Traditional Native American healing strongly depends on spiritual strength and guidance: the spiritual strength of the healer and the guidance of her or his spiritual helpers. Their "spiritual helpers" are their totems, imaging, plants they are using, ancestral guidance and vision quests.

Before you can heal your body from illness and disease, you must arrive at the place where you can heal your spirit. You must be ready to be healed and believe that the method you have chosen will work for you. If you do not believe it will, then it probably will not.

There are many different reasons why one needs healing and different ways to achieve that goal. When we think of 'healing', generally we are thinking of the physical body and its ailments. There is also the psychological perspective. Healing of the mind or emotions is no less important than making sure your body is functioning and working properly. The most important need of healing is that of the spirit. If the spirit is broken or lost, there is no help for the mind and body until the spirit is restored. There have been cases where a medicine man or woman or a Spiritual Leader has been called upon to retrieve a lost soul and bring it back to the body so the person can heal and function as they used to. This has been done when there is suffering from depression or other soul damaging illnesses. By 'soul damaging' illnesses, I am referring to any illness that has broken the spirit and has left one incapable of functioning mentally or emotionally.

Spiritual helpers are ancestors, animal totems, the spirits of nature - spirits who give guidance and wisdom. The Great Spirit, The Great Wisdom, Wakan Tanka, The Great Sacred, The Creator, is the One the healer prays to and asks for guidance and does so in each direction of The Four Winds.

Totems are a personal animal symbol that provide courage, strength, and wisdom to the spirit. The totem is discovered on the person's vision quest, usually when still a child. It can also be a symbol of the entire clan or tribe or a family. Totems act as guides for the person's entire life. A person may have more than one totem to be called upon for different situations (ie: bear for courage and strength; deer for nurturing; beaver for determination; buffalo for sacredness, abundance, great strength; badger for courage, aggressiveness, healer). Even though different totems may be used throughout life, there is always the one main totem that is for life - the one you always will communicate with for both physical and spiritual purposes.

Imaging is used by a medicine man or woman or spiritual leader when healing. They use imaging to do away with the disease. (ie: Imagining Eagle carrying away the diseased part or the evil forces trapping the spirit).

Herbs are an essential part of traditional healing. There is a plethora of herbal remedies that have been used by Native Americans since time immemorial. Herbs have been used by ancient peoples all over the world for healing. There are at least 35,000 plants and herbs that can be used for medicinal purposes, yet even the greatest of spiritual leaders and healers do not stretch their knowledge and powers too thin by trying to learn all of the herbs and their uses. A great deal of the power of herbs, depends are where they grow. It is wise to use herbs for healing that grow in your own local area because they have the properties to deal with specific diseases and illnesses pertaining to the area they grow in. Native Americans treat the herbs with great respect and pray to the spirit of the plant to release their powers of healing and give a prayer of gratitude before gathering them. They never take more than what is needed and do not take all they need from one plant, but choose several plants to take a little from each. They also do not take from the "Grandfather" plant, the largest and oldest of the group, for it is from the "Grandfather" that all the others receive life.

Pharmaceuticals treat the symptoms of a disease. They often do not treat the underlying cause of the illness. Herbal remedies given by a healer treat the person. Prior to any healing ceremony, the healer will converse with the patient and their families to find out exactly what the person's life is like and what their emotional or psychological problems are. They then treat the person by preparing an herbal remedy that will heal the underlying cause which in turn eliminates the symptoms. However, pharmaceuticals should be used in emergency situations that need immediate relief.

Calling upon the Grandfathers and Grandmothers (ancestors) of the past often helps to guide someone in their method of healing. "Calling upon" simply means to pray to that ancestor and ask for guidance.

A young Native American who goes on a Vision Quest does so with the intention of gaining wisdom, courage and a higher level of status within himself or herself, the family and the tribe or clan. It is a spiritual quest. To prepare for a Vision Quest, one must fast prior to leaving on their journey. They then seek a place in nature that feels right for their quest and sit down. Often, all they have is a blanket to wrap around themselves. They will not eat or drink anything and just sit there and wait for an image to come to them. Throughout their lives, a Native American may go on a 'vision quest' in order to help them understand an issue or problem they are facing. Their spiritual image will often give them the answers they are seeking.

Often, in silence is the only way to hear. You sometimes must quiet your mind and any outside noise so you can listen to the silence and eventually your inner voice, your spiritual guide, will give you the answer you need.

Heal thyself simply means that in order to be healed, you must obtain balance and harmony within body, mind and soul


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