Medicine Prayer

This piece talks about respecting our spiritual beliefs and others. We can respect others' source of spirituality while remaining strong within our own spiritual beliefs. In life, when we are faced with things that are not of our culture or tradition, we can still have respect. It may not be of our own, but we can still respect it. When people take one side, it becomes a greedy and controlling power, then it doesn't matter what other people believe, only your own beliefs, which makes life difficult.

We use different sources for our medicine. The Earth is a medicine, she gives everything to us. Again, the respect lies there, respecting life, what is important, even if it is not of our own.

How we respect each other, our religions, our cultures has a great effect in our lives.

Anyone can have a knowledge, even a young person.
It is part of our healing process from the experiences we have in life.

Today people do not listen anymore, to the experience
of others such as our elders.
The elders share their knowledge with us through their stories
to help us understand life itself.

In the Native way, these stories often talk about animals and
the life forms around us as lessons.
Those lessons that the elders share with us
help us to understand life.
They have earned their knowledge from these life lessons.
Today, this knowledge is not being passed on
because we no longer take the time to listen and ask the questions.

I spent time with my grandparents and they shared
the stories that have been passed through many generations.
It helped me to understand life, even today as I come into the
age of my elder years, I still remember their words and
I continue to discover the meanings and lessons they shared with me.

- Rex A. Begaye -

Native American Artist Rex A. Begaye was born and raised in the Navajo culture and tradition.
His paintings speak to the universal connection between Mother Earth, Father Sky and Man.