Thank you for the Universe, which is our tabernacle. I thank you for the Star People, who watch over our water and all that lives, and give us direction and a place in life.

Thank you for our sacred Grandmother, the Earth, mother of all living beings, who are our relatives.

Thank you for the East Wind, which brings us the Morning Star to open the dawn, permitting us to begin each new day without repeating our mistakes of yesterday. The East Wind brings a sense of renewal into our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our spirits, as it renews the spirits of our sacred Grandmother, the Earth and of all our relatives, her children.

And thank you for the Black Tail Deer People, who live in the East and watch over us.

Thank you for the South Wind, which bears warmth and generosity to our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our spirits, as well as to our sacred Grandmother, the Earth, and to all our relatives, her children.

And thank you for the Owl People, who live in the South and watch over us.

Thank you for the West Wind, which brings the lightning and thunder spirits to cleanse and refresh our sacred Grandmother, the Earth, and all our relatives, her children, with rain, and which bears cleanliness and refreshment to our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our spirits.

And thank you for the Buffalo People, who live in the West and watch over us.

Thank you for the North Wind, which brings the strong and enduring winds that give our sacred Grandmother, the Earth, and all her children, our relatives, strength and endurance, and bears strength and endurance to our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our spirits.

And thank you for the Elk People, who live in the North, and watch over us.

I thank you for all the winged things of the air, everything that flies, for their teachings, their generosity and their sacrifice. Thank you especially for the eagle, who flies the highest, sees the furthest, and is faithful to its mate.

Thank you for the four-leggeds, who give us so much and teach us so much, for their sacrifices and sharing. Thank you especially for the buffalo, because as the buffalo goes, so go our people.

Thank you for all our relatives who crawl and swim and live within the earth, for their sacrifices and sharing and their generosity. Thank you for all their teachings and for everything that they give us.

Thank you also for everything that grows, all the green things of the Earth. They teach us so much and give us so much. Thank you for their sacrifices and for their sharing.

I thank you especially for the tree with the whispering leaves, for its strength and independence, for its teachings. And thank you for the sacred Tree of Life, which we must nourish and care for, in order to ensure that it blossoms once again and so allows our people to live.

Thank you for the salmon and the other fishes, who teach that it is our birthright to return to our home.

And thank you for the spider, who teaches us the foibles of life in the guise of Iktomi, the Trickster.

I thank you for each of the sacred ceremonies brought us by the holy White Buffalo Calf Woman.

Thank you for our purification lodge, which enlightens us with understanding of purification and cleanliness.

Thank you for the sundance, which allows men an opportunity to comprehend and appreciate the miracle of new life by sharing, in a small way, the experience of childbirth.

Thank you for the Crying for a Vision Ceremony, which permits us to recognize a good road to follow throughout life, a road that is positive and independent.

Thank you for the Making of Relatives Ceremony, which allows us to bring new citizens into our nation, into our family, into our clan.

Thank you for the Keeping of the Spirit Ceremony, which allows us the privilege of showing respect for our ancestors, and brings the community together to share and celebrate the deeds of the departed.

Thank you for the Throwing of the Ball Ceremony, which brings the community together as one heart, one mind, one spirit, one body.

Thank you for the Making of the Woman Ceremony, for it allows our girls and young women to aspire to be worthy of the universe.

And thank you for our healing ceremonies, which care for the infirm and the crippled and the sick, and for the sweet medicines produced by our relatives who grow.

Thank you for the dirt, for the clouds, for the white blanket that comes to cover our Grandmother, the Earth, in the time of cold.

Thank you for the water.

Thank you for all the sacred colors, together representing everything that is worthy in life, and individually teaching us so much.

And thank you for the wind that travels in a circle, for it teaches us respect and wonder and awe.

I thank you for everything that is holy and sacred and good.

We are all related.

Contributed by Phil Reser