Thanksgiving at Loma under pine trees

One day I heard about the history of thanksgiving in school and I was so excited because I wanted to share it with my grandpa. As soon as I got back from school, I saw him working on the land so I decided to take him some water. He was resting under some pine trees, so I sat next to him while he drank his water. "Grandpa, I learned in school about Thanksgiving. Why did you never told me about this beautiful story?", I asked him. "I am sorry my child but I did not wanted to tell you a lie", He responded. I asked him, "What do you mean grandpa?" He explained,"The story you heard it did not happen that way. They did not share their food with us, it was us who shared our food with them because they were dying and we thought them how to survive here in our lands." A cold feeling ran through my spine, I was shocked. Still bewildered, I asked "Did we celebrated this holiday before they got here grandpa?" I will never forget what he told me next. He told me, "Yes and here is what I want you to remember. We celebrate thanksgiving every sunrise, every sunset, when we sit down to eat, when we hear the birds singing, when we see the rain falling from the sky, even when we make a fire to cook our food and keep us warm in the cold winter. We need to be thankful for every single breath of life, for our families, for the land that is provided for us, for these trees that we rest under, for the water you came up to bring me, for our health for the beauty and the love within us all and around us. That's why we make ceremonies to love and respect one another. This is why we live in harmony with the earth and our ancestor, through the sacred calendar and out traditions. The celebration of thanksgiving has been commercialized to make money and the true story behind it is has been hidden, but imagine if society did not not assign a day to be thankful. Do you think people would arrange gatherings with their love ones and friends? Some people need to be reminded and be told about these things, my little boy. Most people will go through life believing these lies because the truth is too painful to accept."

Juan Errante

Spiritual Identity

The dictionary defines “identity” as the condition of being one’s self. As we experience the hardships and struggles of life, we are so desperate to know who we are that we start losing our minds and buying all the costumes society has created for us to forget our spiritual identities. But, what we want to be is different from what we need to be or from what we were sent here to accomplish.
Somehow we forgot The Universe (Creator, God) is perfect. This entity can be called anything you like because it can manifest itself according to your faith, even if you decide not to follow anything or anyone. So, how do you define yourself?

You were taught to be the best since childbirth to fulfill someone's expectations or to fit in your family or society, but there are always going to be people who are one step ahead of you. Other people’s accomplishments have a way of making you feel like you’re not measuring up and that is an endless battle with yourself.
Being "in-style" or "cool" does not always indicate or define who you are, but it shows that you are desperate for attention. Being well known does not take away your loneliness. It just makes you that much more lonelier. When you keep a small circle of friends, you feel more comfortable knowing that your friends are the only ones that you really want to spend time with.

What you wear or how your face looks shouldn't be more important then how you make another person feel. Fashion is an illusion created by your own mind and insecurities that it causes you to compare yourself with other person. There is nothing more beautiful in this world then allowing your own spirit to roam freely.
Being bright or smart: This is another downfall because we don't think the same way or make the right choices all the time. Sometimes making poor decisions allows you to explore your own capacity to think things through and to become a problem solver. This is how we all earn wisdom. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes because each time we learn more about ourselves.

Women are becoming as thin as twigs and men are getting more pumped and tanned these days. Every magazine cover in today's world displays young models with perfect bodies and it affects us unconsciously in our everyday lives. We use this as a place marker for who we think we are and consequently we find ourselves looking at our reflections every chance we get creating insecurities. Men are obsessed going to the gym and high protein diets to look manly, while some women starve themselves just to fit into those new skinny jeans.
Maybe looking beautiful or handsome is a survival instinct that has been primed into us from the beginning of time. Perhaps its because society has made us so self-conscious that we can’t feel better about ourselves until we’ve “beaten” out other people by looking like Miss Universe or like a model on the cover of a magazine. Life is not a competition. No matter how you look like there is plenty of people who will find you beautiful and attractive just the way are.

 Wealth: There is not much to say other than, "if you can be rich and be poor, then you can be poor and be rich.” I have seen many spiritual people who have sold their souls in the name of greed. You can be rich and forsake everyone around you, if money your priority.
Or you can be wealthy in your own mind and spirit. Hold close to those who truly care for you because they will never disappear like that spare change in your pocket.

Human Gifts: We were all created equal and we’re all good at different things. Some of us are better by being artistic, music, painting etc. Others are great thinkers. They can teach or be good at playing sports or an instrument. We’re all “gifted” at different things, but you shouldn’t let it define you.

