October 13, 2010
A Bit of Advice Given to a Young Native American At the Time of His Initiation
As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm.
Jump.
It is not as wide as you think.
––A Joseph Campbell Companion
print available on etsy
Sara Rose: I love it. When I was young, we lived on the Navajo reservation in North-Eastern AZ. We lived in a town called Chinle (shin-lee, emphasis on lee). Anyways, there’s a prayer from one of the ceremonies that most young people are taught. You’ll like it.
In the house made of dawn,
In the house made of evening twilight,
In the house made of dark cloud and rain
In beauty I walk.
With beauty before and behind me,
With beauty below and above,
With beauty all around me, I walk.
Beauty isn’t taught as a physical thing but as a harmonious way of thinking, living, and acting. Simply put, you should put beauty out into the universe. Another saying (with Navajo that I remember from my school days, sorry if it isn’t ‘written’ correctly for the language.
The Navajo says ‘shi/l hózhó’ ‘with me there is beauty’, ‘shii’ hózhó’ ‘in me there is beauty’, and ‘shaa hózhó’ ‘from me beauty radiates’.
Finally, one song that they sing when a person is ill and balance needs to be restored to their body and way of life, here’s a section of it:
~ Walk on a rainbow trail; walk on a trail of song, and all about you will be beauty. There is a way out of every dark mist, over a rainbow trail. ~1 year ago
Ann: I love short and sweet advice like that.1 year ago
Alison: Beautiful Sarah! I also love the print you chose!1 year ago
Elo (from France): I love it ! I love it ! And I love the comment of Sara Rose.
Thank you, again, for inspiring me.1 year ago
Bethany: Sarah Rose and I are on the same page, except I thought about XIT’s Nihaa Shil Hozho.1 year ago
Sara Rose: @Bethany- Well, it’s been over 16 years since I wrote or thought in Navajo to have to write it. So like I said, pardon if I get it slightly wrong. My parents and I lived there close to 7 years, and it was taught as part of regular school curriculum.
I also had a nanny who insisted that I speak to her in it. I am FAR better at that than at writing it. Probably because it’s a very tonal language? Not sure.
Anyways, I always admired the prayers and songs, the philosophy of beauty that we create ourselves. I was recently reading to Eva about Spider Woman and Changing Woman, she totally doesn’t realize that you don’t have to go very far from home for a good story.1 year ago
Sara Rose: @Bethany again. Boo. I can’t find XIT’s videos ANYWHERE so we could share it with PoP Sarah. She should hear the language and them.
1 year ago
Bethany: @Sarah Rose. They’re an old band so I don’t know if they would have videos, but I found a link to the full song, which is in Navajo and English. I hope you both enjoy it!
http://www.myspace.com/music/xit-6818256/songs/nihaa-shil-hozho-24482596?ap=11 year ago
Sara Rose: They are an older one, @Bethany. In fact, I think I slightly remember them from my teen years. For gosh sakes, I feel old.1 year ago