Is Forgiveness Possible?

A well meaning student sent this to me and I have decided to share it with you in the hopes of a better understanding.

Student: There were many injustices done to Native people. Sometimes I wonder, why am I connected to the past injustices done to Indian people? Why am I so angry about the past? The Elders say our ancestors are alive within each of us. Therefore, I may experience anger and resentment inside of me because of the injustice done to them. The way I get rid of these past feelings is to forgive. It may be necessary to even learn to forgive the unforgivable.

Great Spirit, teach me the path of forgiveness; teach me the courage to forgive; teach me to let go. Give to me a forgiving heart.

Redhawk: Oki, I would agree that forgiveness is the answer however to simply forgive for the sake of going through the motion is senseless. In order for an entity to be fully capable of being forgiven there must be activity on the part of that entity displaying moral, intellectual and spiritual advancement regarding their understanding of the impact of the forgiveness. In other words that entity must first acknowledge the activity that need's forgiveness and then undertake positive corrective action that would earn that entity forgiveness.

In my humble opinion the invaders of this continent are at the same place now that they were at when they were outwardly stealing our land, raping and killing our women and children and committing the genocide of our race. I further maintain that this activity is still rampant with the full intent of absorbing what is left of us into a homogenous hodgepodge of diluted blood to the extent of making us unrecognizable as a race. Now it is being done covertly rather than overtly, but make no mistake about the intent which is still the same.

Therefore how is it possible to forgive and have that forgiveness stand for something that will help heal the wounds?

Then there is the concept of forgiveness and how it affects the SELF and him that needs forgiveness at least as the Self conceives the need. First and foremost is the necessity of the SELF to learn what forgiveness is and why it should be brought into being. How will forgiveness affect the Karma of the self as well as how will it affect Him that the SELF perceives as needing forgiveness. If the process is done through the awareness of only the SELF then forgiveness will affect only the SELF with no visible affect on the perpetrator. I say visible, because all thought has form and any thought directed at another will affect that other – it’s just that they will usually not know why the energy and therefore not relate it to what they did that needs to be forgiven. Therefore no lesson learned in the awareness of the other.

Consider if you will an excerpt from Thoreau’s book Walden in which he comments on the vagaries of the prospect of forgiveness:

"There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted. It is human, it is divine, carrion. If I knew for a certainty that a man was coming to my house with a conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life ... No, in this case, I would rather suffer evil the natural way. A man is not a good man to me because he will feed me if I should be starving, or warm me if I should be freezing, or pull me out of a ditch if I should ever fall into one. I can find you a Newfoundland dog that will do as much. Philanthropy is not love for one's fellow-man in the broadest sense ... I never heard of a philanthropic meeting in which it was sincerely proposed to do any good to me, or the likes of me.

The Jesuits were quite balked by those Indians who, being burned at the stake, suggested new modes of torture to their tormentors. Being superior to physical suffering, it sometimes chanced that they were superior to any consolation which the missionaries could offer, and the law to do as you would be done by fell with less persuasiveness on the ears of those who, for their part, did not care how they were done by, who loved their enemies after a new fashion, and came very near freely forgiving them all they did.

Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them..."

As an observation made of these comments by Rupert Read, Manchester Metropolitan University!

What is it, almost to forgive? Is it to partially forgive? Well, we must surely understand what forgiveness simpliciter is first, before we may be able to understand what coming 'close' to or 'part-way' to may consist in. This is, I think, an important point, which will recur in our subsequent discussions.

But before we turn to the broad questions about forgiveness which will partly occupy those discussions, let us tarry a moment over the details of this striking excerpt from Thoreau. It does not, perhaps, wear its heart quite on its sleeve.

Two descriptors which I think apply to much of the above passage are "hyperbolic" and "ironical". Thoreau's dismissive and hyper-critical tone in dealing with 'the philanthropist' is, we are sure, exaggerated for effect. He has strong substantive points to make elsewhere in 'Walden' and elsewhere about (e.g.) the hypocrisy of the slave-owning charitable man; but we of course do not take literally the remarks above about running for one's life, or about the Newfoundland dog.

