My Home (Mitakuye
Oyasin)-
When we tug at a single thing in nature, we find it
attached to the rest of the world.
John Muir
I am working on an outdoors book and I
asked my friend to review it for me and provide me with any suggestions or
comments. To my surprise and delight he
shared this with me and asked that I include it in the book. Long before the creation of Leave No Trace,
the native people of this land had a similar concept and deeper philosophy. John Muir knew it, and you have probably read
his quote before. I think my friend has
captured the essence of this concept. I
plan to use it as the forward to the book, but I wanted to share it with my
fellow travelers as I feel you will likely appreciate his words as much as I
have.
Bill
My Home-
If you were to take
this book seriously, and venture out into the outdoors, please know that you
will be more than a simple traveler, you will be a guest in my home. The outdoors is more than just a place you
will go for recreation, or escape from your urban lives. I would like to formally invite you to my
home. Like any invited guest, I hope you
will observe some basic courtesies while traveling my halls.
Imagine I am
hosting a party at your house, and I invite an unlimited number of guests. Would they use your washroom and tuck the
used waste papers into the corner of your bathroom? Would they finish their drinks and discard
the cups into your hearth? Would they
toss uneaten food into your bedroom?
Wash their clothing in your kitchen sink? I think not, such behavior is un-acceptable
when entering someone's house, such guests would not be welcome, and the simple
shame if caught in these behaviors would be enough to prevent many of them in
the first place.
So too must you
behave when in my house, such simple, civilized actions are no less welcome in
the uncivilized lands where you will be a guest. However you will find the door always open,
few if any other guests exist to police your behavior, so you must supervise
yourselves.
In polite society
most two-legged practice some form of the golden rule, "Treat others as
you wish to be treated." In my home
there are no rules, and no one to enforce them even if they existed. This freedom is why you came to visit, and
why you choose to stay. Though no rules
exist, there is a law. This law is a
Truth; it cannot be taught, nor adequately written. A rule can be broken, a Truth, cannot. This law is universal, and like all Truth's
on this Earth, it is easy to say, hard to understand, and harder to live.
In your visits you
may hear of trail magic, you may experience these events personally. For those of you not familiar, these are acts
of kindness received by those who visit my home. Most commonly received from your fellow
two-legged; simple gifts of food, shelter, or hospitality as you travel. This magic is a simple gift, from one human
to another. It restores your faith, your
connection, and your bond with your fellow members of the human race. In my home these actions are termed, good
medicine. Medicine being more than just
a simple word, but rather a concept encompassing not only the personal power
and energy of an individual, but also the flow of this energy from one being to
another.
Mitakuye Oyasin; in the tongue of
the Sioux, is a phrase similar in nature to the golden rule, but farther
reaching, a Truth, a concept more full and all-encompassing than a simple
rule. Translated it means; we are all
related, we are all one. Like medicine
these two words are more than just words, they are a philosophy, and a law that
governs all actions and events. In my
home there is not just good medicine, but also bad.
Any poor behavior,
disrespectful actions to your host or his house will likely not be seen by any
other human. No social pressure or
stigma will prevent your actions, your invitation will not be revoked; no one
will ask you to leave. This bad medicine
however will follow you, and since this land is a place of medicine there you
will begin to feel unwelcome. Roots
will seem to tangle your feet, minor frustrations will become agonies, and you
will experience the exact opposite of trail magic. You will have strained the goodwill and
hospitality of your host, and subtle warnings will be issued.
Those of you with
good hearts will come. You will respect
the people that live there; you will treat others kindly and treat my home as
you would treat your own. You may even
find yourself correcting the mistakes of others who enter the outdoors. You will experience trail magic, good things
will happen to you. You will feel the
love of your fellow humans; you will benefit from their kindness and begin to
see that you are all related. That all
your actions have a relationship to the world around you; that you are not
simply wishing to be treated well, that you are treated well.
You need not know
anymore, you need not attribute any great spiritual meaning, join a religious
group, worship or praise some higher power, or otherwise accept any belief in
anything but the Truth. Mitakuye Oyasin. When you enter my home, you must accept the
law of the land, nothing more, nothing less.
You must simply understand the law, those who do not will always be
welcome, but will quickly lose their taste to visit. You need know nothing more to travel my halls
in peace, to be an honored guest during every visit.
Some of you
however, will experience more.
You will receive
trail magic filled with good medicine that transcends co-incidence. You will receive gifts; they will be just
what you need, exactly when you need it.
Experiences that will stretch the boundaries of common sense, push the
realm of practicality. You will begin to
receive help from outside your immediate relations of the two-legged clan. You will begin to meet the others who live in
my home.
When the halls of
my home begin to bend, not to your will, but in good will, you will learn the
Truth. Soft earth cushions your feet,
rain quenches your thirst, fire warms your camp, and the wind blows at your
back. When your tears flow with thanks,
your heart swells with joy, your soul fills with wonder, and your spirit flies
freely across the land, you will understand the Truth.
When my Father
shines on your face, my Mother cradles you in your sleep, you will begin to
wonder. When you meet the other clans; the
four-legged, the winged, the finned, the plants, the insects, and the crawling
ones. When you walk under the arms of
the standing ones, climb on the backs of the stone clan, and when you see all
the Directions, you will begin to understand who all the people that dwell in
my house are. When you form a
relationship with all the residents of my home, then the true hospitality will
begin to flow. When you begin to feel
love for all the people who dwell there, for all your relations you will begin
to feel that love returned.
If ever bad
medicine flows your way, you need only look to yourself. Many guests bring heavy burdens to my home;
no one stands to take your coat at the door.
When you are ready to part with your baggage you will find ample room,
though the parting may be difficult.
Some rooms in my home are filled with mirrors, reflecting your faults,
making you feel unwelcome. But these
hardships are merely another form of hospitality, my home educating you to its
Law, helping you to overcome your troubles.
The land is a great teacher to those with the courage to learn its
lessons. When you become a model guest,
you will find no limits to the hospitality received.
Many of you will
enter my home; you will sit at my hearth, drink, eat, and enjoy the company and
fellowship of all who live there. You
will gain respect and love for these people, you will become not merely equals,
but you will see that you are all the same.
A part of the whole.
One day you will
arrive at my home. You will approach the
door to knock and gain entry. Your hand
will stall as you read the words written on the door, seen fully for the first
time. Your hand will fall to your
side.
Mitakuye Oyasin.
You will know my
home for what it truly is. We are more
than just related, we are one. My home
is all the people that live there, all the people who live there are my
home. My home is alive. You are related to my home, you are my home.
Your hand will
reach once more for the door, without knocking you will turn the knob and
enter; after all you are no longer a guest.
Welcome home.
Walk in peace,
Coyote Thunder Owl
One day, it will happen,
One day, it will all come true.
One day, when you're ready,
One day, when you're up to it.
The atmosphere, will get lighter
And two suns, ready, to shine just for you
I can feel it, I can feel it.
One day it will happen,
One day, it will all make sense.
One day, you will blossom,
One day, when you're ready.
"One
Day", Bjork
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