Every culture has a unique understanding of the ebb and flow of nature. This system of beliefs often forms the basis of a religious philosophy. Regardless of societal advancement, a religious background is a key feature of all nation-states. The same is true for the various American Indian states. For many native tribes, the concept of spirituality is also closely linked with the mental and physical well-being of the individual. In this, the spiritual and the physical are one in the same—to heal the body, one must heal the mind. It is in this balance that the duality of native Medicine is revealed. Among the Cherokee, healing and spirituality are linked in do-ne-la-we-ga—the Greater Circle.
Do-ne-la-we-ga Defined
To put it simply, do-ne-la-we-ga is the circular flow of life itself. Michael Garrett details this concept in his book, Walking on the Wind. Garrett describes the Greater Circle as among the essential aspects of Eastern Cherokee spirituality; the Cherokee Way. To understand the concept of do-ne-la-we-ga one must first understand that the past can be prologue. A past trauma can still resonate years, even decades later. Taking this concept and applying it to other aspects of Cherokee spirituality, it is easy to see the interrelatedness of native spirituality and history. The human spirit records its experiences, taking the good and the bad and adding it to the personality. This is the sum total of the individual—we are our acumen. We also perceive the past differently as we grow as individuals. A painful experience may even come to be viewed as an open door. It’s just a matter of growing past the initial pain. That is the essence of growth.
Rule of Acceptance
Do-ne-la-we-ga is part of the greater concept of the Rule of Acceptance; the practice of making sense out of past experiences. The rule is more about seeing past the pain and determining the intrinsic value of the experience. The basic principal behind this belief is that while we may not be in control of the universe, we can strive to understand what has happened to us and apply that knowledge to living our live. To some, this may seem like a scoping mechanism about the inevitability of fate. However, logic dictates that the uncertain will occur—perhaps, that is the only certainty. The Rule of Acceptance allows the mind to take the experience and apply it to our view of the universe.
The Greater Good
The Rule of Acceptance is merely one aspect of the Cherokee Way. However, a basic introduction to this concept will assist in earning a greater understanding of Cherokee spirituality. The most basic tenant of this philosophy is to accept the shifting forces around you and learn from your experiences. To do this, it is important to cede all notions the one can summon the universe.
Michael Garrett. Walking on the Wind. (Rochester: Bear and Company Publishing, 1998).
Ruth Bradley Holmes and Betty Sharp Smith. Beginning Cherokee. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1977).
David M. Jones and Brian Molyneaux. Mythology of the American Nations. (London: Hermes House, 2006).
Thomas E Mails, The Cherokee People: The Story of the Cherokees from Earliest Origins to Contemporary Times. (New York: Marlowe and Company, 1996).
Carl Waldman. Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes. (New York: Checkmark Books, 2006).
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