The first peace, which is the most important, Is that which comes within the souls of people When they realize their relationship, Their oneness, with the universe and all its powers,
And when they realize that at the center Of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), And that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this.
The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, And the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never Be peace between nations until there is known that true peace, Which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.
– Black Elk, Oglala Sioux & Spiritual Leader (1863 – 1950)
In Buddhism, it’s understood that the best way you can help others is by working on yourself.
This is what’s sometimes called “lighting up your corner of the world”, and it refers to the way you can inspire those you meet by the example you set and how this is more powerful than anything else you can do to help others. And it’s here that Black Elk is affirming that understanding through Native American wisdom.
But this doesn’t mean, “earn a bunch of money, gain a lot of power, and achieve greatness”, this refers to awakening to your true nature and finding true peace within, something that Black Elk understands clearly.
And again we’re brought back to realizing the ‘oneness’ of all things.
He even draws a direct parallel to the Eastern wisdom of, “the center which is everywhere and in everything” (the way in which each of us feels like we’re the center of the universe, the universal perspective) in saying:
And when they realize that at the center Of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), And that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.
Native American wisdom is both vast and immensely beautiful. I hope you can use these insights to inspire your life in the same way that they’ve inspired mine.
1st episode：https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko12/
2nd episode：https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko16/
3rd episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko22/
4th episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko24/
5th episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko27/
6th episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko29/
7th episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko31/
8th episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko34/
9th episode: https://www.el-aura.com/trinity_tomoko35/
