167. Rose High Bear: The Seven Commandments

The Journey Podcast 167
Rose High Bear
The Seven Commandments

At TrineDay.com and the usual podcast platforms.

Publisher R. A. “Kris” Millegan speaks with Rose High Bear, editor of THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE SACRED BUFFALO CALF WOMAN, the biography of Martin High Bear, the late Lakota Medicine Man and Spiritual Leader. It features his history and vision, which includes restoration of the ancient cultural values and spiritual qualities of his ancestry.

Highlights:

It’s the day after the election. Kris is sad about the outcome. Rose reflected on the Native American goal of strengthening unity and harmony in the community at all times, especially during challenging times.

In the 1960s and ‘70s, many looked at Indians in new ways, beyond the cliches of Hollywood and earlier times, beyond their portrayal as sub-human, which helped to eliminate guilt about stealing their land and wiping them out.

There was a lot of prophesy, starting almost 100 years ago from many tribes, that one day the white people will come to the tribes to learn how to live. The old cultural values of respect can help. All generations must be included. Rose is grateful that Kris appreciates the value and beauty of the native ways. (There are 576 tribes federally recognized, and thousands of others no longer recognized.)

At the age of four, Rose moved with her father from the Yukon River in Alaska to Oregon and felt lost. It was culture shock. A lot of Indian people feel lost like that today.

In 1988 Rose married medicine man Martin High Bear, who had been an alcoholic with PTSD after World War 2 before he became a medicine man and spiritual leader. Spirits came to him as grandfathers and instructed him to share the story of the Sacred Buffalo Calf Woman and the seven ways (or commandments) with all people.

A spirit told Rose that one day she would write a book about Martin, for the restoration of the cultural values of his people.

The seven commandments are:

1.     The people shall live with health. Spiritual, emotional, and physical. Physical disease reflects spiritual disease.

2.     The people shall live from generation to generation, with knowledge and wisdom transferred from the elders to the young, mindful of the seven generations behind us and the seven generations to come.

3.     The people shall live with quietness. Said to be the “conflict resolution” commandment. When we hear something that we disagree with, don’t blurt out opposition. Think about it. Pray about it. Reflect on it. Maybe you’ll learn something. Then try to resolve it indirectly. We have no right to create conflict.

4.     The people shall live with happiness. Bring joy and fun. Have a sense of humor. This is in the context of focusing on serving others, a life of selfless service to others.

5.     The people shall help one another. Always look for ways to help others, in selfless service. When we think of ourselves too much, we get depressed. It’s not good.

6.     The people shall live with power. Pray for, ask for spiritual power to help others, to be in selfless service to others, to be healthy, to be happy. Pray to be a better person who can help the people.

7.     The people shall live with respect and honor. Acknowledge all people and have compassion and empathy for all others.

Seek to connect with the spirit world. We can heal from the traumas of cruelty.

#TrineDay #RoseHighBear #MartinHighBear #TheSevenCommandmentsOfTheSacredBuffaloCalfWoman