In the crucial paragraph specifically on the Jesuits and the Native Americans, the operative mode is more one of irony and satire - a satire on the clichés of Christianity, thus displaying the hypocrisy and (if you like) cultural- relativity of those clichés and of the values they are supposed to be connected with. The lovely invocation of the superiority of the tortured even to the supposed consolation offered them by the Jesuits - one cannot help but think here of a superiority of 'strength' and mind which itself implies a moral superiority - leads into an invitation to re-value the values of missionary and 'savage'. If we are to speak of forgiveness, Thoreau is perhaps saying, we might as well speak of it as involved in the lives of those to whom it can seem desperately alien - our ready-to-hand examples of it are liable to be comparatively unsatisfying, even hypocritical. (The irony, then, is in part that it nevertheless seems clear that we are probably not describing the Native Americans’ world-view aright if we describe it through a generally Judeo-Christian frame). We ought to think carefully, perhaps, before we claim ever to be forgiving, or even to see forgiving. "Forgiveness", like "neighborliness" and various other neighboring concepts, is a word which has become dangerously de-valued. One ought to take the remarks quoted above on the Jesuits and the Indians literally - at least in the sense that their power is such that we must take then deadly seriously.

My question is “is true forgiveness even possible?” To look at this more closely let’s look at what may be unforgiveable. One example may be Thoreau’s; how could one possibly forgive one’s own torturers? Well, what could be less forgivable than betrayal and mentally-torturing maliciousness? How does one overcome false accusation’s coming from anyone to say nothing about coming from one’s own family or intimate relations, past or present! I maintain that not much could be done to assuage the pain and loss of reputation that would be very hard to overcome! As long as there is any residue of pain, forgiveness is not complete or even possible. However if one can realistically forgive and have the pain completely gone then yes, it is possible. How many of us can accomplish such a concept? There is always pain connected to the energy surrounding the incident.

What then can we do to rid ourselves of the pain if forgiveness will not wipe it from our experience? Is it possible for the pain to completely leave the physical / mental entity upon which devastation was inflicted? I say then that acceptance of your pain as a process of living and giving yourself long periods of time will serve to greatly diminish the pain. To completely rid oneself of the pain could take many lifetimes of constant awareness and a knowledge that as each day goes by you separate yourself a little more from that which caused you such pain. New experiences and acquaintances will serve to teach that to hurt one another is unfortunately a natural process of humanity and to understand that is to greatly diminish the feeling of pain and suffering that one must endure as they process their own lessons, one by one.

The 'additional factor' is the will of the person in a position to forgive; their will must be a good will, and they must be ready not to think ill any more of the offender they are forgiving. That is the 'authenticity' required to validate forgiveness. Well, indeed, quite probably so; but does this enable us to understand how a particular act that was wrong and has been conceded to be wrong can be removed of its 'sting', of its harmful attachment to the committer of the act? That is to say: having a good and no-longer-angry will seems to be reasonably called a precondition for forgiveness, but does its mention manage to explicate or paraphrase or yield comprehension of it?

Ney, I say to the process of forgiveness! It takes much too much energy to process and all the while in the process of it you are experiencing the same pain as if it happened yesterday, much like a hypochondriac keeps themselves ill while trying their darnedest to find a miracle cure but not really convinced toward their own success lest they now have to lead a very different life without the pity and attentions gained by their fake posits! Instead much better spent the time of positive forward looking endeavors of staying happy by processing each moment as if it were the last you were to ever experience. Letting go of the desire to forgive or of being forgiven and instead living in the moment, walking a higher road than you did yesterday and realizing each new experience is the gift of life in its purest sense. We spend way too much time in the past so that what is in the future or right before us slips away into the past without notice.

To be happy is not to interfere with other process’s as they are the lessons of life for that person who by doing an unforgivable act is actually teaching themselves what not to do in the future if they are to progress up the Ladder of Ascension! Consider the possibilities of damage that forgiveness may cause in limiting the lessons for that being by confusing a plainly given lesson! If someone asks for forgiveness from you then you must consider all the ramifications of your decision before you give forgiveness. If each of you will completely heal by the forgiveness by all means it is incumbent upon you to do so, if not then hold until such time as needed to gain complete painless experience of each other.
Spend your time in smiles, not in the frowns of contemplative rehashing of what has come and is now gone but for your constantly giving old pain new life…….

In closing I offer this First American prayer for your interest: "As quietly as little rabbit's feet --- the morning-glory sun arrives to greet --- the Red Man as he worships in his way --- For this he asks the Spirit every day. Before I judge my friend, O let me wear his moccasins for two long weeks, and share the path that he would take in wearing them; then I shall understand and not condemn."


Just my opinion.... Redhawk

Is it possible I could join a Native American organization?

Oki Everyone:

I was raking my pea sized brain for something meaningful to post on the Blog when someone emailed me with this inquiry. As I was replying it occurred to me that this is a great source of interest to a lot of folks who simply do not know what to do about their natural need to know more about First American culture and what they might do as individuals to help correct the incredible wrongs being done to them by the white culture.

