Most of the great teachers have expressed their insight and wisdom by way of stories. Stories use the common metaphor to take people beyond their experience to a new understanding. Native American storytellers have done this for centuries. The story originates manidoog, directly from spirit, and in its retelling becomes a tradition. These stories were not intended only for entertainment. Normally I would not be telling stories at this time of the year. Traditionally the Aniishinabeg storyteller only told stories when there was snow on the ground. But Giidzhii Manidoo, the Great Spirit, has asked me to tell stories to unfold the Vision of the Seventh Fire. I speak to you manidoog in the tradition of my people.

In this story of the making of a new earth, Way-nah-boo-zhoo is a man-god who plays between the world of man and the world of spirit. He appears in many of our stories as a hero who points the way for a good life. He is our model for the Ogichidaag‘, the ones who show a new way using their strength and power with gentleness and wisdom. This story is a traditional story of the Aniishinabeg. It is for your ears and for your heart today. Hear me and open your heart.

In the beginning, Giidzhii Manidoo, the Great Spirit, made all things and gave them instructions how to share the earth in harmony. After a while, many creatures forgot the Original Instructions—love, honor, and respect for all beings in the circle of life. Unhappy with their behavior, Creator loosed the waters of the earth and all the land was underwater. The animals could only swim around because they had no place to rest and sleep. Way-nah-boo-zhoo took pity on them and told them what they had done. They promised to change their ways and remember the path of the spirit. Then Makinaak, the turtle had an idea. He would offer his back for the foundation of a new earth. The other animals would have to swim to the bottom of the waters and bring up mud to put on his back.

Makwaa, the bear, demanded the right to be the first to create the new earth. "I am the most powerful of all the animals. I will bring the first mud to make a new earth. He inhaled deeply and plunged toward the bottom of the waters. He swam down with great power. But he could not get to the mud at the bottom. By the time he reached the surface he was nearly dead and Way-nah-boo-zhoo breathed life into him.

Bizhoo, the bobcat demanded to be the next to try. "I am not as fat as Makwa‘ the bear, and I am very powerful. I shall bring the first mud to make a new earth." He inhaled deeply and plunged toward the bottom of the waters. He swam down with great power. But he could not get to the mud at the bottom. By the time he reached the surface he was nearly dead and Way-nah-boo-zhoo breathed life into him.

Next Maa’ingan, the wolf, demanded to be the first to create the new earth. "When there was land on which I could hunt, I could run and run and run and not be without breath. I can swim to the bottom of the waters. I shall bring the first mud for the new earth." He inhaled deeply and plunged toward the bottom of the waters. He swam down with great power. But he could not get to the mud at the bottom. By the time he reached the surface he was nearly dead and Way-nah-boo-zhoo breathed life into him.

"I am the greatest swimmer of all the animals," said Amik, the beaver. "My tail iswebbed feet, Amik swam easily toward the bottom of the waters. But it was very deep and he, too, failed. By the time he came to the surface he was nearly dead and Way-nah-boo-zhoo breathed life into him.

The animals were miserable at their failure. "Now who can reach the mud at the bottom of the waters?" cried the animals. "Without mud from the bottom of the waters we cannot create a new earth!"

Then little Waszhask, the muskrat, spoke. "I think that I might be able to bring mud from the bottom of the waters," he offered quietly.

"You! ha! ha! ha!" the other animals shouted and laughed.

"You are not as powerful as me, little muskrat!" said the Makwa, the bear. "What makes you think you can do what I could not?"

"Wazhask, You are not as strong as me!" said Bizhoo, the bobcat. "How could a little muskrat do what I could not?"

"My lungs can hold much more air than yours, little Wazhask!" said Maa’ingan, the wolf. "How could you do what I could not?"

"I am a much better swimmer than you, Wazhask!" said Amik, the beaver. "How could you do what I could not?"

