Ǫ da gaho dḛ:s
Geihnyenoh de yo ki ye’nya dohn (Spiritual Helpers)
& Shogwaeyadisho’ (the Creator)
Things are out of balance today because our instructions were jeopardized by colonialism, a system that wants power and control rather than the peace of friendship. We were given families to be thankful for – not just our human families but also families of plants, trees, birds, and animals – along with the geihnyenoh de yo ki ye’nya dohn (spiritual helpers), Shogwaeyadisho’ (the Creator), and so much more. When we acknowledge them in the Ganǫhǫnyǫhk (Thanksgiving Address), they feel the appreciation and are empowered by our ceremony of gratitude to give more.
Book Circle Responses
Friendship Is a Sheltering Tree
Barbara-Helen Hill
Teachings from Spruce: The Nature of Prisons
Giselle Dias
Standing in Ancestral Waters: Acts in Naturalizing Maternal Relations
"We lift up our shakers, our rattles, to honour the seed thoughts of the Creator, shaking awake the beautiful sacred teachings of life, doing so in the way that we were given, that our ancestors held onto for us. Here, we feel the presence of our ancestors standing with us."
A Prayer: Gitchi Manidoo
Awnjibenayseekwe (Banakonda Kennedy-Kish Bell)
Ḛsḛhsgwaowhaneh
An Invitation to Expand the (Creator) Teaching
“You need to expand the teaching or story beyond what you hear and see; it is about clarity, questioning, and seeking answers.” – G. N. Jacobs
At the conclusion of each circle in the book, you (the reader) are asked to “expand the teaching” in relation to your own experiences, stories, and knowledge. Is there a part of Gae Ho Hwako N. Jacobs’ teaching that resonates with you or perhaps something from one of the responses? Here is offered some additional guidance for your reflection in relation to "Spiritual Helpers and the Creator”.
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Take some time to now reflect on the spiritual mysteries that surround us and which are honoured in Gae Ho Hwako N. Jacobs’ teaching on Geihnyenoh de yo ki ye’nya dohn (Spiritual Helpers) and Shogwaeyadisho’ (the Creator). There is value in taking some time to turn off our screen technologies so as to nurture space where the spiritual mystery of our Earth relations can inform our ways of living and working. Feel the depths of where you are and the limits of your knowledge and the modern society you live within. After sitting with these mysteries for a while, you can draw upon the questions below as guides for reflecting on what arises in you:
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What is the relation of recognizing spirit in your life, and that sense of feeling whole? What do you think is the relation of spirit to healing and/or justice work?
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How often has the sense of spirit or mystery arisen in your education and work? Reflect on the ways it has or has not arisen, and why that might be.
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Do you have any cultural teachings that you can reengage or uncover from your ancestry as a way of supporting your reflection on the spirit of our Earth relations, truth-work and Two Row responsibilities?