There are plenty more things I can write about, but I don't think I have to say anymore than I already have.
Creator gave us all a spiritual identity that is above labels like good, bad, beautiful, ugly, fat, skinny, preppy, geeky, nerdy, or freaks.
The secrets of the universe are within us and all you need is a spark to radiate your beautiful fire within.

Juan Errante

The Sky Is Falling

His heart speaks with the strength of thunders, every living creature feels the power of the great sky.
The blood of his spirit flows in every river of this earth...



My friends and brothers gather to sing as the rising sun blesses
all creation with golden light...

Those who crawl kiss the soil, those who fly embrace the sky,
those who swim bless the water, those who walk kneel before his glory.


He sighs for you, for me...
His breath fills the open seas. His clear voice is calling us by name, the time is near...
I can hear his footsteps there is nothing left to fear.


The walls are falling...
The veil has falling...
The dream has awoken...
They are coming back for us...

"There is a power greater then ourselves, a power we still know nothing about, a power which holds the secret of the dreamer and the dream that we live in..."

Juan Errante

Spirits of Nature

Fox Spirit

While traveling on my way home from work my spirit was called to by another. I looked around to find out from where the voice was coming from, when I saw a relation laying on the side of the road. A red fox was there. I quickly pulled over to care for his remains. I removed his body from the road and lay him back on the earth where his spirit may find peace. I felt sadness and compassion in my heart, that he had met such a dishonorable death. I offered his spirit some tobacco, and prayers that one day someone would think and do the same for me. We too can meet an untimely and unfitting demise at any given moment. May someone think of us enough to give us dignity in death, and show compassion and respect for our remains.

Grandfather says:
Far too often men become arrogant in their thinking and believe that they are above the rest of our relations in nature. They think they are separate. That the only living beings that count the most are the human beings. This has become the gods of men, their high thoughts of themselves and those things that are produced from the mind. Sadly this type of arrogance has spread and tainted all races of man. When you see a fallen relation by the road grandchildren do what you can for that fallen spirit. Honor them as you would your own family. They are as much a part of you as the water, earth, and sky. Do not pass them by without a prayer .....without a thought. Remember the ways of your elders, and what ways we were taught in living in balance with all of creation. Love, honor, respect, and dignity. We are all connected in the sacred hoop of life.

-Juan Errante

www.giannicrow.com

Moonlight Sonata In Central Park

I usually like to spend time in Central Park around the summer time and autumn. That's when all the leaves are changing to beautiful colors.

One day I placed my MP3 player next to me and started listening to some music. As I closed my eyes, the sun was tingling on my skin and I took a trip into the waves of music.  A few minutes later, I heard someone saying, "that's a nice piece..." I opened my eyes and said,  "Sorry?" To my surprise it was a homeless person eating a sandwich. He said: "Moonlight Sonata, that's one of my favorite pieces" 

"I had no idea my headphones were that loud,"  I replied. 

He said,  "No, no, no! I saw it when it came up on your playlist. These days I don't see many young people listening to classical music."  

He went on talking about the topic. He had all my attention, at that point. He told me about the time he played for a very well known theater in NY, as he pulled an old photo album from a plastic bag. "May I show you something?" he asked. "Why of course," I said. As soon as he opened the first page, I recognized him. 

"That's you!" I said. 

He smiled as he showed me many pictures of himself

playing in different places around the country and Europe. It was as if he had jumped into a time capsule and was reliving his memories with so much joy, that I felt privileged just to witness this very moment. I lost track of time in his stories and those fascinating places. Then suddenly, he stops at the very last page of the album and sighed. It was an article in the paper with a picture of him. At that very moment,  I noticed there was a finger missing from his hand.

He never said... I never asked...  Politely,  he got up and thanked me for the chat and vanished among a group of tourists into Central Park.

~Juan Errante

www.giannicrow.com

Teachings From the Plant People

There is a spiritual awakening taking place. People from all walks of life are scratching their heads wondering if there is something wrong with them, because they do not understand what is happening in their lives. One of the reasons is because society and the media have influenced us on what spirituality is supposed to be or how a spiritual person should behave or look like.

Our paths are unique because there are different levels of consciousness.

Although we are called for the same purpose "to receive,  to learn, and to share," many will get stuck in the early stages of their path for lack of discipline or understanding. In this article, I will discuss the use and abuse of hallucinogenic plants or synthetic drugs as a method of "gaining" spirituality. The media and false teachers have influenced society to believe that you can simply use drugs to become spiritual.

