World Religions & Spirituality

• These are study notes on the topics of world religions, spirituality, and indigenous beliefs

Ninian Smart's Elements of Religion

• Religious experience of the sacred involves a transformative experience for an individual, often the founder
• Sacred stories explain important religious experiences which take the form of Myth, not to be confused with a lie
• Rituals are reenactments of religious experiences, symbolizing deeper meanings
• Community consists of leaders like priests, and followers (the laity)
• Teachings (Creed) define a religion and how its followers perceive the world, using the Apostles' Creed
• Morality involves a shared understanding of what is considered good, exemplified by the Ten Commandments

Objective vs. Subjective Reality

• Faith falls under subjective reality
• Objective reality is what's presented to the senses and is observable
• Subjective reality is the interpretation of objective reality

Different Beliefs of God

• Deist: God exists but is distant and uninvolved
• Theist: God exists and is personally concerned with creation
• Atheist: God denies the existence of God
• Anti-Theist: God opposes the notion of God, without outright denying
• Agnostic: Claims uncertainty about God's existence
• Polytheist: Belief in multiple gods
• Monotheist: Belief in a single God
• Monist: Belief in an impersonal energy underlying all existence
• Henotheist: Belief in multiple gods, but worship of one God at a time

Secularism

• Secularism posits no divine purpose or creator
• Nature is scientifically observable
• Individuals are self-sufficient
• Human-created values is the source of all morals

Benefits and Critics of Secularism

• Equality amongst religious and non-religious is expected
• Public policy decisions are based on reason and science
• Religious freedom and prevents conflict in public spaces
• Critics say it marginalizes religious communities and diminishes religion's role in promoting moral values and social cohesion

Indigenous Unit: Rituals - Powwow

• Powwows are for dancing, singing, celebrating Indigenous traditions and culture
• Powwows renew and restore relationships and heal all creation
• Dances are connected to religious ceremonies and celebrations
• Songs and drums symbolize Mother Earth's heartbeat and dance movements mimic the sun's movement
• Circles represent unity and holiness
• The powwow celebrates healing for all creation; Mother Earth's heartbeat can be heard by all

Indigenous Unit: Rituals - Sun Dance

• It is an annual ceremony reaffirming spiritual beliefs about the universe
• Renews community ties, arranges marriages, and exchanges property
• Lasts four days: dances, fasting, prayer
• Offers prayers for well-being and resource abundance and is considered a rite of passage to manhood
• Sacred articles include buffalo skulls, long lengths of rawhide, rings of sage, and eagle wing bone whistles
• The ceremony symbolizes equality and acknowledging the Sun's impact on Indigenous life

Indigenous Unit: Rituals - Sweat Lodge

• Heated, dome-shaped structures are used for purification and promoting healthy living
• Cleansing the body, mind, and soul by removing negative energy
• Sweat lodge ceremonies vary by community and purpose
• Lodges are dome-shaped and made of natural materials representing the womb of Mother Earth
• Grandfather stones are heated and symbolize Earth's wisdom
• Water is poured over stones for steam purification
• Herbs are used in prayer offerings and smudging
• Drums and songs connect participants with ancestors
• Prayers are offered for past and future generations, to maintain harmony with the universe

Indigenous Unit: Rituals - Smudging

• Smudging is used for medicinal, practical, and spiritual purposes
• Smudging purifies people and places with sacred smoke
• Smudging connects individuals to the Creator
• Sacred Herbs are burnt and brushed over the body in a shell or earthen bowl
• Ashes are returned to Earth as a sign of respect
• The ritual is led by elders or spiritual leaders
• Prayers are carried to the Creator, and the ritual helps heal intergenerational trauma

Indigenous Rituals - Giveaways & Potlatch

• Traditional gatherings are practiced on the Northwest Coast and the Dene in the western subarctic
• Giveaways & Potlatch involves sharing wealth through gifts, which strengthens community bonds
• They give rights to land and resources
• Sacred articles include copper shields, masks & regalia, button blankets & totem poles, and drums & rattles
• Rituals emphasize the interdependence of humans, nature, and spirits and is considered a cycle of giving and receiving acknowledges this connection

Vision Quest

• A spiritual journey to seek sacred knowledge and strength undertaken by young males entering adulthood
• Involves fasting, isolation, and prayer
• Sacred articles: a sacred pipe, tobacco & herbs, blankets, medicine bundle, and prayer flags
• Strengthens connection with ancestors and the natural world
• Featured in the vision is the reveal of purpose and guidance as well as the inclusion of animal spirit guides

