The Sacred Seven Prayers

O Great Spirit of the North, who gives wings to the waters of the air and rolls the thick snowstorm before Thee, Who covers the Earth with a sparkling crystal carpet above whose deep tranquillity every sound is beautiful. Temper us with strength to withstand the biting blizzards, yet make us thankful for the beauty which follows and lies deep over the warm Earth in its wake.

O Great Spirit of the East, the land of the rising Sun, Who holds in Your right hand the years of our lives and in Your left the opportunities of each day. Brace us that we may not neglect our gifts nor lose in laziness the hopes of each day and the hopes of each year.

O Great Spirit of the South, whose warm breath of compassion melts the ice that gathers round our hearts, whose fragrance speaks of distant springs and summer days, dissolve our fears, melt our hatreds, kindle our love into flames of true and living realities. Teach us that he who is truly strong is also kind, he who is wise tempers justice with mercy, he who is truly brave matches courage with compassion.

O Great Spirit of the West, the land of the setting Sun, with Your soaring mountains and free, wide rolling prairies, bless us with knowledge of the peace which follows purity of striving and the freedom which follows like a flowing robe in the winds of a well-disciplined life. Teach us that the end is better than the beginning and that the setting sun glorifies not in vain.

O Great Spirit of the heavens, in the day's infinite blue and amid the countless stars of the night season, remind us that you are vast, that you are beautiful and majestic beyond all of our knowing or telling, but also that you are no further from us than the tilting upwards of our heads and the raising of our eyes.

O Great Spirit of Mother Earth beneath our feet, Master of metals, Germinator of seeds and the Storer of the Earth's unreckoned resources, help us to give thanks unceasingly for Your present bounty.

O Great Spirit of our souls, burning in our heart's yearning and in our innermost aspirations, speak to us now and always so that we may be aware of the greatness and goodness of Your gift of life and be worthy of this priceless privilege of living.

©1996 Noel Knockwood, B.A.
Elder

October 18, 2011

***For Immediate Release***
BAUCUS HONORS ELOUISE COBELL ON U.S. SENATE FLOOR
Senator Delivers Speech Highlighting Cobell's Legacy as "Warrior for Justice"


A Native American expression on the circle of life offers insight into a life well lived:

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."

On Sunday, the world cried when Elouise Cobell left the earth.

Elouise was a brave member of the Blackfeet Nation from my home state of Montana, who fought tirelessly for what was right.

On Sunday, the world lost a great hero.

Native American people everywhere lost a champion.

Her husband Alvin and son Turk along with her entire extended family lost an admired and irreplaceable loved one. And I can say -- with deep gratitude for having worked with her for many years -- I lost a dear friend.

Through her persistence and determination, she drew attention to the federal government's mismanagement of Indian trust lands.

She deserves the highest recognition and thanks for helping close a chapter on a bitter history of broken promises.

For more than 100 years, the federal government did not fairly compensate Native Americans in Montana and across the nation for revenue generated from their land.

Elouise worked tirelessly through the courts until the judicial system finally recognized what she had uncovered.

The judge decried the federal government's actions as "fiscal and government irresponsibility in its purest form."

I was proud and humbled to work with her on the legislative plan to help settle the longstanding Indian trust lawsuit.

Last year, we passed bipartisan legislation to provide a long-overdue conclusion for hundreds of thousands of folks in Indian Country.

Recently, I joined my colleague Senator Tester, who introduced legislation to award Elouise with the Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest honor possible from Congress.

Cobell fought for many who could not fight for themselves and the brought a voice to many who died before being able to see justice served.

May we never forget Elouise's long battle to right this wrong.

May Elouise's memory continue to inspire everyone who believes that justice is worth the fight.

And, may the Creator welcome Elouise home with joy and tenderness as we offer our thoughts and prayers to her loved ones.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn Elouise because she lived a life worth rejoicing.
(end speech text)