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Spirituality and Membership

by | Sep 27, 2021

Spirituality and Membership

 

Have you ever walked with the Great Spirit, the Spirit that resides in all things? Ever awakened in the morning to feel the sun on your face and the wind in your hair as if beckoning you to become one with what is? Ever wondered if there was more to your mortal existence?

The answers to these questions are found within. Discovering and freeing the inner part of you that is in alignment with your divinity is the nature and purpose of Native American spirituality. To walk with nature and feel the life-energy that permeates all things animate and inanimate is where we will find our greatest joy and ultimate purpose.

Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC) believes that all two-leggeds (humans) who walk this planet are worthy and deserve to sit with all sacred medicines. Creator blessed all of us with these medicines, and most can be found in indigenous cultures around the world. Therefore, we believe that all people, regardless of race, lineage, gender, or religious beliefs may come to this path, if they come in a good way.

Bask in the light of others who are heeding the call of spiritual winds that carry the sacred history of indigenous spirituality from the beginning of time. Discover the gems of knowledge that lie hidden deep in the reaches of your soul. Awaken the free and transcendent spirit within you.

Come to find knowledge of all things. Join us in this journey of discovery and re-discovery of truth.

Ceremonies

From the beginning of time when people first walked, the Great Spirit provided human beings with two indigenous spiritual ceremonial customs. These ceremonies honor the two earthly substances that sustain Human Life, Air (Father Sky) and Nourishment (Mother Earth). These two sacred gifts were given to our first parents by the Great Spirit. Then they evolved into other ceremonial customs. The “Air” ceremonies (Prayer Pipe, and Sacred Breath) and the Nourishment Ceremonies (Sacred Medicines) manifested themselves from the promptings of ones’ heart.

The regular participation in these ceremonies enhances the participants the ability to walk in Faith, Gratitude, Humility, Charity, Respect, Honor and Forgiveness. Practicing and integrating these ceremonies on a regular basis enhances and assists one to live with honor and respect for all their relations. This leads to a responsible and peaceful existence.

These and other ceremonies remain with us today, due to the courage and tenaciousness of our indigenous ancestors. Throughout human history there have been influences based in greed and prideful intentions that have sought to destroy or marginalize the practicing of these Sacred Ceremonies, culminating in the Racist War Against the American Native Culture and efforts to take away the ceremonies and sacraments that have preserved these cherished truths and insights.

Through these trials and tribulations, Oklevueha Native American Church has established a Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct to sustain these ancient religious practices for generations upon generations to come. All Medicine People of ONAC have taken a solemn vow to rigidly abide by the ONAC Code of Ethics in order to keep integrity and respect for all our relations and the truths they have shared down through the years.

Prior to attending any ONAC Indigenous American Native ceremonies it is strongly advised that one reads and/or rereads the ONAC Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, Cultivation Guidelines, Sacraments – Personal Use Requirements and Limitations.

These are some of the sacred Seminole ceremonies upon which Oklevueha stands:

1.   The Birth (Blessing Way) Ceremony– honors the passing into a new existence of all earthly beings.

2.   The Sacred Breath Ceremony – Two important purposes for this ceremony are 1) to have the Great Spirit infiltrate every cell of one’s body and 2) to assist the participant in experiencing unconditional love.

3.    The Marriage Blanket Ceremony – honors the public with an open commitment of two or more people to serve the human family unit for life and all eternity.

4.    The Sacred Prayer Pipe (Casuse and/ or Chanunpa) Ceremony– Three important purposes for this ceremony are; 1) Remind the participants to honor and respect the power of prayer, 2) assist in unity and respect of male and female differences, and 3) activate an increase in faith and reliance upon Creator to assist all participants in achieving their heartfelt desires.

5.    The Sacrament Medicine Ceremony– Three important purposes for this ceremony are 1) to rediscover ones innate goodness, 2) assist in the forgiveness process for oneself and others, and 3) to reside in truth (Good Health in the spirit, the mind, the body, and the emotions.) These purposes are true with each master medicine.

7.   The Sweat Lodge (Amacheekee / Inipi) Ceremony – Two important purposes for this ceremony are 1) remind the participants to honor and respect the creative process and 2) assist the participants to honor and respect all of one’s relatives, especially one’s biological mother and father. Read one person’s experience in a sweat lodge.

8.  The Vision Quest or Hanblecheyapi Ceremony– enables human beings to re-remember and understand the mission that they had previously committed to achieving before their spirit assumed its earthly body and introduce them to or discover their spirit guides or inspirations.