While doing a little bit of genealogy work recently, I came across this lovely prayer. One of my grandfathers was supposedly a man by the name of Chief White Cloud. I don’t know much about him yet, but I was moved by this prayer that has been attributed to him. Wether it is by my ancestor or not, I think that it speaks to all people.
O Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world,
hear me!
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.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother,
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,
my spirit may come to you …
without shame.
This Embodied Life 