Issue 60
| In this issue: 1) Welcome Letter by Dream Walker 2) MANIFESTING OUR INNER POTENTIAL by Robert Elias Najemy 3) Are You Taking One Step Forward And Two Steps Back? By Jan Tincher 4) The Power Of Music 5) Goals Only Work When You Do by Rhoberta Shaler, PhD 6) Moments of Remembrance and Reflection in 2002 by Terri Jean  Welcome Letter by Dream Walker Yá'át'ééh! It is so hard for me to believe that it is New Year's Eve already. Another year gone, another year to come, with all of it's potential and promise. Two years ago, on the eve of the new millennium, there was a Pow Wow and ceremony held here in Tucson called Thunder In The Desert. Its catch phrase was, "Where will you be when the sun comes up?" I was there, on the dawning of the new year, freezing and praying with a diverse group of people led by a Hopi Medicine Man. It was a life-altering experience. And so I ask all of you on the eve of this new year: where will you be when the sun comes up? Asleep? Hanging over the toilet bowl from a night of drinking and partying? Or could you begin this new year greeting the sun, thanking the Creator for the year that has come to an end with all of its blessings and lessons, praying to the Creator for a new year in which to become all that you can be? Each year, for many years now, my husband and I have spent a few days before New Year's Eve, compiling two lists. One list is of the things that we wish to leave behind us from the past year. The other is of all the things that we wish to accomplish and become in the new year. At midnight, we burn the list of things to be left behind, and read our list of new goals. We chant, pray and give thanks. This year, I again intend to greet the rising sun and pray. Looking back, I feel as if I let this past year slip by me, and that I lost my way from my path somewhat. This new year, I want to rededicate myself to my spiritual possibilities, and to the goals that I have set for myself. Every day is a new life, with new possibilities. I am going to live each new life to my fullest. I encourage all of you to dedicate this New Year's Eve in a spiritual way. Use the gift to start a change in your life. You will not regret it! Blessings to you all in the New Year. May it be all that you want it to be. May you be all you want to be in 2002. A HO! MANIFESTING OUR INNER POTENTIAL by Robert Elias Najemy Self Limiting Elephants Elephants born in captivity are restrained by a chain that attaches one leg to a metal spike driven into the ground. This prevents them from roaming. They become accustomed to the fact that, as long as the chain and spike are next to them, they are unable to move. As they grow older, their minds become programmed. When they see the spike and chain, they "believe" and accept that they will not be able to move. They become so conditioned that when their owners place a small rope and wooden peg next to them, they make no effort to step away from it, because they "believe" they are unable to. In truth, their actual power as adults is so great that they could easily pull up a chain and spike of any size. Their programming or "belief," however, allows this tiny rope and wooden peg to limit their movement. We are all very much like these elephants. We allow the weaknesses, fears and rejection we experienced as children to program us into a life in which we lack power, peace, love and happiness. We become controlled by false childhood assumptions we have made about our ability, strength and self worth. We can move away from these "pegs" of self-limitation, but we must chose to do so. The Lion Cub The story about the lion cub more graphically describes this process. Once there was a great lioness that went hunting with her newborn cub. While chasing and attacking a flock of sheep, the she-lion made a wrong move, fell off a cliff and died. The cub was left without a mother and grew up in the midst of the sheep. As the years passed, the cub became a full-grown lion, but it was instinctually conditioned to behave as a sheep. It ate grass, made a bleating sound, and just like the sheep, developed a fear of all other animals. One day, another lion attacked the flock, and in the chase, was shocked to see the ridiculous sight of a full grown lion running away with the sheep bleating "bah bah" in fear. He caught up to the sheepish lion, and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you acting in this ridiculous way? You a great, powerful lion acting like a lowly powerless sheep? What has come over you? You should be ashamed of yourself." The sheepish lion explained that he was a sheep, and that the flock had taught him to fear and bleat and run in horror from the powerful lions. The adult lion took the sheepish lion down to the river and asked him to look at the reflection of his own face. He saw that he was like the lion and not like the sheep. The lion then woke up from its ignorance and discovered its previously ignored inner courage, strength and majesty. We are like the sheepish lion. The sheep represent our human nature, our personality, which moans, fears, complains and worries. The Lion is the spiritual aspect of our being, which is a source of great power, wisdom, creativity, goodness and love. Great spiritual teachers have appeared throughout history with the same message of our "LION NATURE", the untapped spiritual power and greatness that dwells within us. Our Life Purpose Our life purpose is to manifest our unlimited inner power, beauty, creativity and love. We will never feel totally satisfied until we fulfill this inner need to become who we really are. Just as every flower feels a basic need to bring forth its flowers and fruits, we too have an abundance of gifts to bring forth to the world around us. We can do this in many ways. What are your challenges, which you would like to meet today with greater confidence in your inner power and ability to cope? 1. Dealing more positively with a relationship problem? 2. Healing yourself from an illness or weakness in the body? 3. Dealing with the loss of or separation from a loved one? 4. Solving an economic problem? 5. Bringing up children with love and wisdom? 6. Manifesting social changes? 7. Facing death with inner peace when the time comes? 8. Forgiving someone? 9. Confronting fears? 