It has also occurred to me that many uneducated non- native people now think they have no further responsibility to the native community because all Native people are rich due to the fantastic riches provided by the gambling casinos! I am here to say this. These casinos by and large are being run by what we native people call Red Apples. Red on the outside, white on the inside. They are anything but traditionals and you by now know a traditionals opinion of a nontraditional First American.

These casinos are benefiting but a very few people and the rest of us are not or will not glean any benefit from ill gotten gains from a Non – Native community activity. In addition these casinos are only located in a select few locations and most of the native people live far away in areas that barely support the local wildlife to say nothing of supporting a large enough community of people to benefit a casino. On top of that in states like Montana , gambling is legal so there are as many corner gambling parlors as there are corner convenience stores making it all but impossible for a casino to survive.


So on to the question posted by this interested person:

“Hi, I am not a Native American but have always been interested and respected your ways as Native Americans. I was born & raised In London, England but my Parent's are Irish. I’ve been in the United States now for just over 5 years. Is it possible I could join some kind of Native American organization? I love the way you people are so wise and your prayers and the respect for the earth and people and Animals are wonderful. I would be honored if I could become part of your Native American ways. Thank you.”


Oki - First I must welcome you to the US. We hope that you bring more happiness than you seek.


In the First American world there is no "organization" other than possibly AIM that you could join. AIM "American Indian Movement" is a semi radical organization that after the incident at Wounded Knee has had their guts torn from them by the US government and now is simply ineffective as any kind of source for change in the US.


If you find any organization that claims its purpose is Native based you can bet that if you look at the originators, you will find a non native person at its inception. So much for any validity!


First Americans are a very reserved group of people by and large and do not organize for the benefit of non natives. This is not to say however that if you approach your cause in a correct way to the native people that they will not let you in. But it's a show me what you can do society where you have to prove yourself to them with not only right intent but also right action. There is no way to do that but to move close to them, become involved in their daily life and in some way provide a better way of life for them than what you found them in.


This does not mean learning and performing their rituals which any Tom - Dick - or Harry can do but it does mean, helping them in their daily fight for survival in some way. Do for them what you do for your own family and you will have instant friends for life. Otherwise you’re just another white man to them wanting to steal their culture.



Aho - Two Feathers

To Be or Not to Be First American

To Be or Not to Be First American
All through my life I have found myself caught in the conundrum facing both First Americans and folks of foreign nationality concerning blood quantum and its relationship to the right to claim membership in the First American community.

We get from the Native community opinions ranging from a complete welcome into our world for anyone who shows an interest to Keep Out signs from others who scream "if you’re not Full Blood you’re not First American."

While I understand the mindset of a person who makes such a claim, I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can do so and also lay claim to their place in the Native Community in any kind of traditional manner! Again one must understand that I respect and recognize traditional people, and I would even say that if you’re not a traditional Native American you need resign your membership in your tribe and apply for membership in the white community which is where you belong.

Why do I say that? Because in the world that I belong to living traditionally is the correct way to live given that it has been the way of our people for thousands of years, and having supported us for so long a time as human beings coexisting within our environment without destroying it ever, is the correct way to live. Especially given the fact that in the white man’s world where one lives out of harmony with life, the environment responds in a very negative way to a very selfish and mindless grabbing of anything not tied down.

While it is true that First Americans are among those who are the keepers of a wisdom that most of Western so-called civilization has forgotten or chosen to disregard, being a wisdom keeper does not mean clutching the treasure to your breast muttering white man style, "mine, mine, mine!" It means that we have been put in a position to give! That according to the laws of Creator, we are in fact under an obligation to share!

What I am driving towards is that to live in a traditional manner is to live in a very spiritual manner – you simply cannot have one without the other. When I talk spiritual I am not talking religious which is a very different thing. Religions follow the doctrines and dictates and interpretations of other men who claim to have an in with Creator that none of the rest of us have and a belief that without those others to interpret the Word of God we would be forced into paganism and live without proper guidance. This specifies that there is a common understanding among all people who follow a religious life that most of us do not have the capability to think for ourselves and need to follow the Ego driven dictates of another human being who is susceptible to the same stupidity that the rest of us are.

I’m sorry, but that kind of life is for those who are simply too lazy to get off their suffocating mindsets and do their own work on themselves. It leaves them open to suffering the same fates as their parents and grandparents into oblivion. It is a sorry state of affairs to look at where we are now as a society and be presented with the sudden realization that we haven’t improved the way we interact as a society for thousands of years. We are still dealing with the strong beating up the weak, global conflict and hate for us emanating from our children.

