We’re entering a truly special time of year. If you look back across the sands of time, you’d be hard pressed to find a civilization that didn’t have the next few weeks earmarked for a big celebration.
For some it’s the honoring of a prophet or savior’s birth, for others it’s a raucous week of reverie to fend off midwinter madness, for yet others it might be a sacred tribal ceremony to celebrate dying and rebirth in conjunction with the turn of the seasons.
This is a time to be with family and friends, to show our love for others in the form of gifts and random acts of kindness, and perhaps most importantly to find a place of peace and joy within ourselves.
Sometimes this last piece can be the most challenging of all, but you and I both know that we have the power to control our reality, or at least how it is perceived and internalized. The wise soul knows how to make spiritual lemonade out of any cosmic lemons that roll their way. And this our practice, even throughout the holidays.
With that in mind, I want to share some Native American wisdom to keep in your back pocket as you walk gracefully through the next two weeks of holiday antics and random traffic patterns.
The words below were spoken by the legendary Black Elk of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and I think you’ll like them. They’re about true inner peace and how to evolve outward from there.
The True Peace
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 Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit),
and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.
This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this.
The second peace is that which is made between two individuals,
and the third is that which is made between two nations.
But above all you should understand that there can never
be peace between nations until there is known that true peace,
which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.
Black Elk, Oglala Sioux & Spiritual Leader
I wish you a wonderful holiday season, filled with full-bellied laughs with your favorite people, delicious traditional foods, and yes, plenty of peace along the way.
Many blessings,
Nick Polizzi
Director, The Sacred Science
Thank you a for pointedly beautiful blog on true peace. I have read Black Elk’s words before, and I am always struck by the thought that we (whites) have missed out on what could have been an amazing relationship, if we had the eyes and hearts to see it. Native spirituality from anywhere on Earth is valuable. The Truth is universal and the native peoples were and are, miles ahead in their understanding of it.
Thank you Nick for these words of grace to help us get through this delightful but stressful if we are not careful holiday season. Namaste.
Thank you Nick for all our beautiful and inspiring work. May true peace be always with you and many blessings to you and your loved ones.
Thanks Black Elk for the reminder. “Nothing is so strong as gentleness,Nothing so gentle as real strength. Peace with in is true wisdom. Much respect as we move forward.
Thank you for beaming Black Elk’s message; may it resonate and open hearts across the planet. Mitakuye Oyasin!
Thank You. Wisdom is the beginning of Eternal truth.
Many thanks for those inspiring words from Black Elk.
What prophet are you referring too? Are you a muslim, a worshiper of Satan, a lover of evil, the slave of a goat?
Thank you, Nick, for all you do. I have been enjoying the information you have been sharing since I discovered Sacred Science a couple months ago. One day I hope to take your course.
Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to you all all involved with The Sacred Science you wisdom comes to me like an old friend.
Glad to be united in your tribe all the way from Corndale Australia.
Thank you, Nick.
A big merry Christmas to you.
wonderful words from oor cultural lords,thats within us all
Peace be with you,Nick! Happy holidays!✌
This is wonderful. Thank you for sharing!
May peace dance throughout the winds of all of our holidays. Many blessings to you all!
Thank you for your peaceful thoughts. May they travel around our planet this Christmas.
Now science is confirming what ancients have known – about oneness of everything. Research Reveals Plants Can Think, Choose & Remember : http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/research-reveals-plants-can-think-choose-remember
Maybe this will help those who are not of a christian persuasion to find the inner peace needed to face the future/world in the new year
Thank you and piece be with you.
Thank you Black Elk for your wonderful post.
Thank you Nick.
Thank you so much once again for thoughts and sayings. May true Peace be with you and your tribe. Many Blessings,
Just lovely and so true. Thanks and praying you are richly blessed.
Thank you for great words of peace!
Sacred Blessings ~
Cheers!
Thanks Niki for the wisdom of the Sioux tribe. We have much to learn from indigenous groups who know that humans are part of Gaia and not separate. We must have peace within ourselves before we can have peaceful relations with our brother humans. Thanks for the wisdom.
THANK YOU
If everyone could have the First peace what a better world it would be!! Happy New Year Nick! Peace & Love to you & your family always! THANK you !!
I live to read the words of wisdom from a spiritual point of view…especially the words from a spiritual leader…..Native American soul….I hear,I do , I am…………me…….