The
Ancient One (a teaching story by Joseph
Bearwalker Wilson)
Ancient One sat in the shade of his tree
in front of his cave.
Red People came to him and he said to Red
People, "Tell me your vision."
And Red People answered, "The elders have
told us to pray in this manner, and
that manner, and it is important that we
only pray as we have been taught, for this has been handed
down to us by the elders."
"Hmmm," said Ancient One.
Then Black People came to him and he said
to Black People, "Tell me your vision."
And Black People answered, "Our mothers have
said to go this building and
that building and pray in this manner and
that manner. And our fathers have said to bow in this
manner and that manner when we pray. And
it is important that we do only this when we pray."
"Hmmm," said Ancient One.
Then Yellow People came to him and
he said to Yellow People, "Tell me your vision."
And Yellow People answered, "Our teachers
have told us to sit in this manner and that manner and to
say this thing and that thing when we pray.
And it is important that we do only this when we pray."
"Hmmm," said Ancient One.
Then White People came to him and he said
to White People, "Tell me your vision."
And White People answered, "Our Book has
told us to pray in this way and that way and to do this
thing and that thing, and it is very important
that we do this when we pray."
"Hmmm," said Ancient One.
Then Ancient One spoke to the Earth and said,
"Have you given the people a vision?" And the Earth
said, "Yes, a special gift for each one,
but the people were so busy speaking and arguing about which
way is right they could not see the gift
I gave each one of them." And Ancient One asked the same
question of Water and Fire and Air and got
the same answer. Then Ancient One asked Animal, and
Bird, and Insect, and Tree, and Flower,
and Sky, and Moon, and Sun, and Stars, and allof the other
Spirits, and each told him the same.
Ancient One thought this was very sad. He
called Red People, Black People, Yellow People, and White
People to him and said to them. "The ways
taught to youby your Elders, and your Mothers and Fathers,
and Teachers, and Books are sacred. It is
good that you respect those ways, for they are the ways of
your ancestors. But the ancestors no longer
walk on the Face of the Earth Mother. Youhave forgotten
your own Vision. Your Vision is right for
you but no one else.
"Now each of you must pray for your own Visions,
and be still enough to see it, so you can follow the
way of the heart. It is a hard way. It is
a good way." |