An Elder’s Prayer for Peace

An Elder's Prayer for Peace
posted by Healthy & Green Living Editors Sep 17, 2008 1:00 pm
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/an-elders-prayer-for-peace.html
By Grandfather William Commanda

Inherent in the prayer of the Indigenous Nations of Turtle Island is the
deep knowledge that we are all connected -my people in the east say
GINAWAYDAGANUC. The prayer is a celebration of the profound
knowledge that we are connected with the each other, as well as with the
chief elements-Mother Earth,
Water, Air and Fire-the animate and inanimate, the plants and animals and
the larger universe, connected energetically. Spirit embraces and unifies
us all.

Inherent in the prayer is a deep respect for both Mother Earth, the
penultimate provider and nurturer, and all her children. The prayer is a
constant reminder to honor this connectedness, and walk gently in the places
of our differences, for those are the places of co-creation. But across the
globe, our relationship with Mother Earth and each other has been disrupted,
and storms and blood despoil our world. When the new peoples arrived in this
continent, they were too often motivated by greed, the realities of the day
were war and genocide, and the ramifications were environmental exploitation
and destruction; my ancestors were nearly all destroyed. Today, three
documentaries of the present day-"Corporation," "Fahrenheit 911″ and
"An Inconvenient Truth"-show that we are embroiled in the same struggles
at a global level.

We are now all feeling the impact of the environmental crisis that has
resulted from the reckless exploitation of land, water and air, in
escalating climate change; lands and peoples across the world are embroiled
in desperate wars; and health is a primary concern across the world, no
matter how privileged
we might seem to be, for life itself is under attack.

Today, the Law of Nature is revealing herself as the great equalizer on all
planes, with ominous implications for us all and for future generations. But
still too often, we see the issues as separate. We need to realize how
deeply interconnected they are in order to develop a new blueprint for our
collective future. These charts illustrate this point.

Our ancestors always knew that all things were connected, and our ancient
prophecies told them that one day, all the world would one day come to us to
learn this. I have been the Carrier of the ancient sacred Seven Fires
Prophecy Wampum Belt for almost 40 years. This prophecy, known to many
peoples across the world, told of the important choices we would have to
make at the time of the Seventh Fire, choices regarding our relationship
with Mother Earth and each other, and that time is upon us. We have to
choose wisely to ensure a meaningful heritage for all humanity and life
forms.

A global shift in our value base is essential. We need to move from greed
and corporate domination to generosity and sharing; from fear and war to
racial harmony and peace building; and from relentless environmental
exploitation to the three indigenous Rs-respect, responsibility and
reverence for Mother
Earth.

We need to inspire people across the world to embrace these values urgently.
This is the great challenge of our times-this is what the Seven Fires
Prophecy warned about. It is the task for which we have to
strengthen ourselves collectively. The transformation comes from within
first; then, recognizing that
we are all connected, we reach out to transform our brothers and sisters and
leaders. We strive to humanize institutions. I hold a vision for an
Indigenous Centre where we can all come together to animate this future.
http://www.asinabka.com/

When we come together with one heart, one love, one mind and one
determination, and breath our prayers and energy into the International Day
of Peace, we will be creating the pathway to a Circle of All Nations, a
Culture of Peace.

I attach my prayer for peace upon the commencement of the International
Decade for a Culture of Peace for your consideration. I continue to pray for
its realization.
-Megwetch

Grandfather William Commanda, a 94-year-old Algonquin Elder, is the carrier
of the Sacred Seven Fires Prophecy Wampum Belt and founder of _A Circle of
All Nations_
http://web.mac.com/circleofallnations/iWeb/circleofallnations/Welcome.html .

This Sept. 21, please _take a moment at noon_
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/global-sound-healing-event.html
to join with millions around the planet and, in your tradition, spend a few
moments in praying or meditating for peace for this magical world, all the
generations to come and all our relations.
May peace prevail on Earth.