When I was a boy, I use to wander down to the flat rock by the waterfall in the village. I would lay on my back and stare up at the clouds overhead in the sky and I would see how many animal shapes would appear for me. It had become a great past time, sitting there and counting the many images that floated across my line of vision.
I remember looking up, seeing a buffalo this one day; it was very huge. Its head was heavy and thick, with huge horns that formed an almost perfect letter “c” on both sides of its head. It surprised me because I was having dreams of Buffalo every night for almost a week and then they just stopped shortly before the day I saw the buffalo made of white puffy clouds overhead in the sky.
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In my dreams the huge White Buffalo would stomp his feet and out of the mist would come several other of its kind and as I stood there in the silence, they would surround the both of us. Nothing could get in to the circle or out of it; they formed a powerful ring of protection.
The fur of the white buffalo felt gentle and warm against my skin and as he breathed upon me a great feeling of peace and well being encompassed me. Though the huge buffalo never spoke to me like the other animals of the forest, I still somehow in my mind's eye, knew that I was always protected.
I would sit upon its back and it would raise me high above the earth in the clouds. My heart would pound like thunder as I looked around and down at the village and forest of ancient white pine trees below. For one brief moment, all things became clear to my young always questioning mind and perfect balance of mind, body and soul came to pass.
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Later in life one of my children came to me and they sat down near me by the camp fire and asked me to tell them about the wild animals in Creator's Great Forest. I remember smiling and asking, “Which animal would you like most to know about young one”?
Teach me of Buffalo; was the young one's answer.
So I told the young one what buffalo means to me and of the many things it has taught me.
Buffalo is very powerful medicine and is held sacred to our people; for me it is a sign of great strength and Unity. It's a symbol of our people's gratitude and holds a place of great honor. Buffalo reminds me of Creator's great bounty and his love for all creatures great and small. Buffalo teaches me to be respectful of all living things and reminds me that all things are connected to each other.
It teaches me that all life no matter it forms is sacred. Buffalo, teaches me that I must allow peace to enter my life and that when dealing with others I must always be respectful in the way that I treat them. The great buffalo teaches me to see the goodness in others that I deal with and reminds me always to listen and to hear with my heart and not just my ears. Buffalo shows me that there are times when others may need my great strength, love and support and that in my heart I must always honor them.
The buffalo teaches me that I must always stay grounded to Mother Earth; it reminds me that I must rid myself of my burdens, by directing all my energies in a balanced way.
But most of all young one, It teaches me that I must always be true to me and shows me that through my inner strengths, I can overcome all obstacles that stand in my way. It teaches me that through unity and balance as well as faith, all things become possible.
This is what buffalo means to me.
Nice account.