that You give me the strength to walk worthily this day so that when I lie down at
night I will not be ashamed.” Thanks are given to the Great Power who makes all
things possible. People give thanks, not only for the good events but also for the bad
things that happen throughout the day, because they believe that the more they
show their appreciation, the more blessings they will receive.
The Healing Art: a Gift from the Creator
Shamans and medicine people are seen as channels the Creator has provided and
trained. Some are born into families with medical or ritual skills, while others dis-
cover this path through a dream or vision. Selection is based on signs of devotion,
wisdom, humility, and honesty. Once called, the individual seeks training, usually
by apprenticing to a medicine person for a number of years. All knowledge comes
from the Creator, and the elders are charged with the responsibility of keeping
knowledge about healing foods, herbs, and medicine and passing it on. Trusted with
all secrets, rituals, and legends of their people, Native healers are considered to be
inspired individuals with great importance to the tribe. Training is complete when
the teacher says it is complete and when the candidate has practiced the skills pub-
licly and with success.
Medicine people believe that the healing knowledge they possess has to be dispensed
in a certain way, often through ritual or ceremony. Healers receive their knowledge
through fasting and asking for guidance from Above. During the period of fasting,
the Great Being might reveal a chant or the location of a particular herb and give
instructions on how to use it for different illnesses.
Time is often considered an ally in recovery. With the passage of time, fears and
problems sometimes fade. Love is a key element in the healing process. The healer
enters into the healing relationship with love and compassion. The two individuals
experience a joining or merging as this process unfolds. This merger symbolizes the
cementing together of people and the Divine Spirit.
The Circle
The circle represents the cycles of life that have no beginning, no end, and no time
element. The Great Spirit causes everything to be round. The sun, earth, and moon
are round. The sky is deep like a bowl. Things that grow from the ground like the
stem of a plant or plant roots are round. The circle, symbol of infinity and intercon-
nectedness, is seen in the sweatlodge, the bowl of the Sacred Pipe, the Sacred Hoop,
and the Medicine Wheel. In addition, the camp is circular, tepees are circular, and
people sit in a circle in all ceremonies. When people come together in a circle, a
spirit of oneness and a sense of sacredness come upon them.
CHAPTER 5 NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING 71