Way-nah-boo-zhoo held up his hands to make them stop making such a noise and said, "You have all puffed yourselves so full of air to make everyone think you are great. Because of this you could not swim to the bottom of the waters. In a new earth you must remember that you are all connected. Not one of you is more important than another. You must learn to love, honor, and respect each other in the circle of life. Each of you has some energy to share with the others of the circle. And the circle finds a way for each to make a contribution. These are the Original Instructions that you have forgotten. Perhaps Wazhask, the muskrat, can do what all of you wish. Would you be happy to live on the new earth if the muskrat brought the first mud from the bottom of the waters?"

"Yes!!" shouted all of the other animals. Each of them encouraged Wazhask to do his best and muskrat dived to the bottom of the waters. He swam and swam. It seemed to be so far down. Yet he remembered the words and the love of the others and he swam deeper. His breath was nearly gone as he reached the bottom. Scooping up a pawful of mud, muskrat brought it to the surface and put it on the back of Makinaak, the turtle. All the other animals cheered! Without puffing themselves full of air they, too, dived to the bottom of the waters and brought mud up to the surface and put it on the back of the turtle. Soon a small island was formed. As they swam around and around the island, it began to grow larger. The animals crawled onto the land and danced in a circle. They sang with so much freedom and joy that the flowers, grasses, and trees began to grow. The winds began to blow from all four directions. Soon the water that had covered the earth lived only in the Big Waters and the Little Waters and the Rivers. Then Giidzhii Makwaa, the Great Bear, was asked to live in the far north to keep the water bound up in ice and snow so that the water would not cover the land. Today they call their land Turtle Island to remember the gift of turtle. And they remember the Original Instructions.

Then new beings, Inini and Ikwe, human beings, were brought to play on earth. These young ones were taught the simple rules of the game. After many, many winters some of the humans began to forget the Original Instructions. Giidzhii manidoo, the Great Spirit, was very unhappy at this silly, selfish behavior and began to consider how he would destroy the earth again and make a new creation. He asked a great being to destroy the earth with fire. The white eagle soaring high in the sky overheard his thoughts and begged the Great Spirit to have pity on the beings of earth, even the silly Little Brother they called man. "He has much to learn, "said Wabishkie Ginu*, "and still some of them remember the Original Instructions. There is hope that the others can also remember. If I can find one human who remembers the Original Instructions, will you hold back the destruction one more day?"

The Great Spirit agreed. So each day the eagle flies out of the dawn to see if at least one human remembers. When he finds one, he flies up to the Great Spirit to bring the news and the earth receives one more day.

In the circle each person cares for the whole circle and the whole circle cares for each person.  In the circle leadership is shared, rotated so that each person learns to lead and to follow.  As ducks and geese migrate between their winter and summer homes they fly in a V-formation that takes advantage of an undulating flow of air, a vortex street, that begins with the wing beats of the leader.  The birds in the second position follow at the left and right in the wake of the leader.  They can fly with much less effort in the rolling waves of the leader's rhythm.  Their wing beats catch the wake and stroke it to keep it rolling along the formation to the birds in the third position and so on.  When the leader tires she falls back in the formation while another moves ahead to work at splitting the air for the others.  The formation rides along on the shared effort of all.

Life can be so much easier for humans if they would learn from nature.  For humans the circle is a most natural and fulfilling way to live.  In the circle we can see that giving is the same as receiving.  When the geese and ducks migrate they give and they receive, receive and give.  There is no difference.  The others in the formation are important to them.  Each has value and worth.  Not all can fly with the same strength and endurance.  Perhaps others are more alert to danger when the flock is resting or sleeping.  Others may be better at identifying the landmarks or the best places to stop and eat.  Who knows?

We can create vortex streets like the wing beats of the birds, that can carry each of us, all of us, to a deeper experience.  There are many leadership tasks in a dynamic circle.  Some are good at talking to people.  Some are teachers.  A few are good at selling.  Everyone has some form of creativity that has yet to be fully tapped and appreciated.  Some are effective communicators on the telephone or in a group.  Others write well or understand computers and internet access.  We will discover the special function of our being in the circle, like an organ in a body.  Each of us can learn from others in the circle.  We learn how to fly together, to travel beyond our limitations, to discover how unlimited we really are. Soar with the White Eagle.