The song and the drumming were like this: Behold, a sacred voice is calling you; All over the sky a sacred voice is calling.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of recognizing and heeding the spiritual calls that surround us.
Black Elk's quote highlights the profound connection between nature, spirituality, and our awareness. The 'sacred voice' symbolizes a universal call to listen and engage with the deeper truths and rhythms of life that resonate through our existence, inviting us to reflect on our purpose and connection to the world around us.
In practice
During a spiritual retreat, one might share this quote to inspire reflection on the call of nature.
I cured with the power that came through me. Of course, it was not I who cured,it was the power from the Outer World; the visions and ceremonies only made me like a whole through which the power could come to the two-leggeds. If I thought that I was doing it myself, the hole would close up and no power could come through. Then everything I could do would be foolish.
The Universe is circles within circles, and everything is one circle, and all the circles are connected to each other. Each family is a circle, and those family circles connect together and make a community, and the community makes its circle where it lives on the Earth. It (the community) cares for that part (of the Earth) but cares for it as a circle - which is to say in a cooperative and egalitarian way, where everybody is cared for, and everybody is respected.
And as he spoke of understanding, I looked up and saw the rainbow leap with flames of many colors over me.
They told me I had been sick twelve days, lying like dead all the while, and that Whirlwind Chaser, who was Standing Bear's uncle and a medicine man, had brought me back to life.
Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom, an intense and absorbing respect for life, enriching faith in a Supreme Power, and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations.
You see, I had been riding with the storm clouds, and had come to earth as rain, and it was drought that I had killed with the power that the Six Grandfathers gave me.
It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it.
Prudence is a rich, ugly, old maid courted by incapacity.
When the sacredness of one's word is matched in the attributes of his character throughout, all that constitutes a man, then we find that there is something in a man's life greater than his occupation or his achievements; grander than acquisition or wealth; higher than genius; more enduring than fame.
When you become aware of silence, immediately there is that state of inner still alertness. You are present. You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective human conditioning.
Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old.
Prejudices are what fools use for reason.
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