May is here! Finally, the seeds begin to sprout, the leaves pop out, and life explodes all around us. At this time of year, we see once again how something very little, with a little bit of water and sunshine, turns into something big and beautiful!
Follow the Buffalo, Inc. presents an opportunity for you to share in growing something beautiful. Continue reading
I had the chance to speak with a friend on the Pine Ridge Reservation recently. We spoke of many things, but what really stayed with me was his concern for the youth living on the reservation. The teen suicide rate on the reservation has been three times as high as the rest of the United States. Depression and substance abuse are also at elevated rates. But our talk was not about statistics – rather he spoke of real people coping with tragedy and seeking to ease their suffering and provide hope for the next generation.
I asked him what he thought made life so difficult for young people on the reservation. The first thing he said was loneliness. Loneliness that comes from physical distance, but also from losing connection with family.
Winters on the Pine Ridge Reservation are harsh. Weather is extreme – severe winds are common and temperatures are bitter cold, frequently below zero. Many Reservation homes lack adequate insulation. Even more homes lack central heating. Wood burning is the second most common form of heating a home, although wood supplies are often expensive or difficult to obtain. Continue reading
The Inipi or sweat lodge is just one of the sacred ceremonies of the Lakota people. Another of their sacred ceremonies is the Keeping of the Soul. This ceremony was given to the people to help them deal with the deep feelings of loss and grief experienced at the death of a loved one. It provided a structure for understanding and supporting the transition from this life to the next. It taught that even the death of a loved one can serve a life-giving purpose. Continue reading
Filed under Meditation, Vision
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