10/12/2021

from Braiding Sweetgrass

 

 

"Since Universe is Energy, part of the process of understanding,
at least as  I experience it, is to learn to ‘see’ flows of energy and specificities of energy.  Both are necessary.  Because, you see, Universe is both Whole and Specific.  Western science is beginning to understand this through explorations about particle and wave.  Both particle/ particularity/specificity of Universe and the wave/flow of Universe were aspects I was encouraged as a child to apprehend and understand.  I was asked to ‘see’ the ‘dancing points of light’ and then to apprehend the shift from location to flow.  Much of shamanic practice has to do with developing the ability to enter and use this shift.   

...The Western tradition represents body because it's always looking at things out here at arm's length.  It's using microscopes, it's using all kinds of tools to look at things, to take them apart.  That's changing, but this has been the understanding.  The Eastern approach uses Spirit - you meditate, you breathe, you apprehend the nature of the Universe through your Spirit.  I think the Native American tradition, at least the one that I understand and grew up in represents Mind.  Because, as I say, you let your thoughts preceed you.  You let your thoughts flow into that circumstance to understand it."  
~Paula Underwood Spencer