 | Communicating with Your Creator |
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In the vast period to time unknown, the original peoples of this universe counseled with their creator to offer thanks for their being. In this sacred way they were told how to liberate their innermost thoughts, make their humble requests, and live a good clean life. They call this state of being ikche wicasa, or humble man/woman. The creator taught them to use the natural herbs of sage, sweetgrass, tobacco, and cedar smoke as a physical reminder to them of this omnipotent presence. It is the sacred way.
The scent of these natural herbs is pleasing to the creator and its creations. Sage is used by the original peoples to make their prayers, to signal the creator of one's need for help, to keep away the evil spirits. It is a protection against evil spirits. Likewise, sweetgrass is used in these prayers as it is pleasing to the creator, the spirit in the sweetgrass informs of the penitent person's needs. So, too, are the cedar leaves used to communicate with the spirits--meant to show friendship with wakinyan, the thunderbeings. The creator's spirit is in tobacco, when used in this sacred manner with the canumpa wakan (the sacred pipe), the spirit as smoke enters the man, refreshes him, then travels to the sky laden with thanksgiving. So the people were taught, in this wakan (holy and powerful) way do they communicate with their creator.
I was taught some of these things by my grandfather Joe Rockboy, a man of the Ihanktonwan Nakota Oyate (Yankton Sioux People). These are the good ways, they are sacred ways, they are wakan ways.
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17 February 2000, lrb, dzl