If you are a Spiritual person you have a better understanding of your responsibility to yourself to live a very different life than those who allow others to tell them how to think. You understand that your place in the world is dictated by how you interact with others – with life and all its inhabitants. You understand the consequences of the lesson of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"! The ethic of reciprocity or "The Golden Rule" is a fundamental moral principle which simply means "treat others as you would like to be treated." It is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights.

Once you follow this principle as a spiritual person you understand there is no difference between you and say a white person or a black person or yellow or any color. You understand that we are all in this together to help each other as best we can and to try to make life a bit easier for others! You understand that the lessons given to us by Creator are not something to be owned by any one ethnic community to be summarily doled out at the behest of any single entity but that they are to be shared equally so that we all have equal opportunities to progress and develop with the help of our social partners.

If you understand this principle of sharing and how Creator defines its use, not your brother or mother or tribal chief, you understand that you cannot be the wall that blocks another from finding how beautiful life is in all its simplicity! You understand the value of sharing your sweat lodge with another or the beautiful experience of the Pipe as you give thanks to Creator for all the friends you have and all the wonderful experiences you have that you want for your bother or sisters no matter their color.

As do all of us, I have a very special spiritual mentor who said a long time ago – "We are all in this together. We all have a common goal and that is to find our way back to the Light of Creation. Until we all get there – none of us can." That means we must share and help each other no matter what our walk in life is. It does not mean that any one of us get to pick and choose who we allow in.

It is worth remembering that in many Native traditions, be they First American or Aboriginal Australian or Greenland Inuit or whatever, peoples all over the world have called themselves by names that would translate into simply The Human Beings or The Real Human Beings. What this tells us is that the real issue here is not about being a First American but simply whether you are a Real Human Being or not, irregardless of blood quantum or skin color or place of birth!

Two Feathers

Discussion

Most assuredly this Blog is for discussion!

Becoming Aware

Oki Niksokowa – (All my relatives)

Welcome to this blog of a traditional Native American.

I have created this blog with the sole purpose of dispelling the ignorance of EGO in our world! I know even though my intent is pure and directed towards finding the Truth in life, that even these comments are generated via the EGO of the self. Given that knowledge I will attempt to keep personal opinion at bay and try to convey Truth as Creator directs it vs. my own mind.

Some of you may ask “how do I know which is which”? That is the question of the ages and needs addressing if I am to be perceived as believable. There is a very thin line between self evoked thought and what is coming from external sources and in the beginning, unless you’re a very unusual case, one will not be able to discern the difference.

The way to get to a place of discernment normally takes many years of meditation, enhanced awareness, and knowledge of the processes of Ego. When one practices to become Aware, one places much value on alone time without the input of other people like yourself. You spend many hours in Nature, in public places and simply processing life on an everyday basis. The basic requirement is the knowledge that your Ego is fighting for control and your willingness to be patient with your Ego but also to be in control of it so that it does not interfere with what you are accomplishing. Something like parenting a small child.

Once you gain control over these process’s you begin to notice an awareness that has been part of your unconscious all the time, but has been covered up by your need for attention and basic survival. The wonderful thing about gaining control over your Ego is that as you progress you find you need these basic inputs and dependencies less and less. As you develop there comes an awareness of outside communication seemingly from no-where within the realm of your understanding but there just the same. Some of you will become aware of this communication via various bodily stimuli something like my own which is a mild tickling in my left ear. When this happens you know something is trying to get your attention.

Then you become aware of two inputs to your awareness. Yours which is valid and very wise, but also from another source which under normal circumstances comes from and I simplify here, Creator. I will get into the concept of Creator in another post but I do not want to confuse the central issue here and that is how to begin to discern the difference between internal and external communication and knowing the Truth of the two which work in tandem!

One of the major challenges in this enhanced awareness is the need for peer approval. The more you need this, the less you will be able to perceive truth. Why? Because contrary to what has been taught you is that each human being is living a version of a lie constructed from their very complex experience of life! All life experience is understood via the lie of external and internal input. One of your purpose’s of living is to gravitate towards separating the personal lie of your experience from the Truth of your experience. Once you GET this, you understand some of that age old question of “Why was I born, what is the purpose of all of this suffering that I have been going through?” In short you need to become less and less reliant on external approval and more aware that within you is the ability to provide your own solace and love that you need.

I will leave this here as I know this is a lot to understand and I will try answer your questions the best I can without my own Ego interfering with your Truth!

Waatowa' pistoto,
Two Feathers - Kainaiwa