When I was a kid my grandfather warned me about work with the "plant people" (the plants themselves) for my own recreation or experiments. In some cases, the plant people help us break through to our minds because our minds have been so corrupted to the point that we have forgotten about our own intuitive feelings. We are a generation of rational thinkers. In order for us to believe something, we want tangible, measured proof just like a scientist would. My grandfather once said, "You don't need to have faith in order for you to take hallucinogenic plants because it was made for skeptical minds." Peyote, mushrooms, Ayahuasca, Marijuana are not for amusement or entertainment purposes. Those plants are strictly for astral traveling and holistic ceremonies, they are not meant to be party drugs. The experience gained from a ceremony with these kinds of plants, is the wisdom learned though plants and is not for everyone, because you can create a psychological shock, leave a trauma, or even worse, become addicted.

Many people build up expectations because they feed on other people's experiences. Some get too curious and go deeper to see what comes up, not realizing that if you don't have a spiritual guide or a Shaman leading the ceremony it can become fatal. The wisdom of learning through plants is a cultural tradition that goes back to the days of our grandfathers.
 
One does not wake up one day and say, "I want to explore the spirit world, let me get high." Our bodies and minds are constantly crying out for help, and this is one of the ways Spirit has taught us how to heal our psychological problems. Hallucinogenic plants are for self discovery and connection to the spiritual world. 

In our tribes you were allowed to take it under the strict supervision of the elders and only if it was necessary or there was a need to explore ones path or find a deeper meaning of life and the unknown to refine your life.
Each plant has a personality, as each human does. Plants are very sensitive and intuitive. So be humble and remember that you don't know much when you are going to use their medicine. I also would like to remind all the indigenous people and spiritual leaders of today that our job is to be the guardians of the medicine plants and to teach people to respect them and honor the old ways. Remember just because you have the knowledge about the medicine plants it does not mean you have the wisdom to use them.

We are all in search of answers because deep inside we are all spiritual beings. The medicine plants give us a different perspective on our existence in this world and remind you of who you truly are, where we came from, and where we are going after we depart from this realm.

~Juan Errante 

www.giannicrow.com

Xibalba: Lessons from the Underworld

So there I was, staring at the mirror. The world outside my room was breathing. The clouds were dissipating into thin air in the Sky as the sun began to shine through the shades of my window.

My spirit was left for dead. Someone deliberately lied and deceived me and stomped on my trust. I couldn't trust my own shadow at that point, the only shelter I had was my altar and an old flute I played to comfort my broken heart in silence.

I wanted to give up my path, my dreams and everything I once believed in. All my fears and my demons were staring at me in the mirror, the warrior was drifting away into the underworld without warning, I fell in love with my pain and didn't want to let it go because it fed my anger and gave me a reason to cry.

I was in Xibalba (a place of fear). I grabbed my medicine bundle and I clinged on to it with my eyes closed as I visited all the sacred places I walked in my vision-quest. I felt how each one of the grandfathers began to show up as I called their names. I heard a voice loud and clear "You are loved, don't give up grandson..."

Xibalba had blinded me, and all my enemies had come for the kill. I could not hear my own heart and all I wanted was someone to listen and to understand me, but no one could help me unless I cleansed my own body, mind and spirit. I had to be compassionate and forgive myself, forgive my deceiver and accept the lesson. Because there is always a greater purpose from Great Spirit awaiting to bless us in the most unimaginable way.

Are you in a dark pit right now where you don't want to be reached or you are hiding from the ones that truly love you? It is my turn to pull you out from that state of depression and remind you not to give up! The world can be a cold and dark place for spiritual people, but you are not alone. My grandfather used to tell me: "This world becomes cold, and a strange place to live to remind us we can not stay here forever- we are on our way home."

One of the hardest things I had to go through is to close my

eyes in prayer and let the light guide me. People will always try to break you and separate you from your true nature. Some people are meant to stay in your life, some are just substitute teachers. 

-Juan Errante

www.giannicrow.com

The Element of Consciousness

When I was young, my grandfather walked with me to gather water from a spring. Every morning we would start the day by going down to this sacred spot to collect our water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning ourselves. He looked towards me and asked, "Grandson do you understand why we consider this place sacred and the water sacred?" I stared back at him, wanting to get the answer right, then replied, "Because we need water to live so that we can cook, eat, and drink." He smiled at me and said, "Yes grandson, that is all true but there is more to it than that."

