The Wind is my mother : the life and teachings of a Native American shaman

With eloquent simplicity, one of the world's last Native American Medicine Men demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain spiritual and physical health in today's world. Bridging the worlds of the traditional Native American and modern culture, the authors offer an inspiring and moving autobiography of a native American medicine man, one of the last to be trained in the ancient ways, and one of the few to teach nontribal people. In 1938, a young Muskogee Creek Indian walked unharmed through a den of rattlesnakes as part of his initiation into the "medicine ways" of his tribe. More than fifty years later Bear Heart, now a medicine man and a respected elder of his tribe, tells his story and shares his teachings. With eloquent simplicity, Bear Heart shares a lifetime of training that has enabled him to survive personal tragedy as well as to counsel and teach others to do the same. He describes the lessons learned in ceremonies conducted in the sweat lodge and the Native American Church, using fasting and chanting to receive the power of the Great Spirit. He explains why Native people pray with peyote and smoke the Sacred Pipe and how vision quests can bring clarity and personal revelation. Bear Heart's admonitions are always simple and succinct. He emphasizes the importance of developing character, asking, What kind of person are you? How do you treat your parents, your children, your friends? What do you stand for? He encourages us to seek our true purpose in life and to open our lives to guidance from Above. In weaving together inspiring and often humorous anecdotes, Bear Heart demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain mental, emotional, and physical health in today's world. Through stories and examples, he teaches us how to live. With eloquent simplicity, Native American medicine man Bear Heart demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain spiritual and physical health in today's world.“As a child I was taught, ‘Chebon, the way to attain the beauty in life is through harmony. Be in harmony with all things, but most important, be in harmony with yourself first. A lot will go on in your life, some good, some bad—people may argue and some will try to take control of your life—but that one word, harmony, will neutralize any problems and help your life to become beautiful.'”—from The Wind is My Mother“A compelling and important work...Bear Heart is a gifted storyteller—readers of all backgrounds will be inspired by his lessons of how to apply traditional Native American wisdom to maintain balance in today's world...Bear Heart's is a truthful, honest voice which has let us into his world, and our world is better for it.”—Body, Mind, Spirit With eloquent simplicity, Native American medicine man Bear Heart demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain spiritual and physical health in today's world. As a child I was taught, Chebon, the way to attain the beauty in life is through harmony. Be in harmony with all things, but most important, be in harmony with yourself first. A lot will go on in your life, some good, some badpeople may argue and some will try to take control of your lifebut that one word, harmony, will neutralize any problems and help your life to become beautiful.from The Wind is My Mother A compelling and important workBear Heart is a gifted storytellerreaders of all backgrounds will be inspired by his lessons of how to apply traditional Native American wisdom to maintain balance in todays worldBear Hearts is a truthful, honest voice which has let us into his world, and our world is better for it. Body, Mind, Spirit "With eloquent simplicity, one of the world's last Native American Medicine Men demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain spiritual and physical health in today's world. Through inspiring stories and examples from his own life, he teaches us how to live, "--Page 4 of cover "With eloquent simplicity, one of the world's last Native American Medicine Men demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain spiritual and physical health in today's world"--Publisher's description WHEN I WAS THREE DAYS OLD, MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO A hilltop near our home and introduced me to the elements.