Sacred Pipe Ceremony

• It symbolizes harmony and unity of all creation
• The smoke carries prayers to the Great Spirit
• Used for guidance, healing, and gratitude
• Stone bowl represents truth
• Stem symbolizes living in balance with creation
• The Union of Bowl & Stem represents male and female aspects of the world
• Includes all elements of Earth (earth, fire, water, air)
• The passing of the pipe highlights community unity

Death Rituals

• Death rituals acknowledge the belief in the spirit world after death
• Offerings are made to ensure a safe transition
• A medicine bundle contains sacred items
• Drums & Songs are used in ceremonies
• Ancestors are honored by refraining from Powwows for a year

Indigenous Groups

• Inuit means "real man" and were formerly referred to as "Eskimos"
• They are the last group to have immigrated to Canada, some of whom were killed by the Natives
• They moved back to regions traditionally inhabited by Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America
• The Metis originally means people with mixed blood, specifically, descendants of French fur traders and local Indigenous populations
• They had the strongest population growth of the three indigenous groups between 1996 and 2001 at a rate of 43%
• FN (First Nations) are the Indigenous people in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Metis
• FN settled across Canada by 40000-10000 BC
• Hundreds of tribes each developed with their own culture, customs, legends, and character

Animism

• The belief that all things (human and non-human) have spirits or souls
• After death, that spirit returns to the environment

7 Grandfather Teachings

• Honesty: Being sincere, achieving inner honesty, recognizing oneself, and being honest with all
• Humility: Knowing oneself as a sacred part of the Creation and recognizing the limits of one's knowledge
• Truth: Learning, living, walking, and speaking with truth; sharing factual information with openness and sincerity
• Wisdom: Cherishing knowledge and understanding the difference between good and bad actions
• Love: Knowing peace, offering unconditional love, and giving love freely
• Respect: Honoring all Creation, others' beliefs, and oneself
• Bravery: Facing foes with integrity and doing the right thing, even when difficult

Creation Stories - Iroquois

• The world began with an island floating in the sky where Sky People lived
• A pregnant Sky Woman was pushed through a hole created by an uprooted tree
• Animals helped her land safely, and she spread mud to form North America on the back of Big Turtle
• She gave birth to twins: Sapling (creator of good things) and Flint (creator of hardships), whose conflict caused volcanic eruptions

Creation Stories - Crow

• Old Man Coyote existed alone in a vast body of water
• He worked with two ducks to retrieve mud from underwater to create the land, rivers, mountains, trees, humans, and animals
• He met Shirape, inspiring him to create more animals and complete the world

Creation Stories - Blackfoot

• Old Man traveled from the south, forming the land, mountains, prairies, forests, animals, and plants
• He adjusted animals to their correct habitats
• He created and taught the first humans, setting the foundation for their way of life

Creation Stories - Haida

• In the beginning, there was only water and sky with beings living on a reef
• Raven, a powerful being, traveled to the sky world, tricked a chief's family, and became Raven Child
• He stole the eyes of the sky people and was then cast down to the water
• Guided, Raven Child used sacred stones to create trees and land, forming Haida Gwaii
• Raven later brought forth humans and completed the world

Creation Stories - Ojibway

• Mother Earth had life-giving elements (earth, wind, fire, water)
• The Creator, Gitchie Manito, used a sacred shell to create the first man
• The first man named the animals, plants, and land features
• The Creator sent a wolf to be his companion
• The descendants became the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and other Indigenous tribes, each distinguished by their language

Indigenous vs Western Worldviews

• Native Worldview is web-like, with all living things residing in harmony, while the Western view is Hierarchical

Indigenous Symbols: Medicine Pouch

• The medicine pouch contains objects and substances which have a special meaning or "medicine" for the owner
• It could contain a totem significant to the wearer
• It is private and personal and can be compared to carrying scriptures

Indigenous Symbols: Corn Husk Mask

• These masks are supposed to embody or be inhabited by spirits associated with the corn harvest or growing grains
• Worn by both men and women

Indigenous Symbols: Sweet Grass

• It is known for its aromatic fragrance
• Can be used as a purifier
• When braided, it signifies Mother Earth, with three sections representing mind, body, and spirit