Great Spirit Prayer
by Yellow Hawk, Sioux Chief
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others. Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me. I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy - Myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.
Great Spirit Prayer
by Big Thunder - late 19th century Algonquin
Give us hearts to understand;
Never to take from creation's beauty more than we give; never to destroy wantonly for the furtherance of greed; never to deny to give our hands for the building of earth's beauty; never to take from her what we cannot use.
Give us hearts to understand
That to destroy earth's music is to create confusion; that to wreck her appearance is to blind us to beauty; that as we care for her she will care for us.
We have forgotten who we are. We have sought only our own security. We have exploited simply for our own ends. We have distorted our knowledge. We have abused our power.
Great Spirit, whose dry lands thirst, help us to find the way to refresh your lands.
Great Spirit, whose waters are choked with debris and pollution, help us to find the way to cleanse your waters.
Great Spirit, whose beautiful earth grows ugly with misuse, help us to find the way to restore beauty to your handiwork.
Great Spirit, whose creatures are being destroyed,help us to find a way to replenish them.
Great Spirit, whose gifts to us are being lost in selfishness and corruption, help us to find the way to restore our humanity.
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to the world, hear me; I need your strength and wisdom. May I walk in Beauty.
Great Spirit
by Hanoochi
Great Spirit gave me special wings, calling me to soar above, He adorned my heart and gave me earth
......so I can simply love.
Great Spirit gave me friends and family, calling to my heart, He showered my life and showed me love,
......so I will never part.
Great Spirit gave me compassion and patience, calling me to be, He covered my eyes with lovingkindness,
......so I can always see.
Great Spirit gave me special wings, calling me to soar above, Earth is such a special place that I dearly loved.
Great Spirit says my time is done, soul calling to his light, Do not fret and cry those tears, I am with you all the time.
I will always love you, my earthly being gone, I live within the hearts of all my loved ones.
Great Spirit gave me special wings, calling me to soar above, My transformed body now complete,
......I fly on the wings of love.
Hanoochi: A Stars Poetry Collection
Original prayer/poem by Hanoochi © 2001