Beside Restful Waters
by Greg Hermann
“Great Spirit did not give us a purpose only to have an obstruction stop us.”
“We are the medicine.”
This past weekend, Ann and I participated in a phone conference to discuss options for our annual Native gathering on the Lac Courte Oreilles Indian Reservation. Throughout this discussion, given the presence of Covid-19 and its danger to the health of us all, there was an overwhelming positive energy among us. This energy is summed up in the statements above. The most powerful energy was from this statement:
WE ARE THE MEDICINE
Aboriginal peoples have been dealing with ‘obstructions’ since we were birthed. We have suffered a huge variety of challenges to our existence. The fact remains that every challenge has resulted in a re-birth. Every threat has given us new life. The present challenge is not different.
WE ARE THE MEDICINE
We are challenged with statements of who and what we will be when this pandemic is over. However, we continued to return to the fact that “we are” right now. This ‘obstruction’ is the directive to “look within”. As we looked, we gazed in each other's souls and recognized our power, our energy, and our love that is the existing promise of Great Spirit.
We do not have to wait for anything to end. We are the medicine. We are the collective gift of Great Spirit. We are the purpose of Great Spirit. We are a voice of our Grandfather’s teachings. We are not stopping.
WE ARE NOT STOPPING
We are asked to bring out our medicines now! Live our medicines now! Engage our teachings and engage them into our lifestyle knowing that ‘we are not stopping”.
Which of these gifts of our Grandfather strengthen your heart?
Personally, I need to engage courage in the face of negative statements and negative energy. I need courage to act on our truth and to be connected with you all as a family and to know that we are the medicine. Which gift inspires you?
MANADENDIMOWIN
RESPECT
DEBWEWIN
TRUTH
ZAGIDIWIN
LOVE
TABASSE NIMOWIN
HUMILITY
GIWEKWEDISIWIN
HONESTY
SONGIDEEWIN
COURAGE
NIBWAAKAWIN
WISDOM
WE ARE THE MEDICINE
GREAT SPIRIT DID NOT GIVE US A PURPOSE ONLY TO HAVE
AN OBSTRUCTION STOP US.
WE ARE THE MEDICINE