THEMES of the everflame series
Each of the four Everflame books is divided into sections, and for each book, a topic of Native American culture and spirituality has been chosen. It is not for any reason other than interest, discovery and personal growth that I have chosen elements of Native American culture and spirituality. It is not that I adhere to any of these things in a religious manner, nor do I hold any of these teachings or topics to be an indisputable truth. However, I do believe that through discovery we can learn great truths about ourselves, and for the purposes of my own personal journey, each of these topics has spoken to me in some meaningful way. They are important to the story of Everflame, and my hope is that they lead you to find your own truth.
Book one – Wind, earth, fire and water
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Elders, healers, and teachers of the ancient earth wisdom traditions use natural forces to create a balance in their relationship with the environment. Native Americans speak of a sense of harmony with the elemental energies, described as walking in balance on earth. The four basic elements are wind, earth, fire, and water. Understanding what each element represents helps us evaluate where our individual strengths and weaknesses are.
Wind represents intellect, mental intention, and connection to universal life force. Earth represents grounding, foundation of life, substance, connection to life path, and family roots. Fire represents energy, tool for transformation, connection to personal power, and inner strength. Water represents emotional release, intuition, and inner reflection. |
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book two – spirit guides
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An Animal Spirit Guide comes to guide you through the trials of your life, and helps you understand lessons of the experiences that you are going through. The number of spirit guides one might have can vary depending upon the challenges of your journey. Some guides may be with you throughout your entire life and some may appear only once to help with one specific trial.
Messenger A Messenger Guide comes into your life and then leaves once a message is understood. The message can be spiritual in nature, or it can be a warning. The message may deal with a seemingly mundane aspect of your life or it may be a call for an action you must take. Sometimes the animal messenger will come during an event in your life and make a powerful statement and other times it may come as subtley as a whisper. A messenger guide can be both negative and positive in nature for they are totally impartial. Life A Life Guide remains a part of you throughout your life and reflects your inner self. You may have more than one Life Guide and new guides may come at any time. Life Guides are always there for you and serve as a reminder of your inner power and harmony with nature. If your Life Guide is a bear, you should be a person who is a solitary dweller, a seeker of knowledge and well grounded. A Life Guide can call upon other animal guides to help give you special messages from time to time. Journey A Journey Guide appears at a fork in the road. When you decide to follow a certain path in life, the Journey Guide is there to help you. The path can take months or years to complete. Unlike a Messenger Guide who comes and leaves quickly, the Journey Guide remains at your side until your specific path is complete. If you become lost, the Journey Guide is there help lead the way back. Shadow A Shadow Guide is one that invades you with fear. Its purpose it to teach a lesson you have not learned after repeated mistakes. A Shadow Guide will return again and again, giving you strong feelings of fear until you have fixed your mistakes. The Shadow Guide is powerful and it can help you to overcome challenges by bringing truth. However, if ignored, the Shadow Guide will become dangerous and its powers will have a negative affect on your life. |
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book three – four directions
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When a Native American prays to the four directions, it is a prayer to the spirits of the world. The Medicine Wheel is a symbol that incorporates the four directions. Native American traditions vary somewhat in the terms they use to describe the meaning of the four directions, but the sources of the meaning are the same.
North = Defeat; Trouble South = Peace; Happiness East = Success; Triumph West = Death |
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Book four – the seven teachings
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The Seven Teachings are at the foundation of Native American belief. These teachings honor ethics and connect to nature. The Seven Teachings are represented by seven animals. Each animal offers a gift and understanding of how we should live our lives on Mother Earth.
The Eagle The Eagle teaches us Love. Love is the unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another. The Buffalo The Buffalo teaches us Respect. Respect is the feeling or understanding that someone or something is good, valuable, or important, and should be treated in an appropriate way. The Bear The Bear teaches us Courage. Courage is the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous. Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. The Giant The Giant teaches us Honesty. The quality of being fair and truthful. Fairness and straightforwardness of conduct. The Beaver The Beaver teaches us Wisdom. Knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life. Knowledge of what is proper or reasonable; good sense or judgment. The Wolf The Wolf teaches us Humility. The quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people. The quality or state of being humble. The Turtle The Turtle teaches us Truth. The real facts about something. The property of being in accord with fact or reality. |
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