Write to Empower Archives - Ocean of Oil

An Ocean of Oil

Lately I haven’t been able to wrap my mind around much other than the horrendous oil spill in the gulf. Daily, there are over 200,000 gallons of oil and natural gas being pumped into the sea. I can’t even conceive of that much oil. I contemplate the loss of wildlife, the jobs lost that affect whole cultures, and the poisoning of plant life and I shudder at the phenomenal cost. Then I alternate between being outraged and trying to find solutions that don’t involve fury on my part. I am studying how I can eliminate more plastic from my life, and praying that an electric car becomes part of my life soon. And instead of writing about something esoteric, or philosophical for this week’s column I decided to write about the oil spill.

This week’s exercise has 2 parts the first is to watch the video in the link below, and read the below prayer. The 2^nd part is to write down what you can do to make a difference today. Maybe you could use less plastic, recycle, petition against off-shore drilling, talk to your friends and develop a community project. When we get involved in making a difference for the planet we have already taken steps to empower ourselves. When we empower ourselves in any way we are one step closer to accomplishing our dreams. 

Gulf Coast Oil Spill – Sioux Prayer Request – A letter from Chief Arvol Looking Horse (Present Chief and Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe of the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Nation of the Sioux)

****** A Great Urgency ****** To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders ******

My Relatives,
Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together from the Spirit of your Nations in prayer.

We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things. As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf.

The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make. I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies.

I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth. As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc’I Maka).

We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on.

As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life. So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children’s future and well-being, and the generations to come.

Onipikte (that we shall live),
Chief Arvol Looking Horse 19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe

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Copyright Mari Selby, May 2010