Native Americans are the First Americans, a group of indigenous people in the United States.
In traditions, the tribes have no holy book or any particular set of rules; neither the word religion for a reason—religion divides the spiritual and real world, which contradicts the beliefs of the Native Americans.
Their practices are not a set religion. Thus, it is spirituality integrating traditions and ideals into everyday living.
In the beliefs of Native Americans, the spiritual and the real world are the same thing and do not separate in any way. Therefore, people can easily access everything in the spiritual realm with the proper knowledge, guidance, and practices.
Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ is a phrase from the Lakota language which means all are related and that everything is general in oneness. This belief explains that spirits exist in everything and everything is connected.
In the belief system of Native Americans, people are one with nature. Therefore, all creations in the world are part of a whole, and everyone, including people, should show respect to each other, even in spirits.
The concept of unattainability or inaccessibility is non-existent in their belief since everything is interconnected in everything else.
In prayer, Native Americans believe in the oneness and harmony of all living things, great or small. Therefore, they worship their creator or deity called the Great Spirit.
Native American poetry is a great way to capture spirit and wisdom, especially when it comes to life. Native American writing is also deep and sweet and appreciates the life we must one day leave.
Native American poetry is powerful not only in conveying a message but also in quiet conviction.
Today, 574 recognized Native American tribes, including the Navajo, Cherokee, and Sioux, are the largest tribes living to this day. There is not much difference between the tribes as they share their cultural practices.
Native American Prayers for the Dead
Like Irish people, Cherokee people are very spiritual, and their view of death is not an end, thus, a transition. Instead, they believe that the soul continues to live after death, where some are manifested as animals while others are not visible to the naked eye.
The Cherokee is currently the largest Native American group in the modern United States.
The prayer presented is written by Kelly Spiritwind Wood, a Native American.
A Cherokee Prayer
I pray to the great spirit
guide me through this pain
this world conflicts
show me a world that holds no lies
that treats us like convicts
abandoned by society
in a world we once walked so free
Show me a setting sun
where blood never flows
like rivers turned red
where another one dies
underneath these blood red skies
Guide me through this land so dead
where visions stay in my head
teach me things nobody knows
when this day is gone
and all has come undone
Give me the strength I need
to make this a better place
when my people bleed
from this world falling from grace
Immortality
The Immortality was written by Clare Harner, a Kansas Native, in 1934 as a eulogy after the sudden death of her brother. It was soon reprinted in the Kansas City Times and the Kansas City Bar Bulletin.
Below is the original version published in The Gypsy of December 1934, under the title “Immortality” and followed by the author's name and location: CLARE HARNER, Topeka, Kan.
Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep,
I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond's gift of snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the autumn's gentle rain,
When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush.
Of quiet birds in circled flight, I am the soft stars that shine at night,
Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die.
Here is another version:
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.
Native American Prayer for Healing the Sick
The following healing prayers are prayers from the Lakota group, a sub-group of the Cheyenne River Sioux Native American tribe.
The Native American Prayer by Chief Yellow Hawk is a healing prayer. Earth Teach Me to Remember is a beautiful poem by Chief John Yellow Lark of the Lakota tribe.
Native American Prayer by Chief Yellow Hawk
O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me.
I come before you, one of your children. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom.
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Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people, the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
I seek strength, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy: myself.
Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so that when life fades as a fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.
Earth Teach Me to Remember
Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep in the rain.
Native American Smudging Prayer for Home
Smudging is a common ritual among indigenous peoples and is strictly observed in these cultures to cleanse, purify spiritually, and remove negative energies and blessings from physical spaces. It is an ancient Native American tradition of burning plants as part of spiritual practices.
The following prayers and blessings are recited during the smudging of the house.
Cherokee Smudging Prayer
May your hands be cleansed that they create beautiful things.
May your feet be cleansed, that they might take you where you most need to be.
May your heart be cleansed, that you might hear its message clearly.
May your throat be cleansed, that you might speak rightly when words are needed.
May your eyes be cleansed, that you might see the signs and wonders of the world.
May this person and space be washed clean by the smoke of these fragrant plants.
And may that same smoke carry our prayers spiraling, to the heavens
Cherokee Blessing Prayer
May the warm winds of heaven
Blow softly upon your house
May the Great Spirit
Bless all who enter there.
May your mocassins
Make happy tracks
In many snows.
And may the Rainbow
Always touch your shoulder.
May the sun
Bring you new energy by day
May the moon
Softly restore you by night
May the rain
Wash away your worries
May the breeze
Blow new strength into your being
May you walk gently through the world
And know its beauty
All the days of your life.
Native American Prayer for Strength
The Native American tribe, Lakota Sioux, worship the Great Spirit as their creator—a counterpart of God in the Christian religion.
In Native American tradition, the symbol of strength is the Eagle in the belief that it carries prayers to the spiritual world—messenger of the Great Spirit.
The prayers below seek the Great Spirit for strength, guidance, and wisdom.
Great Spirit Prayer (The Great Spirit Prayer is widely known but the source is said to be unknown)
O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me.
I am small and weak; I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my friend, but to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So, when life fades, as the fading sunset, may my spirit come to you without shame.
Great God, We Summon You (A Plains Indian Prayer)
Great Spirit, who dwells in every object, every person and every place: we summon You from the far places into our present awareness.
God of the North, who gives wings to the waters of the air and rolls out the snowstorm covering the earth with silver carpet: temper us with toughness to withstand the biting blizzard.
God of the East and of the red sun’s rising, brace us that we neither neglect our gifts nor lose in laziness the hopes each day affords.
God of the South Whose warm breath of compassion dissolves our fears and meets our hatreds: teach us that they who are truly strong are also kind.
God of the West and of the sunset, bless us with knowledge of the freedom which follows the well-disciplined life.
God of the earth beneath our feet, storer of unreckoned resources: we would give thanks unceasingly for Your great bounty.
Great God within, may we be aware of the goodness of the gift of life and be worthy of its priceless privilege.
I Come Before You (This prayer was written by the Chief Yellow Lark)
Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to the world: as I come before You, one of Your many children, I am small and weak; I need Your strength and wisdom.
May I walk in beauty; may my eyes behold the red and purple sunset; may my hands respect what You have made; may my ears be sharp to hear Your voice.
Make me wise, so I may know what You teach in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong, so I may be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
May I ever be ready to come to You with clean hands and straight eyes, so that when life fades like a sunset, I may come to You without shame.
Great Spirit (A Sioux Indian Prayer)
Great Spirit,
The star nations all over the heavens are Yours,
And Yours are the grasses of the earth.
You are older than all need,
Older than all pain and prayer.
Great Spirit,
Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives to all
that live.
Karen Hyman
Karen is a Psychic Medium, a Professional Astrologer, a Spiritual Advisor, and a Life Coach who has been in this career for 19+ years. She specializes in numerology, tarot and oracle cards, twin flames, love & relationships, zodiac, horoscope, dreams interpretation, and astrology. She aims to provide comfort and assurance using her abilities to offer answers to those who seek professional guidance. Read More About Karen Here.
