Native American Spirituality

There are over five hundred tribes of Native American Indians spread all over North and South America. For this reason, the Native American religions are varied. But there is a common ancient prayer that they bless each other with. The prayer is, “May you always walk in beauty”. There is one common bond of spirituality in all the tribes. The link is the harmony between nature and man. The beliefs and the rituals make up an essential part of their daily lives. The religion and spiritual ideologies of Native Americans have developed over the centuries from hunting principles, taboos, animal symbolism and belief in spirits passed down the ages as verbal history lessons from family to family along with their traditions. Ceremonies play a very important role in Native American religions. They do not hold rituals and myths as two separate things. The ritual is firmly laid out and the myth is undefined. Most of the ceremonies were adapted in local communities, utilizing traditions and sometimes borrowing customs from the other tribes to suit their local needs. They were always anticipating adapting to the ceremonies that would teach them how to face the difficulties that they encounter in their daily lives. As these traditions and customs developed through the ages, they were always overhauled and made to evolve with new purpose and meaning. Dances are an important part of the ceremonies. There is a rain dance, a crop dance, a harvest dance and a spirit dance. There are rituals for life cycles. There are rites when a toddler takes his first steps in life. When a female grows up, there is a puberty rite which is very important for all the tribes. It is also called the `Sunrise Ceremony’ that takes place during the summer after a girl gets her first menstruation cycle and becomes a woman. The Native American religion is closely associated with nature. The local surroundings are given a symbolic meaning. Natural objects are given importance and inspiration is taken from them making their presence sacred. Ceremonies and rituals that involve these natural objects are indicators of individual and tribal prosperity. These common features bring all the tribes together. Some rituals require a priest to officiate. The priest offers his services through visionary interactions and interpretations. Like four seasons of the year and four parts of the day, four is a sacred number for the Native Americans. Songs and prayers are also composed for quartets. The ceremonial ritual dance always moves clockwise. The rites will always last for four consecutive nights. The main theme that is underlying in Native American religions is the respect given to Mother Earth and the co-existence of man with animals and nature.