Breath is life, and the intermingling of breaths is the purpose of good living. This is in essence the great principle on which all productive living must rest, for relationships among all the beings of the universe must be fulfilled; in this way each individual life may also be fulfilled.
Paula Gunn AllenHoop Dancer is a rendering of my understanding of the process by which one enters into timelessness -- that place where one is whole.
Paula Gunn AllenIdealization of a group is a natural consequence of separation from the group; in other words, it is a by-product of alienation.
Paula Gunn AllenIn the native world, major gods come in trios, duos, and groups. It is the habit of non-natives to discover the supreme being, the one and only head god, a habit lent to them by monotheism.
Paula Gunn AllenIn the Native American tradition... a man, if he's a mature adult, nurtures life. He does rituals that will help things grow, he helps raise the kids, and he protects the people. His entire life is toward balance and cooperativeness. The ideal of manhood is the same as the ideal of womanhood. You are autonomous, self-directing, and responsible for the spiritual, social and material life of all those with whom you live.
Paula Gunn Allen