10. Transforming our belief system. 11. Coping with a law case or some injustice? 12. Creating something that requires all your inner resources? 13. Finishing school? 14. Making a new step in life? 15. Making an important decision? Whatever our present challenges might be, we need to move forward and meet them on all levels with self-confidence, self-esteem, humility, love and clarity. In addition, we need to be detached from the final outcome. It is the motive and effort which count and not the result. We will also need to develop patience and perseverance. We must preserver while also being patient for the results. (Adapted from the "The Psychology of Happiness" by Robert Najemy available at http://www.Amazon.com and http://www.HolisticHarmony.com . This book and other writings can be viewed at http://www.HolisticHarmony.com where you can also download FREE articles and e-books.) Are You Taking One Step Forward And Two Steps Back? By Jan Tincher Are you taking one step forward and two steps back in finances, relationships, or some other area of your life? Is something stopping you from succeeding? You know what? It may be just your thoughts. Why not try this exercise? Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On the left, list all the negative thoughts you have about your situation. On the right, list all the positive thoughts you have about it. Look at all the negative thoughts on the left. When you hold a negative thought up to scrutiny, it usually fades, doesn't it? Why is that? Because many times, we hold a negative thought in our minds out of habit. When we give it a second look, we realize *Hey, that's not what I really want.* For instance, you say *I can't do [this] because of [that].* Like, *I can't get a raise because they want me to travel.* Maybe when you hold that thought up to scrutiny, you see that they only want you to travel x amount of days a month -- or only go x amount of miles away. X amount doesn't seem so bad now, does it? Or, *I can't take that job because they want me to work week ends.* Then, you look into it further and see that it's only one week end, every two months, which just might be acceptable to you. Put your *I can't because . . .* up to scrutiny before you make a final decision. See if it's worth changing your lifestyle, or whatever, to do whatever it takes to go forward. When you are aware that the negative thought is there, that is the first step toward changing. Whenever you have a *I can't because . . .* take another look. Maybe it's a *I'd rather not because . . .* If that's the case, check your priorities. Scrutinize your thought. Maybe a thought pattern took control of your life when you weren't looking. Keep holding it up to the light until it goes away. Maybe that will help you take two steps forward and none backward. Work with it until all your thoughts are good. Have a great life! Thanks for reading. Jan Copyright 2001, Jan Tincher, All Rights Reserved Worldwide ==> Would you like a FREE phone session with Jan Tincher, Hypnotherapist & Master Neuro-Linguistic Programmer? Click here to find out how! http://www.tameyourbrain.com/subscribe.htm The Power Of Music [NOTE: I am including 2 songs in honor of the new year] Imagine by John Lennon Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today... Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one ~~~~~~~~~ The Day The World Gets Round by George Harrison The day the world gets 'round to understanding where it is, Using all it's found, to help each other, hand in hand The day the world gets 'round to understanding where it's gone Losing so much ground killing each other, hand in hand Such foolishness in man I want no part of their plan - OH NO If you're the destructive kind Now I'm working from day to day As I don't want to be like you I look for the pure of heart And the ones that have made a start, But Lord, there are just a few who bow before you, in silence they pray, Oh how they pray for the day the world gets 'round Using all they've found To help each other, hand in hand The Day The World Gets 'Round Goals Only Work When You Do © Rhoberta Shaler, PhD Goal setting seems to be a perennially hot topic! Could it be that you hear and read about it so often because its a subject that is easy to know about and difficult to practice? It would be very surprising to find an adult in the work force who has not heard about goal setting. A Harvard study of their graduates over thirty years found that there were only a small percentage (3%) of them who actually wrote down their goals--and these were the most successful! You can be certain that every one of those students had repeatedly heard the value of goal setting. Yet only 3% actually wrote down their goals consistently. Imagine what you can do if you both write down your goals and, then, focus on them every day, every week, until they are accomplished! What is it the causes the "New Year's Resolution Syndrome"? You probably know the one. People make resolutions, work hard at them for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, and then forget them. Next year, they make the same New Year's Resolutions. That is the syndrome. It is self-defeating and self-sabotaging. So, why do so many people do it? They may be making goals that are too global, too extensive, too unrealistic for the time frame, body type or current finances. That is not to say that they are not worthy goals. They need to be broken apart into smaller, more specific, attainable pieces. The elephant analogy is still the best one I know of to illustrate good goal setting. You probably know it. "How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time." So it is with goals. Make spoon size goals and accomplish them. One you've mastered those, get a bigger spoon! You may have too many people in your life who consciously or subconsciously are unwilling or unable to support you to reach your goals. Everyone has a ‘personal tribe’ – their friends, families, colleagues. You have created agreement among your tribe members that you are a certain way, or you do certain things. They are comfortable with you as long as you are and do those things. They may even be enthusiastic about your desire to change something or accomplish something new. Just know that, as you