Chief Yellow Lark 1887-Prayer (one interpretation)

AHO GREAT SPIRIT...
Whose Voice I hear in the Wind.
Whose Breath gives Life to the Universe.
Hear Me. I am here as one of Your many children.
I am small and I need Your Strength and Wisdom to Guide Me.
Help me to walk in Earth's Beauty and make my Eyes
ever behold the Purple and Golden Sunsets
May my Hands respect the things that You have made
And my Ears sharp to hear Your Voice
Help me to be Wise that I may know the teachings You have for Your Children
To understand the Truth you have hidden in every Tree, Cloud and Stone
Make me Strong, not to be superior to my Brothers and Sisters,
But to fight my greatest enemy, My-Self
Help me to be always ready to come to You
with Clean Hands and Straight Eyes
So that when My Life Fades away as the Sun Sets
My Spirit may come to You Without Shame

Wovoka, a member of the Paiute tribe, was born in about 1856. He was the son of Tavibo, a medicine man and mystic.

"When the Sun died, I went up to Heaven and saw God and all the people who had died a long time ago. God told me to come back and tell my people they must be good and love one another, and not fight, or steal or lie. He gave me this (Ghost) Dance to give to my people."

Grandfather says that when your friends die you must not cry. You must not hurt anybody or do harm to anyone. You must not fight. Do right always. It will give you satisfaction in life.

Thomas Banyaca Sr. (1910-1999); Speaker of the Wolf, Fox and Coyote Clan, and Elder of the Hopi Nation.

It is time to speak your truth. Create your community, Be good to each other.
Do not look outside yourself for a leader. There is a river flowing now very fast, It is so great and swift.

There are those who will be afraid, They will try to hold onto the shore. They will feel they are being pulled apart, And will suffer greatly.

Understand that the river knows its' destination,
The elders say we must let go of the shore. Push off into the middle of the river, Keep our eyes open and our heads above water. And I say; see who is in there with you, Hold fast to them and celebrate!

At this time in history, We are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves!
For the moment we do, Our spiritual growth and journey comes to an end.

The Time of the Lone Wolf is over! Gather yourselves! Banish the word 'struggle' from Your attitude and vocabulary. All that we do now must be done, In a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are all about to go on a journey, We are the one's we have been waiting for!

Black Elk was a famous Medicine Man of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux). He was Heyoka and a second cousin of Crazy Horse.

"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us."