If you ask him: "What is silence?" he will answer, "It is the Great Mystery! The holy silence is His voice!" If you ask: "What are the fruits of silence?" he will say: "They are self-control, true courage or endurance, patience, dignity, and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character."

Charles Alexander Eastman

Categorized in : Character Courage Self

Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness of giving.

Charles Alexander Eastman

native-american life children

The Wise Man believes profoundly in silence - the sign of a perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind and spirit. The man who preserves his selfhood ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence - not a leaf, as it were, astire on the tree, not a ripple upon the surface of the shinning pool-his, in the mind of the unlettered sage, is the ideal attitude and conduct of life. Silence is the cornerstone of character.

Charles Alexander Eastman

wise attitude believe

The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity. They forget, perhaps, that his religion forbade the accumulation of wealth and the enjoyment of luxury... Furthermore, it was the rule of his life to share the fruits of his skill and success with his less fortunate brothers. Thus he kept his spirit free from the clog of pride, cupidity, or envy, and carried out, as he believed, the divine decree-a matter profoundly important to him.

Charles Alexander Eastman

brother success native-american

The true Indian sets no price upon either his property or his labor. His generosity is limited only by his strength and ability. He regards it as an honor to be selected for difficult or dangerous service and would think it shameful to ask for any reward, saying rather: "Let the person I serve express his thanks according to his own bringing up and his sense of honor. Each soul must meet the morning sun, the new sweet earth, and the Great Silence alone!. What is Silence? It is the Great Mystery! The Holy Silence is His voice!

Charles Alexander Eastman

morning sweet thinking

Nearness to nature... keeps the spirit sensitive to impressions not commonly felt and in touch with the unseen powers.

Charles Alexander Eastman

unseen nature spirit

Each soul must meet the morning sun, the new sweet earth and the Great Silence alone.

Charles Alexander Eastman

morning sweet inspirational

It was our belief that the love of possessions is a weakness to be overcome. . . . Children must early learn the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness of giving. . . . The Indians in their simplicity literally give away all that they have—to relatives, to guests of other tribes or clans, but above all to the poor and the aged, from whom they can hope for no return.

Charles Alexander Eastman

generosity native-american children

Is there not something worthy of perpetuation in our Indian spirit of democracy, where Earth, our mother, was free to all, and no one sought to impoverish or enslave his neighbor?

Charles Alexander Eastman

diversity mother justice

The American Indian was an individualist in religion as in war. He had neither a national army nor an organized church.

Charles Alexander Eastman

army church war

He sees no need for setting apart one day in seven as a holy day, since to him all days are God's.

Charles Alexander Eastman

holy-days one-day needs

In the life of the Indian there is only one inevitable duty-the duty of prayer-the daily recognition of the Unseen and Eternal. Our daily devotions were more necessary to us than daily food.

Charles Alexander Eastman

unseen recognition prayer

The religion of the Indian is the last thing about him that the man of another race will ever understand.

Charles Alexander Eastman

lasts race men

More than this, even in those white men who professed religion we found much inconsistency of conduct. They spoke much of spiritual things, while seeking only the material.

Charles Alexander Eastman

white-man spiritual men

But to have a friend, and to be true under any and all trials, is the mark of a man!

Charles Alexander Eastman

true-friend friendship men

Silence is the cornerstone of character.

Charles Alexander Eastman

silence-is silence character

There were no temples or shrines among us save those of nature.

Charles Alexander Eastman

save-nature shrines temples

The red man divided mind into two parts, - the spiritual mind and the physical mind.

Charles Alexander Eastman

spiritual men two

We believe profoundly in silence-the sign of a perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind, and spirit.

Charles Alexander Eastman

perfect native-american believe

Friendship is held to be the severest test of character. It is easy, we think, to be loyal to a family and clan, whose blood is in your own veins.

Charles Alexander Eastman

real-friends friendship character

The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity.

Charles Alexander Eastman

simplicity white native-american