"This water is sacred for those reasons and because it helps keep every living creature on this earth alive, but this is not what people see in this way anymore. I looked at him puzzled by his response. He sat down on a rock beside the spring and continued. This water still is thought of as being sacred and we are still mindful of its preciousness, because we have no control over it. 

You see, everyday we have to walk a long way to this sacred spring and we see where it comes from, how much or how little is here. We see this water and all of its beauty and we pray and give thanks for it being here for us and blessing us. We still understand it as a living and spiritual being, and not something we have ownership or control over; we are at its spirits mercy. We not only understand its value, but we remember to be thankful for it. To not be wasteful with it, because we have to work for our water, we walk a long ways carrying it on our backs. Our journey here, everyday, it is our constant reminder of all this."

He then looked down with 
tears in his eyes. "Soon all of this will be gone and the people will not have this appreciation for our water, that we have now." "This will be another loss of true freedom and living as human beings. One day, soon, you will see what I am speaking of. You have to pay for everything in this world now days grandson. You pay for food and you pay for medicine. You pay to die and you pay for things that do not even really exist in this world, aside from being a creation of human thinking. You will see it in your time. This is already happening in the North. People have taken control over the water. They are pumping it through houses so that all they have to do is turn a knob and the water flows out. They are wasteful with the water because they have forgotten how fast it can disappear and what a blessing it is to have. One day you will see it come to pass that the water will become polluted just as it has in some places here. With that you will see it being bottled up and sold to people for money. Soon they will even have a fee for charging people for the very air we breathe. I will never see this happen and I am thankful for that. Please remember to have reverence for all the water that you are blessed with grandson. Remember these trips to the spring and remember it is not ours to control, to buy, or sell. It is a keeper of our life not the other way around." 

Then he broke down into tears.

Juan Errante
www.giannicrow.com

A Lonely Highway

I was looking for a dream. It was a foggy morning. The birds were chirping outside my hotel window. They were not singing their usual songs.  This time they were singing empathetic songs to my heart. I got ready for the truth, behind the dream. A crow was standing in the tree looking at me; I was a stranger in this town, but not to his eyes. I offered him my breath and some tobacco He began to caw as the tobacco drifted to the ground.  I headed west searching for some answers along the highway. 

The path became curvy as I made my way through the mountain views. It was hard to see what was up ahead of me, as the way life sometimes unfolds for all us. My tears fell down my face and my heart kept stomping in my chest. I got closer to my own delusions. There were two crows walking down the highway, like hitchhikers. They had a funny walk like cowboys. At that moment, I was reminded that one more time I was not alone. I smiled as I waved at them. Each breath became a sigh as I wiped off the tears from my face. I have gone above and beyond. I questioned myself, whether I was walking on someone else's path and that these shoes did not belong to me--they made my spirit limp.

What happened next was a miracle to me. There was a bald eagle sitting on a an old dead tree. I felt its presence before I saw it.  I turned my head, to my right the eagle started to spread his wings, and flew along my side for about three-quarters of a mile. The eagle then made a U-turn right in front me, and then headed back towards the east. That's when all my questions were answered.

Juan Errante.

http://www.giannicrow.com

My Justified Anger. Grandfather Speaks

"I feel that my heritage is being manipulated. It bothers me because I did not wake up one day and say I want to be an Indian now. Imagine If I went to another country to learn their traditions culture and wisdom. What claims can I make about what I have learned?"

"I see others come to our people and learn our ways and traditions and turn around and make a profit from it. People are forcing themselves onto the world, teaching and pretending to be something they are not in the name of greed. "

"Yes..." he said, "I am angry but my anger is justified before the eyes of my Creator, my ancestors, and the spirits that have walked this land since our creation. I fought to keep the spirit of my people alive. I had to hide in caves where I starved. I saw great warriors fall and die in the arms of their wives. I saw the orphans die of foreign diseases and my medicine could not save them. I felt useless before the eyes of my people. My sin has always been to love this earth and fight according to the universal laws and the law of reciprocity. We do not take more than what we need or stamp the soil with last names. Grandson, the air you breathe is the same as the great Geronimo once exhaled. Put your ear on the ground and you will still hear the buffalo's spirit running free upon the sacred plains. The blood spilled in this land will not be forgotten, even after time has forgiven their sins against our people." 

