Like everything else in life, the culture of early native Americans had both its positives and negatives. On the one hand, many native American tribes were extremely cruel to their captives – often torturing them to death, and during tough winters they themselves could starve to death. On the other hand, their lifestyle was so entwined with spirituality that there’s something undeniably appealing about it, particularly in light of our own rather materialistic society.
In the words of John Redtail Freesoul, a Cheyenne – Arapaho, “There is no philosophy or dogma or doctrine with us. We don’t separate religion and culture. Our way of life is life itself, a living relationship and a living realization…The Great Spirit is male and female. The male aspect of the Great Spirit is Sky Father, the female aspect is Earth Mother. All life is the child of Earth Mother and Sky Father. As sons and daughters of the earth and sky we are all related, not only to all races but also to plants, animals and rocks. They are our relatives.”
In other words, the Native Americans were not as dualistic as us. Their material and spiritual worlds co-existed on the same plane, and this is because they practiced something called animism, in which all creatures and objects are believed to possess a soul. This means that not only are animals and plants perceived as alive and sentient, but also rocks, rivers, shadows, thunder and other types of weather systems, as well as human handiwork, and even words!
In addition to this belief, in most Native American cultures individuals were expected to seek a connection with these spirits on their own, rather than through an intermediary like a priest. Through this individual connection to the spirits within everything, the identity of the typical Native American could be said to expand beyond his or her own body to include the natural setting—and particularly the animals within it.
Specific examples include the animal guides that young males received during visions quests; the animal ancestors of NW Pacific tribes; the integral role animals played within creation stories (which, in turn, impacted the Native American world view as much as the Adam and Eve story impacted that of Christians and Jews); and finally, the animal tricksters, like Coyote and Raven, whose antics taught lessons while also providing vicarious release from social strictures.
Finally, native Americans also placed great importance on maintaining balance–something sorely lacking in today’s world. Their shamans, for instance, were believed to promote this in at least two ways: Not only did they help maintain the balance between members of their tribe and other life forms (animals, plants, rocks, etc.) by going into trances and negotiating with these beings in the spirit world, but often they cured illnesses by mending the soul of an ill person-an act that restored the balance of that person, thereby eliminating the ailment.
The sandpaintings of the Navajo, which are created by the shaman for healing purposes, are an example of this. These are viewed as spiritual, living beings, and their structure determines their efficacy. Not only must the paintings contain the order and symmetry that a patient wishes to establish within her own life, but their accuracy will determine the effectiveness of the process.
In sum, early Native American spirituality included animism, an expanded identity that included animals, and a healthy respect for balance–not just between humans and their environment, but between the physical and spiritual halves of individuals. On a personal note, while I can see that the concept of animism might appear far-fetched for some, certainly an expanded identity that includes the planet upon which we depend, and a healthy respect for balance within our own lives could benefit us all.
As always, please let me know whether you found this post interesting or helpful by “liking” it; that way, I can better choose future topics.
With warm regards,
Rev. Ryan