“The Ten Indian Commandments”
Treat the earth and all that dwell thereon with respect; Remain close to the great spirit; Show great respect for your fellow beings; Work together for the benefit of all mankind; Give assistance and kindness wherever needed; Do what you know to be right; Look after the well being of mind and body; Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good; Be truthful and honest at all times; Take full responsibility for your actions.
“Wait a minute here. Are you messing with The Ten Commandments? These are not the Ten Commandments!” They are to millions of Native American Indians around the world. Maybe you are not familiar with these “Ten Commandments.” I was not aware of them either but wanted to take this opportunity to share them with OPU readers. I ask if you are a traditionalist, that you keep an open mind because my purpose for sharing them is not to disturb or change your belief in the biblical Ten Commandments.
I became aware of the Ten Indian Commandments recently while passing through a holistic healing center in Tennessee. They were listed on a framed poster hanging on a wall and as I read them, I was moved to deep reflection. I began to think of the Ten Commandments I was raised with and noticed that they were profoundly different than these new ones I had just come to discover. It seemed like they were saying the same things but in a completely different way. They were “accenting the positive” in how human beings should behave and interact with others. I noticed that there was no reference to “Thou shalt not” but that they contained only affirming statements. It made me think that it has always been my belief that positive and affirming statements seem to work better when trying to motivate people to behave in a certain way or to change their negative behavior. Think about working for a supervisor on the job. Will a person respond better to a boss who is negative and beating them down or to a boss who is positive and lifting them up? I think back to when I was a kid… I must say a very rebellious one at that. When my parents, teachers or authority figures used statements like, “don’t go there” or “don’t touch that,” it seemed to make me want to break the rules and do what it was they were telling me “not” to do. I now think back and believe I probably would have behaved in a much better way if my authority figures tried to motivate me from a positive set of rules.
The original Ten Commandments are at the core of a big debate in today’s society. It is a battle between religious traditionalists and those with a more liberal or progressive view. At the forefront of this battle is whether the Ten Commandments should be posted in government buildings, courthouses and school classrooms. This debate will be ongoing and the two sides will more than likely never become united and agree with each other. In the meantime, maybe we could all learn something from our Native American brothers and sisters. Maybe for now, we could post the Ten Indian Commandments on our bulletin boards and refrigerators at home as well as at the center of our hearts and see if these principles can help bring us to a better and more unified place with all people. The core of the Ten Indian Commandments speaks of respecting all people, working together for the good of all, being honest, giving to others, staying close to God, and taking personal responsibility for our lives. If we all take hold of these profound principles and plant them in our hearts, only good can come and a united world will be that much closer to becoming a reality. Peace out.
Treat the earth and all that dwell thereon with respect; Remain close to the Great Spirit; Show great respect for your fellow beings; Work together for the benefit of all mankind; Give assistance and kindness wherever needed; Do what you know to be right; Look after the well being of mind and body; Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good; Be truthful and honest at all times; Take full responsibility for your actions.
Jack Bloomfield is the co-founder and executive director of One Planet United, Inc., a non
profit 501(c)3 organization.
One Planet United's mission statement is: To bring unity and understanding to all people through
experiential and educational programs, projects and resources.
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