And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all children of one mother and one father. And I saw that it was holy.
BLACK ELKAnd as he spoke of understanding, I looked up and saw the rainbow leap with flames of many colors over me.
More Black Elk Quotes
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All over the sky a sacred voice is calling your name.
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The boys of my people began very young to learn the ways of men, and no one taught us; we just learned by doing what we saw, and we were warriors at a time when boys now are like girls.
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And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.
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The Universe is circles within circles, and everything is one circle, and all the circles are connected to each other.
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The power of a thing or an act is in the meaning and the understanding.
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Hear me, four quarters of the world-a relative I am! Give me the strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is! Give me the eyes to see and the strength to understand, that I may be like you. With your power only can I face the winds.
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Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss.
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The life of a person is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.
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But I think I have done right to save the vision in this way, even though I may die sooner because I did it; for I know the meaning of the vision is wise and beautiful and good; and you can see that I am only a pitiful old man after all.
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I think I have told you, but if I have not, you must have understood, that a man who has a vision is not able to use the power of it until after he has performed the vision on earth for the people to see.
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When we do understand all this deeply in our hearts, then we will fear, and love, and know the Great Spirit, and then we will be and act and live as the Spirit intends.
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The life of an Indian is like the wings of the air. That is why you notice the hawk knows how to get his prey. The Indian is like that.
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I saw more than I can tell / And I understood more than I saw.
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Any man who is attached to things of this world is one who lives in ignorance and is being consumed by the snakes of his own passions
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Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.
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It is in the darkness of their eyes that men lose their way.
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Behold this day. It is yours to make.
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It is not enough to have a vision. In order to have its power, you must enact your vision on earth for all to see. Only then do you have the power.
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Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle.
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We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things: the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and the four-legged and winged peoples; and even more important.
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And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people as one of many hoops that made one circle.
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There can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of men.
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The center of the universe is everywhere.
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Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice.
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Crazy Horse dreamed and went into the world where there is nothing but the spirits of things. That is the real world that is behind this one, and everything we see here is something like a shadow from that world….
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The visions and ceremonies only made me like a whole through which the power could come to the two-leggeds.
BLACK ELK