Native Mother and her spiritual influence
Dear All,
Ohiyesa (Wahpeton Dakota) gives a tender, eloquent glimpse into the Native Tradition's role of and respect for the mother.
"The Indian was a religious man from his mother's womb. From the moment of her recognition of the fact of conception to the end of second year of life, which was the ordinary duration of lactation, it was supposed by us that the mother's spiritual influence counted for most. Her attitude and secret meditations must be such as to instill into the receptive soul of the unborn child the love of the 'Great Mystery' and a sense of brotherhood with all creation. Silence and isolation are the rule of life for the expectant mother."
'Then you yourself should be thinking about noble things. Specially when people are pregnant they are supposed to read something very noble. Like you can read Geeta or Bible or Koran or something so that your thoughts are toward God and when the child is born, the child also thinks of the same things. All the conditionings of the mother starts the day she conceives the baby, and since that day the child is conditioned. So all the good conditionings you take upon yourself, all the good things you think about the baby you work it out and that is how a child can be very quiet, obedient, sensible, natural personality.'
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1985
"She wanders prayerful in the stillness of great woods, or on the bosom of the untrodden prairie,...And when the day of days in her life dawns - the day in which there is to be a new life, the miracle of whose making has been entrusted to her - she seeks no human aid. She has been trained and prepared in body and mind for this, her holiest duty, ever since she can remember."
'It is a most responsible position is that of the mother. It is even much more responsible than that of a king, to be a mother, because a king can only go up to material level or up to physical level, and up to rational level at the most a philosopher can go, and the emotional level may be fulfilled by the wife. All these things may be done by other people but spiritual level you can only achieve from your mother."
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, The Mother, 1980
"... all nature says to her spirit: 'Tis love! 'tis love! the fulfilling of life!' When a sacred voice comes over to her out of the silence, and a pair of eyes open upon her wilderness, she knows with joy that she has borne well her part in the great song of creation!
'...when a mother conceives, her face just starts glowing. You can see she's creating something. It's the special blessings of God come on her.'
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, The Mother, 1980
"Presently she returns to the camp, carrying the mysterious, the holy, the dearest bundle! She feels the endearing warmth of it and hears its soft breathing. It is still a part of herself, since both are nourished by the same mouthful, and no look of a lover could be sweeter than its deep, trusting gaze.
She continues her spiritual teaching, at first silently - a mere pointing of the index finger to nature - then in whispered songs, bird-like, at morning and evening. To her and to the child the birds are real people, who live very close to the 'Great Mystery'; the murmuring trees breathe His presence; the falling waters chant His praise.
If the child should chance to be fretful, the mother raises her hand. 'Hush! Hush!' she cautions it tenderly, 'The spirits may be disturbed!' She bids it be still and listen to the silver voice of the aspen, or the clashing cymbals of the birch; and at night she points to the heavenly blazed trail through nature's galaxy of splendor to nature's God. Silence, love, reverence - this is the trinity of first lessons, and to these she later adds generosity, courage, and chastity."
'You see, you are a mother, and you have to treat your children with that dignity and with that love that a mother should give... I say this is the greatest thing. Look at Me. This is the greatest thing to be the mother, to love everyone, but they depend on you for love and guidance. Just for love. Such a great thing to feel: " Oh, God, you see, how much I can give. How many cups I can fill." It's such a great feeling. I wish you would know what a mother is. And the brotherhood you have to learn from your children and grandchildren and expand it to the whole universe.'
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, On Childhood, 1980
"In the old days, our mothers were single-eyed to the trust imposed upon them; and as a noted chief of our people was wont to say," Men may slay one another, but they can never overcome the woman, for in the quietude of her lap lies the child! You may destroy him once and again, but he issues as often from that same gentle lap - a gift of the Great Good to the race, in which man is only an accomplice!"
'Moreover I would request the fathers and other relations of the male ones to respect the mother. Motherhood is the highest thing. I tell you the race, any race which does not have superior mothers, cannot exist, cannot exist. Any country which doesn't have mothers of a great quality cannot exist, it will perish, no doubt about it. The mothers have to look after the preservation, not only of their own children, but of the whole race, of the whole nation, it is a very important thing.'
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Children, Parents, Schools, 1985
"This wild mother has not only the experience of her mother and grandmother, and the accepted rules of her people for a guide, but she humbly seeks to learn a lesson from ants, bees, spiders, and badgers. She studies the family life of the birds, so exquisite in its emotional intensity and its patient devotion, until she seems to feel the universal mother-heart beating in her own breast."
'They can take up lots of things if they understand they are mothers. After all, look at the Mother Earth. How much she suffers. In the same way, all the mothers can take up a lot of things about them and the children remember all that, that how much our mother has done for us. How much patient she was. How kindly she was. How she looked after us. All these things they understand.'
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1985
"In due time the child takes of his own accord the attitude of prayer, and speaks reverently of the Powers. He thinks that he is a blood brother to all living creatures, and the storm is to him a messenger of the 'Great Mystery.'"
'To respect all that is there, how to respect, from the Mother Earth you should start. It is said that first you must touch the Mother Earth because you touch her with the feet. First of all the sense of respect must come in children, that's very important.'
'You must behave in a manner which is respectable and the idea of a mother is that she should be worshipable. So you mothers, you will aspire to be something much more higher than the rest of the people.'
'We have to sacrifice many things which we think are treasurable or maybe essential. Most essential thing is our child should feel our presence, which will soothe him down. And make him a personality full of peace. Peaceful atmosphere in the family, peaceful parents and peaceful relationships with others, will create people who will appreciate peace. Not by talking about peace. Having organization of peace.'
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1985
The Soul of the Indian, Charles Alexander Eastman (Ohiyesa)(Winner)Wahpeton Dakota
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Wisdom/CharlesAlexanderEastman.html
Warm regards,
Gerlinde
NOTE: If this page was accessed during a web search you may wish to browse the sites listed below where this topic or related issues are discussed in detail to promote global peace, religious harmony, and spiritual development of humanity:
' Divine Feminine (Hinduism)
' Divine Feminine (Christianity)
' Divine Feminine (Judaism)
' Divine Feminine (Islam)
' Divine Feminine (Taoism)
' Divine Feminine (Buddhism)
' Divine Feminine (Sikhism)
great-spirit-mother.org/ ' Divine Feminine (Native Traditions)
