessarily better or more correct than any other. Thus, we have no commitment to any authority. Real Truth can only finally be known by personal experience and intuition. We honor and respect the Ways of our Ancestors, and the traditional prayers, songs, rituals and sacred objects as passed down from generations. But we of the Rainbow Way must also honor our spiritual freedom and new visions which may come. We learn from the Past and grow into the Future. Our Way is to discover and practice the Essential Earth Wisdom, and to build a Rainbow Bridge from the traditions of the past into a new vision of the future. Though any New Ways should come from the inspiration of the One Great Spirit and should be in harmony with the Powers and Relations of Mother Earth.
Our Way is to return to the Mother-Love and Earth Wisdom, to better understand the Great Mystery of all Life. We seek to Walk the Good Path of Mother Earth Love and the secret Path of Freedom Sky. We seek to return to our Home-land, but we recognize our Home as the Whole Earth and as the essential Heart-Love within all peoples. We, the Rainbow People seek to love and respect all life, and bring Unity of Spirit on this One Great Land we live upon. We seek to follow the Way of Nature, the harmonious Path of Nature’s Way.
These Teachings have two aspects. One is to give you the Native View of spiritual life and an understanding of Earth Wisdom and its various powers. Second is to give you practices and meditations for attuning to energies and powers of the Earth and Sky, to the Four Elements and to Great Spirit. Listen with your heart to these words and meditate on them. Also try out the practices and the ways of viewing nature. It is said that all of life can be a prayer and meditation. So the first practice is to listen from within to these Teachings and hold a prayerful wish for deep understanding. If you want to really learn, then you must acquire the skill of silent listening and reflective consideration.
The Native Earth Teachings come from the One Great Spirit of Life, and can really only be known by direct experience, that is, by personal experience. All that can be said can only help lead you to your own personal experience of the Truth. The words may lead you, but you must find the Truth in your own Heart and by your own inherent intuition.
The Teachings give us practices, meditations and prayers, which can bring us into attunement with Nature and open us to spiritual understanding, but understanding can only come if you sincerely wish to know and seek to make these teachings meaningful in your life. The teachings will give you a fresh view about yourself and about life on earth, and this new view will open you up to greater spiritual awakening. Yet we must remember that occasional thinking about these teachings is not enough. We must put some of our energy and love into application, into practice. We must Do something and not merely think about it.
It is essential that one makes some effort in this Way, for otherwise, one’s conditioned habits of mind will overpower whatever is learned by the Teachings. The spiritual warrior must overcome the worst enemy, which is one’s own conditioning, laziness and avoidance of necessary self-work. These Native Spiritual Teachings are not merely a philosophy for intellectual consideration. They speak of a Way of Life, a Way of being spiritually enlightened right here on Earth, and a Way of Feeling and Knowing the complete Harmony of the Divine Nature.