Like the Great Spirit, you as a Spirit lives forever. We are made in the image of the Great Spirit, God, made just like our Father. A Spirit that lives forever has lived many lifetimes.
This teaching is for all those that have thought they are here on the Earth, for a short time. "You aren't here for a short time!" Buying into that lie, makes one live fast and hard, with no respect for life. Why? Cause you, won't be here when all the trees, fish, and game are gone, so why not chop, catch and shoot them all now? Do you really need "the money" to "party hardy" or for some "material thing", society makes you desire. Sharing in short sighted thoughts, shows a retardation, and someone that does not have the vision required to see the future. For these younger spirits, others need to see for them. We need to bring the future into focus for everyone.
Native People lived quite happily with out all those "material things" for thousands of years. Not remembering that one will return to the Earth again makes it easy for one to forget the next seven generations. Thinking about your personal gain, makes one that sees their life, as more important than every one else. Thinking of immediate gratification allows one to act without much thought for others. You need to remember every day that you are a Spirit first, a Body second.
Every One has made mistakes in other lifetimes; you have played, loved, lost loves, been hurt, overcome obstacles, been great warriors, heroes and more. You lived many lifetimes and have experienced everything more than once. You all know one and other, for you have been together in other lifetimes. When you tell the ones you love, that they mean everything to you, it is because they have been everything to you. If it is your woman…she has been your lover, your sister, your mother, your aunt, your daughter, your grandmother, your childhood friend. She has been everything to you! That is why you are supposed to treat all women with respect! And vice versa for women. They are to treat all men with the same respect, for the same reasons. Like you, he/she is a Spirit. He/She too, was born once, as a Spirit and a Spirit can live forever.
Your Spirit has flowed through many bodies, and it is your Mother the Earth, that gives you your body and your physical Mother, that gives that body birth. Now, think of how many lifetimes you may have had and all the beings you have been, for you had to love all life before you were even born a human being. "All my Relations" means all your relations. This is how your Spirit System came into being. Your Clan/Totem/Heraldry holds the information of the Spirit Family you were born into. Whatever you were, you still are. (time)This is the first part of your Spirit's story of who you are. You are related to All Life. All Life is a gift of God.
You have been every colour of Man, for your spirit has flowed through many bodies. To learn to love, with a full understanding, you have to have been in every family of Mankind. So how could you hate any of them? For you were once a part of them and they too a part of you, all are your family. "All my Relations"! The Body your Spirit flows through now and the colour of the Skin you have, is only, the convictions of love you carry in this lifetime to help the Family the Creator placed you in, now. You are to grow greaster in understanding, so that you can share that understanding with the Greater Family, All the Nations, All of the Creator's Children, your Brothers and Sisters. The Red Skinned Family is the Eldest Brother and has the responsibility to help His younger Brothers and Sisters to Grow Greater, especially the White Skinned ones, that were the Youngest Brother (which is why they got so lost.).
Right now, many people are lost just playing the "Big Monopoly Game" and trying to live the "Euro-American Dream"(dream of consumerism). As everyone knows, one eventually "Wakes Up from all Dreams or Nightmares" depending on ones perspective, and all will return to The Original Way. Life is a Circle, (one of the first things taught to all Native People). Can one live another Nation's "dream of conquest" and call it life? Remembering that you are a Spirit, will help you to make Right decisions every day, one decision at a time. Choose to Love and Live right.
Every Family has Elder Spirits (so there are Red, White, Yellow and Black, Elder Spirits too) and Every Family has medicine. Yellow, Red, Black and White, they were all Tribal before Mankind brought or forced civilisation on them. That is why not all beings of a particular race are 'bad'. There are always exceptions. Only when you can see in Spirit, will you be able to see the exceptional ones.
Your 'Medicine Bundle' comes as you grow in Spirit. The more you know about yourself and your relationship to All Life, the more the Creator and His Great Spirits will teach you about the Medicine you carry for Your People. When you can see All Beings as the Creator's Spirits, then you can say you know Love and knowing Love is the first step to becoming a Warrior/Teacher. A Warrior is someone that will protect those that he loves. A Teacher is someone that will correct those that he loves. We were all told to Love one and another…love one and other... All Life not just Humans.
All of these thoughts were inspired by my friends in the Iron Houses, the Prisons of America, who are working on their Spiritual growth. Chi Meegwetch!!! For the many lessons you have taught me. For further understanding read the Respect Teaching.
From my Spirit to Yours,
Lightening Woman