 "Life is a circle and, as of late, people speak about Karma. I believe this to be true because as the great book says; He who lives by the sword will die by the sword. "

"Do not repay their ignorance with hate but with compassion. My time is near. I feel very tired these days. My eyes just want to sleep and the sun can not keep me warm anymore. I will forever live in your words my little one."

- Juan Errante

You Made the Headlines!

In 2008 I had to travel back home to take care some family matters, and as I was waiting for my bus at the roundabout, reading a book. I heard a  paperboy selling newspapers "Extra-extra read all about it!" He would scream at the top of his lungs the most gripping news about politics, sports, crime and natural disasters, around the globe. About 15 minutes later, he would pass by again selling the same newspaper with a different headline, and so on, until he sold all his newspapers for the day.

The more dramatic the news the more papers he sold.  I sat there and meditated on his strategy as he was counting his money with a smile on his face, across the street from me. He was determined. He did not give up, even when people turned their heads away from him,  he knew exactly how to attract people's attention.

Not long ago a good friend of mine called me up for some advice about his career, and as we was talking to me, this very story came to mind.  I shared it with him and I asked him to use the same strategy.

If your headline is not selling, change it. You don't need to give up your career, your dream or lifestyle, just use a different approach to capture the attention of your audience.

What are you selling? What is the message you are sending throughout the universe? Are you still using the same headline over and over again?  Change your attitude, change your outlook, knock on different doors.  The universe is waiting for you to change your thoughts.

Once you have changed the energy around you, the blessings and opportunities will show up at your doorstep. If you keep thinking that things will never change for you, then that's exactly how your future it will be.

Everything we are, from the way we walk, the way we talk, and the way we dress came from how we have been taught through the school system, religion, traditions, political points of views, etc. But, we can all choose to accept or reject it.  You have your own free will. The giver of life has so many blessings in store for you on your path, but may just be waiting for you to change your headline.


~Juan Errante

Airplanes and Babies: How to Have a Brother

There were too many questions I had for the Great Spirit, when I was young, but all of them seemed to have no answers. (I am wiping off the tears of my eyes as I started remembering this painful part of my life.) Why did I feel so lonely on this Earth? Where is my family? Those were some of my questions.

My mother was eight months pregnant when my father died mysteriously. Then, she left me behind for work when I was only three years old -- under the care of my grandmother and grandfather. My grandmother died when I was six, leaving behind my grandpa, my uncle, and my aunt.

At a young age, I was exposed to one of the worst experiences a human being could go through in life, and that is the loss of one’s loved ones. I felt abandoned by the spirits, and all I wanted was to belong somewhere, be a part of something or someone. Ever since, I promised myself that I was going to find a place and have a family of my own.

I was about 7 years old when my mother gave birth to a boy that died three days later. I remembered climbing up an adobe wall and watched how my brother was carried to his burial at the cemetery. I refused, crying not to go and witness this funeral. My mother lived in the city, and I did not know that she was pregnant, or what pregnancy was for humans. She wore traditional clothes that did not show the contours of her body.

My mother used to tell me that a plane would bring me another brother, so I would scream at the top of my lungs each time I would hear a plane flying by. "Bring me another brother please!” all I wanted was someone I could play with.  As I got older I realized how naive I was for believing such lies, because babies did not came from planes but from a mother's womb.

Feeling abandoned by my mother, I was wishing for a brother and missing my grandmother who died, and my grandfather who was a medicine man on the run-- traveling to other towns and cities to help those In need. I would question myself, what did I do to deserve such punishment and loneliness?  I later learned that this brother who died was not the only sibling I lost- I should have been one of seven, but I was the only survivor.

I was haunted by hearing the whispers of spirits in my ears, by my dreams, and by things I saw in the sky. I desperately wanted to feel and be a normal eight year old, not only because I was being prepared by the spirits to walk my sacred path, but because I was all alone with no home, no parents, no food and living in the streets and the forest.

As I grew older, I realized that wherever I went, there were kind people that treated me better then my own blood and even my own people. The strangers on the buses, on planes, on trains, traveling as Juan Errante. Yes, you and all those people attending my lectures, whom I knew nothing about, began caring and appreciating me as a friend, as brothers, and as a family member. All I had to do was be myself.

What was a burden then, is now a blessing, because I am surrounded by people who love me all over the globe. This post is dedicated to you my true friends, thank you for allowing me to enter your lives each day.


