Beliefs of Worship, Respect, Sacred Circle, Directions and Colours of the Tsalagi (Cherokee)
The first of our lessons is so very appropriate, a young man had wrote in asking about prayers. He had seen at pow wows and other places, elders doing a small ritual of prayer giving honour to the Creator. There are many prayers and ways of doing ceremony, I will share what was taught to me by my elders growing up.
As in all things that are truly spiritual and meaningful, they are done straight from a good heart. There is where the Truth and the Spirit dwells of the one who made us all. Whatever name you give the Creator of all, in whatever language or tongue, God is the one and only one in whom we worship! all others we give respect not worship...Big difference.
Turn your face always towards the Eastern sky to begin the Sacred Circle of Prayer, this is where we face the sun everyday with new beginning! As we face the Creator in Worship, and start a new day and chapter in our individual lives, in thanksgiving for another day of life granted to us by our maker. This is where we also give Respect, and ask the sacred guardian spirit (Arch Angel) of the East to help protect us from all evil or harm from that direction. From this Guardian we receive Strength and Wisdom.
As one once said that I personally have remembered throughout my entire life..."Gods' gift to us is the breath of life, our gift to God is what we make of that life".
Please remember these colours are not all used by every Nation and tribe...
The colour "Yellow or (Greasy Yellow)" represents the East in the (older ways) of the Tsalagi (Cherokee) four directional colours.
Next, Turn (counter-clockwise) to the direction of the North, the colour "White" is for this direction. It means we face all things in life with Purity of Heart, Honour and Respect for all things, nothing is hidden there is only truth. We once again, offer our respect to the sacred guardian spirit (Arch Angel) of this direction, and ask for protection from all evil that might come from that direction. This is also the direction in which the we receive Peace and Understanding.
Turn now to the West, This guardian (Arch Angel) protects us from all evil that may come from that direction, it is also where the "Thunder-Beings" dwell. They are the "Protectors of the Souls" while we live here on Earth, and when it is our time to cross back over to the lands of the Creator who made us all. The colour Black represents this direction, it is not a colour of evil in any way, it is a colour of the future, a unknown path in which we have not travelled down yet, or cannot see clearly yet.
Turn now to the South, This guardian (Arch Angel) is protector of this direction from all evil, by our giving honour and respect, gifts us with remembrance of the past, present and future through the continuance of the circle of life itself, and the four stages of life. The colour of Red represents this direction.
To complete the Sacred Circle of Prayer, like the circle of life itself, whole and complete end without end. We direct our prayers back to the East once more. Now, giving Honour, Respect and Thanksgiving for Earth Mother from where we all were formed from by the hands of the Creator, and breathed the breath of life into!
We should never forget to thank our Earth Mother, for "Absorbing" our pains and woes and poisons we carry on a daily basis, that we just dump upon her with such selfishness! She takes all into herself with (absolute unconditional love) so that we carry them no longer.
Have you ever just sat down on Mother Earth, and placed your palms down on her? sitting very quietly and listen and feel (Nothing disturbing around you) You can actually feel a pulse/heartbeat at times! Earth Mother is and has always been very much alive!
Last, but certainly not least, remember at this point to give honour and respect to all your other relations...The winged ones, the four-legged ones, the ones that swim, and the ones that crawl.
Now in closing, seal the circle completely by lifting your face totally back to the Creator, and thank Him once again for His Great Love and Understanding, that you are willing to do the very best that day, and every day He gives you here.
Our Father whom did created us and the entire universe, STILL being a father to His children, wants us to face Him face to face. Not showing disrespect or dishonour, but out of Love of a parent and child. So it is not disrespectful to lift our faces up to our father, and reaching out with our arms and hearts as a child does. And children we will always be, in His eyes or any of our Earthly parents eyes as long as we exist!
Note: This all sounds long and drawn out, but; it really is a very short and very powerful way to Worship in prayer to the Creator, and give Honour and Respect to all others. The guardian spirits (Arch Angels') are just that. The Native people knew them as the "guardians spirits" because we had never heard of "Arch Angels'" until English and the Bible was introduced to the people. Then it was realized, that they were the same. The Creator (God) assigned four "Arch Angels" to each corner of the Earth.
Now here is an important note indeed!
There are certain Nations and tribes that do not start and go "counter-clockwise" instead it is done completely opposite and go "clockwise". One Nation that comes to mind is the Nation of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota. White man calls them the Sioux.
Many times I personally have attended a pow wow, and they dance in opposite direction from everyone else. Please remember it is not done out of disrespect to other Nations and tribes, but is their traditions and beliefs.
One way creates a circle of prayer and giving honour and respect to ones ancestors, the other is creating a circle of good medicine and healing for all.
Also, if one goes to places like Australia, the "Coriolis Effect" takes precedence and all things and energies automatically change direction...