change and accomplish, they may not like it. They may even go so far as to put you down in small ways or make light of your accomplishments. Do you know why? It is usually because your changes remind them, on some levels, that they could be doing it, too...and they aren't! Surround yourself with people who want you to have what you want for yourself. Be mutually supportive and you'll all achieve your highest goals. You may have filled your schedule with so many things that there is little room for your goals to grow. We must be careful not to confuse busyness with progress. Be selective about how you use your time and what you focus on. Success often comes when you know what to leave out, rather than what to include in your life. Notice, too, how much time you spend on trivia. It has a nasty way of taking your attention from what you say you want to focus on, doesn't it? Have you ever just "had" to clean your office before you could begin your project? Then you know how this works! Goal setting is like the pig and chicken who were out for a walk in town early one morning. The chicken became really excited when she saw a sign that said "Ham & Eggs, $2.99". She said to the pig, "Look, we've got double billing again." The pig grunted and said, "That's all right for you to say. For you, it's all in a day's work. For me, it's total commitment." Goal setting is all in a day's work. Goal achievement is total commitment. ****************************************** (c) Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, is a motivational keynote speaker, consultant and trainer on 'People Skills for Sustainable Success'. She leads organizations to improve workplace relationships, build & strengthen teams, and, manage conflict, anger & difficult people. She can reached at 1.877.728.6464 or through http://www.SpeakingAboutWork.com Moments of Remembrance and Reflection in 2002 by Terri Jean from The Native Truth January 6, 1864: Remember the Navajo and their "Long Walk" initiated by the United States government who wishes to place the people "at points so remote from the settlements as to isolate them entirely from the inhabitants of the territory." January 17, 1863: Remember Mangas Colorado, Apache chief, who is ambushed and then murdered in his cell after agreeing to a truce with the United States. January 23rd, 1870: Today the Baker Massacre, also called "The Greatest slaughter of Indians ever made by US troops", leaves 170-215 Indians dead in the snow. They are to be remembered. January 24, 1955: Remember Ira Hayes, famous for raising the US flag over Iwo Jimo with fellow Marines during WWII, who died today of exposure at the age of 33. January 27, 1863: Remember the many Shoshone Indians killed in the Battle of Bear River. February 8th, 1887: The Dawes Act, which causes American Indian groups to lose a collected 90 million acres of reservation land, is passed. February 17th, 1909: Apache leader, Geronimo, dies a prisoner at Fort Sill, Oklahoma Territory. February 23rd, 1911: Quanah Parker, Comanche, dies today. February 25th, 1643: Remember those who died in the unprovoked massacre known as "The Slaughter of the Innocents." February 27th, 1973: Wounded Knee II erupts in South Dakota. March 9th, 1782: Remember the 90 innocent Deleware Christian Indians executed for crimes in which they did not commit. March 12th, 1880: Today Judge Elmer Dundy resolves that Native Americans are indeed "persons within the meaning of the law" and have the same right as any other person. Until then, it was debated whether an Indian was a real person or an animal. April 11, 1968: The American Indian Civil Rights Act is passed through Congress. April 30th, 1871: Remember the 144 defensiveness Aravaipa Apache Indians murdered by an angry mob at Camp Grant. June 2, 1924: All American Indians are granted US citizenship. June 7th, 1866: Remember Chief Seattle who crossed over today in 1866. June 8th, 1874: Remember Chief Conchise who crossed over today in Arizona. July 11, 1968: The American Indian Movement (AIM) is founded, Minneapolis, Minnesota August 5th, 1881: Remember Lower Brule Sioux leader, Spotted Tail, who crossed over today at the age of sixty-eight. August 11, 1978: Congress passes the American Indian Religious Freedom Act which lifts the ban from many Native American religious ceremonies, including the legendary Ghost Dance. September 3rd, 1783: Remember the Brule people massacred today in 1783. September 5th, 1877: Remember Crazy Horse, assassinated at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. October 12th, 1492: Christopher Columbus accidentally lands in the Bahamas November 7th, 1811: Remember `The Battle of Tippecanoe.' November 9, 1969: Remember the Occupation of Alcatraz November 16th, 1990: Today Congress passes the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. November 19th, 1986: The American Indian Vietnam Plaque commemorating the diligent service of nearly 43,000 Native American Indians who served in the Vietnam war is dedicated at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on this day in Native American History. November 20th, 1890: Approximately 3000 American Indians gather at the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations to practice a new religious ritual called the `Ghost Dance.' This new religion, preached by its founder, the prophet Wovoka, is feared by whites because the Ghost Dance predicts an end to white encroachment and the unity of American Indians captured and corralled onto reservations by the US government. On November 20th, 1890, the United States military is ordered to break up the praying men and women gathered on the Stronghold plateau on the reservation by any means possible. November 24th, 1807: Remember Mohawk Indian, Joseph Brant (also referred to as Captain Brant or Brandt) who died on this day in 1807. November 29th, 1864: Remember those who died today at Sand Creek December 26, 1862: Remember the 38 Santee Sioux hanged simultaneously in the largest mass public execution ever held. December 28th, 1864: Remember the 300+ innocent Sioux Indians killed at Wounded Knee Also, November is American Indian Heritage Month!! With Yuletide blessings, TJ To subscribe to this group send a blank email to: native_truth-subscribe@egroups.com |
HOME