-Juan Errante
 www.giannicrow.com

The Forgotten Remember

Grandfather says: "We as a race of people have always known who we are. We have always known what purpose and place we had within creation. We never had to ask permission to be Natives (Indian). There were no borders or rules to being who and what we are, or how we treated each other. We knew that we were "the people." Our nations had intermarried and mixed long before the White men ever came to Turtle Island. We had our differences but we didn't need anyone to tell us to what tribe each of us belonged.

We are all one people from the far reaches of the north of

turtle Island to the south, from the east to the west. We all knew of each other as brothers and sisters here in this land, we traded, we lived, we loved, we made peace. Yes we had our fights as relations do, no race of men are free of their instincts and violence. Never in my lifetime would I have believed that our people would deny each other of who they are. Never in my lifetime did I think the white race, would have such a far reaching effect on us that we would treat each other as they do us. That we would expect one another to prove they were of the red race by papers and white mans law.

Sadness fills my heart and disappointment in my own grandchildren. Remember Grandchildren we are all one Race of people. We are all "the people" the red race. Our people united and honoring each other is what we need. We need every last one of our Indian people to remember who they are and walk the red road. All the Indian Nations across turtle island are sacred. We all form the medicine bundle of the Red Race. Just as all the relations in nature bring us strong medicine when combined in our bundles and ceremonies. We are all important to the medicine we bring, no matter the differences among us."

Gianni Crow
www.giannicrow.com

The Medicine is Our Master

When I was a young boy I remember working very hard in the fields everyday growing and collecting the crops. Each and every morning I would walk to the fields with my grandfather. The first thing he would have me do was walk to a sacred shrine to give offerings to the spirits of the plants and our grandfathers and make prayers. Sometimes I would still be very tired from the previous day of working and would not want to make the journey to the shrine. 

On one particular day I whined about the extra walk and said to my grandfather that we should just head out to the fields and start working. He looked down at me with outrage written across his face, and I awaited the worst. He begin to speak to me at first yelling and then he calmed down. He said "What do you mean we should skip the prayers and offering at the shrine grandson?" I was very scared and backed up a little bit and felt immediately ashamed. I said to him bashfully " Well grandfather couldn't we just make extra prayers tomorrow and skip today? It is a long walk and I am tired." He said to me,

 "Grandson we never skip a day of showing gratitude and respect, because if we did it would become another and another. We are taking from the earth so we must give back. We must never forget to show proper respect to the spirits of the plant people and to the creator. When we gather the corn we never walk over it when we have placed it in piles, because to do that would be very disrespectful. The women do not walk or cross over any of the crops as well, for they know that it would be a dishonor to the spirits."

"Our reverence for this balance with the Earth, and the medicine that the plant and animals give us is why we honor them at every meal. It is why we set aside a plate for them to partake of first before we eat. In the North, and even in many of the cities here, people have forgotten to be grateful for their food. They have become disconnected from the food in such a way that they do not have relationship to it anymore at all. Their food sits around and it is not fresh. It is processed and manipulated so it has lost a lot of its medicine and healing properties. When the food is not respected it does not keep us healthy. It is what happens when we forget to be mindful that food is also medicine and powerful. We are not the master over food it is our master. It is a caretaker of our very lives, therefore we must respect it and be thankful to it everyday, not just when it is convenient. Do you understand grandson?" 

I looked up at him and nodded my head and I promised that I would not forget why our prayers and offerings were so important.

Human Reflections

The wisdom of the words in my art reflect the order and balance that was already put into place by the Creator. The balance is already there. The seed has been planted. 

It is up to the human race to stretch its limits of mind, its imagined differences, and as a race of human beings that makes the choice to transcend these things. The only major difference between human beings and the rest of our relations on this earth is the ability to choose and create within the dreamtime and this reality.

What we can imagine and dream, we create on this earth. The results of those abilities have a rippling effect on this earth and to all that inhabit it. The question is: can mankind move beyond what we have been? Are we limited to what we are now! How much is pre-ordained and how much of it is free will? I guess there is only one way to find out. Keep going and keep dreaming. Keep aspiring to make that seed, that the creator gave us, grow.

The Importance of Prayer

I was about to have dinner.  I sat at the table and noticed the chair in front of me was empty. I felt lonely at that point, not only because my partner was away but because this is a sacred moment for both of us. I silently closed my eyes and imagined she was there holding my hand to bless our food and to thank those who made it possible to get it to our table.

What is prayer? What does it mean to you? But most importantly, do you pray? According to the dictionary, prayer is "a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship."

