In the First Nations community, they teach the Seven Sacred Teachings. Also known as the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers, they incorporate core values that they deem to be imperative to human conduct. Let’s explore each one in terms of not only how they are viewed traditionally, but how we can apply each one to ourselves in a holistic and therapeutic sense.
“Wisdom: To cherish knowledge is to know wisdom. Symbolized traditionally by the beaver, it is the example of the beaver using his sharp teeth for cutting trees and branches to build his dams that expresses this teaching. If he did not use his teeth, the teeth would continue to grow until they became useless, ultimately making it impossible for him to sustain himself. The same can be said for human beings. One’s spirit will grow weak if it is not fulfilling its use.”
The value of wisdom is about intent to grow. When we set out to continue learning this can come in many forms; sometimes it is book knowledge in terms of academia, other times it is to expand our knowledge of world events, politics, or how to fill out our income taxes. Sometimes it is about learning a new skill or coping strategy in terms of our emotional health. We may desire to continue to learn about ourselves by making self-reflection or spirituality a part of our goal for well-being; we may decide that getting the knack of something is important such as learning how to actively listen to our loved ones or learning how to say no effectively.
In any case, understanding that to cherish knowledge is to heighten its value, bringing the core value of wisdom ever closer.
Information for this post was found at:http://empoweringthespirit.ca/teachings/beaver/
Photo credit: http://Photo by Abigail Lynn on Unsplash
Like this post? Consider subscribing!