Native American Spirituality
By Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D.
There are some generalities that apply to the majority of Native American Indian nations. Native American beliefs are generally
pluralistic, meaning that your beliefs are right for you, and our beliefs are right for us. There's a caveat, however:
The religion that is "right" for you is determined by your specific Native American nationality.
Native American beliefs hold that spirituality is deeply taboo, especially when talking with outsiders. The method of transferring
information is primarily word of mouth and there are no Indian sacred texts. In fact, most Native American languages have no
written form.
Spirituality for the Native American is an outlook. It is completely integrated into one's lifestyle - not thought of
as "religion," but rather as a way of life.
Ancestors communicate with Native Americans through thoughts and rituals. Every Native American knows what nation they
belong to
and traditionals practice the beliefs of their respective nations. Faith is based on community and each person
has a set roles in a specific ritual or ceremony. Offering money makes a ceremony useless.
Different tribes call the powers (or mystic energies) by different names. The Iroquois call it Orenda Power.
The Algonquin tribes call it Manitou. Inuit call the power Sila. The Sioux call the Great Spirit, Wakan Wanka
where all life is Wakan. The Cherokee say "Creator Being" and the Great Mystery where we ourselves are an
extension of the Mystery. So also everything that exhibits power, whether in action or not, as the winds and
drifting clouds or the passive endurance of the boulder by the wayside. Common sticks and stones have a spiritual essence that must be reverenced as a manifestation of the all-pervading mysterious power that fills
the universe.
The main theme that underscores the Native American belief system is the idea of Mother Earth and the
coexistence of life with nature and animals. All of nature is intertwined so that we may learn. The telling
of legends and myths throughout time were the only way to personify the mysterious workings of The Great Spirit.
Below is a quote from a Sioux Indian that helps to further illuminate American Indian spirituality:
"The Indian loved to worship. From birth to death, he revered his surroundings. He considered himself born in the
luxurious lap of Mother Earth, and no place was to him humble. There was nothing between him and the Big Holy
(Wakan Tanka). The contact was immediate and personal, and the blessings of Wakan Tanka flowed over the Indian
like rain showered from the sky. Wakan Tanka was not aloof, apart, and ever seeking to quell evil forces. He did
not punish the animals and the birds, and likewise, he did not punish man. He was not a punishing god. For there
was never a question as to the supremacy of an evil power over and above the power of Good. There was but one
ruling power, and that was Good."
- Luther Standing Bear, Sioux, Born 1868
References (To view, roll mouse over the "References" heading; to hide, click on the heading)
Arrien, A. (1993). The four-fold way: Walking the paths of the warrior, teacher, healer, and visionary. New York: Harper.
Brooke, E. (1997). Medicine women: A pictorial history of women healers. Adyar, India: Quest Books.
Fredricks, R. (2008). Healing & wholeness: Complementary and alternative therapies for mental health. Bloomington,IN: Authorhouse.
Krippner, S., & Achterberg, J. (2000). Anomalous healing experiences. In E. Cardena, S. J.
Lynn, & S. C. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence
(pp. 353-396). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Kroeber, A. L. (2006). Handbook of the Indians of California, vol 1. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger.
Narby, J., & Huxley, F. (2001). Shamans through time: 500 years on the path to knowledge. New York: J.P. Tarcher.
Perrone, B., Stockel, H., & Krueger, V. (1993). Medicine women, curanderas, and women doctors. Oklahoma City: University of Oklahoma Press.
Tedlock, B. (2005). The woman in the shaman's body: Reclaiming the feminine in religion and medicine. New York: Bantam.
San Jose Therapy Counseling Psychotherapy psychotherapist therapist