Most people these days don't have time for much.  Some can't even sit down to eat because their jobs are so demanding. The rat-race has taken over our humanity and we have become soulless robots.

Technology governs our lives with wireless gadgets like cellphones and tablets anywhere we go. We do not know how to unplug ourselves from the madness of civilization. We are constantly distracted in a virtual world that does not exist.

When I was growing up, I used to have many questions and often I approached my grandfather to consult with him. He would say to me; "Have you prayed about it? Because I don't know more then you do." Those words made me realize the importance of being in touch with Spirit, my divine intuition and those who have gone before us. Your mental clarity comes from meditation and prayer, a quiet mind has no room for doubts and insecurities because your thoughts will be peaceful and crystal clear.

"Grandpa, do I have to be on my knees to say a prayer?" No. Being on your knees is a form of humility and reverence, but we stand facing east to make an offering and smoke our pipes to the Bringer of All Life.  You can pray standing, walking, sitting, or anywhere you need to be. That's what he taught me.

The true purpose of prayer is for us to remember where we came from, is to unplug from our chaos and reconnect with your own roots. Prayer brings us together with loved ones, it makes miracle happen, it gives us hope, faith and strength. Prayer has different meanings for all religious traditions but we all do it for the same reason and that is to connect us with the universal mind of all things known and unknown to man.

GC

Sacredness of My Traditions

Respect is a word that is constantly used but rarely honored among

human beings. Growing up native was not easy for a lot of us. It was not cool to be native when I was a kid or a teenager, we were not "in style," as I recall it.

People were very racist and would call me "dumb Indian" or stupid. In their eyes I was neither intelligent, spiritual, nor did I deserved any respect, because I spoke differently and dressed differently.
 
Thirty something years later, the media decides to use native symbols to profit from our people again, but why now? There is a spiritual awareness taking place all over the world and the media has always romanticized native people for their spirituality. We are a novelty now, so anywhere you look these days people are wearing native jewelry. Our sacred symbols have become the latest print for fabrics used in the fashion industry. In our modern society we have become mascots, sidekicks for cowboys, cartoon characters and statues for tobacco shops. Our images also have been used in tattoos, rebellious hair cuts, earplugs, piercings, and you name it.

People want to belong or be a part of something and that's perfectly fine but not without knowing or taking the time to learn more about the cultural meaning of things. I call that respect as well and we can not go around stealing the sacredness of native traditions around the world to make a business out of it. It's morally wrong. Our grandfathers gave their lives defending our spirituality. The land you stand on today is sacred to us, because their blood was spilled without cause, they were killed for the rights to practice our way of life.

We have always shared our wisdom to others for the betterment of humanity, because we were the last ones to be connected with Mother Earth. "Our ways include everybody, but theirs selfishly don't care about ours" that's what my grandfather said. We need to respect one another with the same compassion you do with your people. We have to honor our own ways and practice them everyday. No matter where you came from, you have traditions or a religion that speaks about peace and love. I speak from the heart of my people and all we want is your respect. You already claimed the land we called our home.

Can You Hear Her Voice?

I have been through hell and back! Does that sound familiar to you? I know you can relate with me on many levels, because we all have asked the same questions as we look into the sky; "Does anybody give a damn about me?" 

When you find yourself in the middle of the chaos, it's almost impossible to view outside your own situation. So we question God, the Virgin Mary, and all the saints that come to mind. At this point all your fears are triggered and your higher self stays suppressed in one corner. But, in the darkness, you find the switch to turn the light on from your shadow side.

We need these moments to grow and understand ourselves, to be able to learn from our choices, along with our past and present situations.

You are not alone and there is always someone in the distance praying for you, loving you and thinking about you.

We all feel lonely sometimes, but rarely are we alone unless you live in the mountains with no one to talk to.  Even so, mother nature is all around nurturing you and waiting patiently for you to connect. She knows your name, your address and your needs. If you stop for one second, you can hear her voice when the birds sing, when the wind blows, when the river runs, when the sun tingles your skin, when a leaf falls to your feet, when clouds pass you by across the sky. Can you hear her saying "I love you?” Mother Nature speaks to us in a universal language, but are we ready to be comforted or are we still in the mode of being the victim? What's your mental status? Are you still hurt about something you can do nothing about? We have no control of anything or anyone. All you can do is be responsible for your own actions and to own them when you are in the wrong.

