Paul Meacham the legendary hunter from Heber Arizona was a pioneer in the study of the Native American mind and, to a large extent, their relationship to the earth and their place in this cosmic cycle. The ancient Greeks were aware of the importance of the physical, mental, and moral development of all people and the great spiritual benefits that come to them through the use of spiritual tools. They had a profound concept of what makes us who we are, how to use that knowledge to achieve peace with nature and to give people access to the light. When Meacham studied the wisdom that was passed down to him through the Navajo, it was with the same enthusiasm that he is now known for his work with nature conservation. The Navajo people have been responsible for many positive developments, from the building of the world-famous Navajo Nation as a nation to the recognition of an oil and gas development in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as well as the construction of the Apache Reservation. The Navajo are also listed as one of the world’s greatest survivors of the Great Flood, making them one of the world’s most adaptable peoples, with the highest rates of success among nations with an indigenous population. The world continues to celebrate the Native American people, however, much of our attention is focused on the “Old West” — a culture that dates back thousands of years, one that thrives in a hostile environment and one that has been virtually wiped out by a global pandemic in recent times. It is not difficult to see that the future is not a place that can be easily compared to what was lost in this culture’s lifetime. The fate of this culture and its inhabitants are much more closely related to what is occurring around us than to the past that the Navajo culture and environment is known for. We’re just at the beginning of understanding this important culture and its heritage of healing. I was introduced to Navajo culture during an extended study of the tribal spirituality, specifically the Navajo shamanism, during my summer studies in Arizona, Texas, and Canada. During this time I learned the Navajo culture’s deep connections to the earth, a culture that practices a system of ceremonies and beliefs which are centered on the water which flows through the mountains and into our sacred lands of the Grand Canyon. The earth also has a great deal to do with our human and animal relationships. The earth is the home and soul of our spirits, it is our living and resting place, and the sacred water that flows on and through the sacred sites, such as the Navajo Nation, is an essential element of the Navajo culture’s understanding of how to live on this earth and have it truly become our home. For example, the water that flows at the heart of the Grand Canyon is actually a spiritual and social lubricant for a people who have no ability to feel and communicate their needs directly with each other. There is, as we learn in a Navajo language, a connection to the earth and to the spiritual waters and plants of the surrounding land. These same people are well- educated in their own religion, culture, and beliefs. These same people also have an understanding of how these spiritual waters and plants can be used as the basis of a culture of healing and communication between people. A well- oiled, integrated, and harmonious water system will sustain life and allow each of our relationships to remain strong and healthy throughout our lives. Water does not have to be a poison in our relationship with ourselves and others. But there has to be a connection that the other person has to water. In order to connect well with our own water we need to have knowledge that makes it feel and feel right and not feel out of place. A common belief in Navajo lore is the “tear down the walls” approach to living and living the way one knows is best. In the Navajo tradition, the walls are very strong and can crush stone walls to make ways of life much easier. It also is said that the walls are capable of cutting down a tree and allowing people to live in harmony as long as their “doorways” do not come to an end. So it is important that we continue to build our homes and living space as deeply as possible with respect to the water on the ground and around us and keep any walls that stand in the way of harmony with our own bodies and spirits in perspective and make them something that will help the people in a great need to build a safe and functional home. As for our bodies, this relationship to water is not based on a “taste of water” but rather upon the water itself and our connection with it. It is this connection to the water, that allows water to be a tool of healing. On the other side of this great spiritual journey of the Navajo people is the matter of water that we consume. A large part of our consumption of water comes from the fact that we Via https://paulmeachamheberaz.com/heber-arizona-pioneer-in-new-study/
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About UsPaul Meacham a best-selling cookbook author from Heber AZ + former fast-food junkie + father of 5. I like to make HEALTHY FOOD as easy as possible. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |