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Written by Marlon Fixico   
Wednesday, 18 March 2009 23:08
marlonWhat does it mean to be a two-spirited person today? We know of stories of our two-spirited people in the past who were honored as sacred people. We, both men and women, were medicine people, great leaders/warriors, artists, craftsman, sexual healers/trainers, relationship counselors, caretakers of the young and elderly, the list goes one and we know it well. We came into those roles by being extraordinary people in our societies, by being patient, tolerant, seeking to honor and strengthen all our relations, not arguing to be right or trying to be in the lead. Although there's no doubt we are just as human and tend to be like everyone else, BUT many, if not all, of us two-spirit people were blessed with gifts to see beyond this dimension. It is with these gifts to see beyond the present hurts and pains, the betrayal and lies, that we must keep moving forward and seek to continue to strengthen all our relations.

In this present day, if we are to take our rightful place among our communities then we will have to show a kind of tolerance, patience, kindness, self-discipline and honoring the sacredness of all beings.. the depth of which our communities have not seen or known in generations. We who have been persecuted and ostracized by our own people out of fear. Fear which created these symbols called letters which grouped together form words which represent still more symbols. These symbol/words cannot hurt you unless you let them. Damned, abomination, Jesus, Christ, fag, God, those words, those sound vibrations originating from vocal chords in the throats of men, can't hurt us. It is time to let go of attachments to the meanings of certain religious words and symbols. They only mean what you allow them to mean. Nothing inherently means anything. We humans assign meaning to everything. In other words, IT'S ALL MADE UP. And what you allow word/symbols to mean can imprison you or free you. The great medicine leaders knew this and used this knowledge to create rituals and ceremonies to help people. All our traditions, rituals, ceremonies and customs were based on ideas of tolerance, patience, kindness, self-discipline and honoring the sacredness of all beings.

marlon_dancingWe are a spiritual people born with gifts that require a responsibility to use them for the highest good for ourselves and all people of Turtle Island. We have an opportunity here to be more than what the world has shown us, tolerance, patience, kindness, discipline and honoring the sacredness of all beings. Indeed, our ancestor's prayers have prepared us for this day to look beyond the mere word/symbols for the healing of our people with our sacredness, the sacredness of all beings. The first step begins with re-uniting ourselves, individually and collectively, as two-spirit people. Individually we use tolerance and forgiveness as a bridge over the mighty river of justified rage and anger and pain and the bridge back to the sacred place of our hearts and wise counsel of the leaders within us. Collectively we use tolerance and understanding to forgive and guide each other in the wise use of word/symbols for the benefit of our group.

There is a time to resist being trampled on. Debate is good. I am not saying you can't speak your mind. If I did that would be counter to what I am saying. The question is knowing when I am truly being trampled on. The words of our brothers and sisters can not hurt us. Look to the ideas behind the words. Check in with your spirit heart and let it guide you in thought and action. What do Maheo, Hesakeda mesee, Wokanda, Budha, Alah and Christ have in common? What is the idea behind each? I see caring, kindness, tolerance, patience, kindness, intimacy, peace, ability, self-discipline and honoring the sacredness of all beings, etc. etc. etc.. Look at what men are doing because they turn the meaning of those word/symbols into justification for war, hate, killing… You get the picture.

Let us renew our commitment today to the ideas of our two-spirit ancestors. We, who were overrun and trampled on because of these very ideas, have not gone away. We are here today. We, who have had overwhelming loss of life, culture, land and way of life because of ideas of Fear. We have not perished from this earth!!! We are here today because of these very ideas faith, hope and Love. Check in with your spirit heart and hear the ideas behind these word/symbols I am using and see if they are true for you.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 23 April 2009 02:24