1. Native Spirituality

2. Religious Experience:
Believe in many gods
Believe in one creator
Believe that animals, plants and objects have a living spirit

3. Sacred Stories:
Some tribes believe they came out of the ground on Turtle Island
Archaeologists believe they came to America from Russia across a frozen land bridge
Rich tradition of sacred stories passed down to share morals/values

4. Symbols and Rituals: Vision quest – coming of age ceremony
Totems – protective entity in the form of an animal, natural object or plant
Sweat lodge – physical and spiritual healing
Fours of the earth – north, south, east, west & earth, air, fire and water & fall, winter, spring, summer & infant, child, adult, old age
Sacred pipe – “when you pray with this pipe, you pray for everything”
Eagle feather – symbol of strength
Smudging ceremony – sweet grass is burned and smudged
Pow-wow – gathering – drums signify the heartbeat of the earth
Medicine wheels

5. Community of Faith:
Shamans believed to have a special connection to spirit world- so they lead ceremonies and help to interpret vision quests
Shamans and elders memorize stories and pass on traditions
Elders and young
children have a
special connection
to the
spirit world

6. Teaching and Doctrine:
All human activity should be set within the natural order of the cosmos
Pay homage to sacrifices ( animals they need to kill to survive )
Treat the environment with reverence because it keeps us alive

7. Ethics:
life depends on treating the environment with respect and dignity
concern for the common good – work together
believe in the wisdom of the elderly and very young
respect all things of the Creator
do not let technology overtake spirituality