There's thousands of people praying everyday for you from all kinds of religions around the world. Love is sent throughout all of the universe. All you need to do is open your heart to receive that blessing. Mother is calling your name. Are you ready to be healed?

GC

A Hug From a Stranger

It was at 5:45 am in the streets of NY.  I was watering the plants in front of my building when a taxi pulled at the curb. A young man came out, and without hesitation approached me and looked at me straight in the eyes with opened arms as he got closer.

I felt a little uncomfortable with the situation, so with a kind voice he asked,  "You're not going to give me a hug?"  I smiled and I gave have him the  biggest hug I could, given the circumstances. So I asked him: Are you alright? and he said, "Yes."

He walked away from me, as I stood frozen with the hose in my hands.  I looked around like I was just being pranked. Scratching my head in disbelief, I meditated on what just took place before my eyes.  Looking straight into the sky, I whispered to myself: These kind of things don't happen in Manhattan! But what I couldn't understand at the moment was that the person was not in need of a hug but it was me.

It took a lot of courage for that person to walk up to a total stranger and offer a hug.  I sighed as I thought that it was not just him alone showing his compassion but the entire universe and my ancestors. A few tears fell from my eyes as I finally admitted it was me that was in need of a hug.

So many times I found myself in a situation where I had the opportunity to show my compassion, but I turned around and walked away.  I am not saying we should all hug total strangers, but at least a smile or a hello, a good morning or simply a "hi." You have no idea how much one gesture of kindness will affect another person. It did not cost a thing for that young man to hug me and share with me a great lesson, to in turn, share with everyone of you today.

Let's not only preach in the name of love, but practice it every chance you get.

Making Room for Your Blessings

Do you know what a blessing is? Do you know what a miracle is? We get more then one blessing every day and we witness at least one miracle each day.  Can you identify them? In order for you to know these facts, you need to make room in your life for them to take place. Close your eyes and empty your mind of the things that distract you from the truth, we constantly blind ourselves with the problems and forget to find a solution. Are you stuck in your mind and don't let your heart feel for you?

Maintaining fears is one of the reasons why we are not sensing the blessings on a regular basis. Fear is what makes us all doubt and hold back in our comfort zones. Imagine if instead of saying "no" to every opportunity that presents itself in your life you actually take a chance. Life is actually not about winning or losing, but about experiencing and living to the maximum, and in every waking moment of your life. Your ego is another obstacle that can get in the way of a new blessing coming your way. I am the perfect example of this and here is why: Last winter I was invited to give a lecture at a spiritual center, but a few months before the invitation took place, a good friend of mine warned me that I was going to be taken advantage of and that someone was going to use my name for profit. When the invitation was given to me I already saw in a dream what was going to take place, so I consulted with the spirits. They actually told me to do it and not to ask more questions. Still I asked, "why should I go to a place where I am going to be exploited?" A gentle voice whispered, "Grandson your presence and message is needed at this time and place, you will also meet a very important person in your life, so you must do this one for the love you have for the people." So the day of the lecture arrived, I remember getting in my car and making funny faces in the rear view mirror as it was warming up. So I left the parking lot and I thought I was out of my mind for doing this to myself. It was a Friday night, so I decided to take the back roads and to my surprise they were deserted. I purposely stopped at a red light and watched it change 4 times -- I was hoping the light would never turn green, but then a car came up from behind me and I had to keep going. It was getting late.

As I arrived at the spiritual center and saw all the people waiting for me, I realized I had made the right choice. No one recognized me so I sat in the back and waited to be announced. That's when I saw her for the very first time. One look into the eyes was all I needed to understand the reason I was supposed to be there that night. So the question is, what if I didn't listen to the spirits? I would have cheated myself of the very blessing that they had chosen for me. 

 

Where are you now? Where are you going to be tomorrow? Know that it all depends on your choices, so make room for the possibilities and take a chance.

Why are you getting up in the morning?

When I was having breakfast early one morning with my grandfather, I have to admit I was cold, tired and cranky from the previous day of work. I wanted to sleep a little longer. 

"Do you even have a reason to be up this morning, Grandson?" I stayed quiet. "Each one of us has a motive to live. For some it is for the greater good of men and there are others who have no direction whatsoever. Some people are up at this time because they want to be rich, others are in search of fame and attention. Some need to be in control, overpowering people and their resources. But then there is us, grandson, the people who want to live in harmony with the earth and all that's in it. This is our mother, this is our home, this is our way.  What is your motive today?"