Black Elk Quotes
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It is good to have a reminder of death before us, for it helps us to understand the impermanence of life on this earth, and this understanding may aid us in preparing for our own death. He who is well prepared is he who knows that he is nothing compared with Wakan-Tanka who is everything; then he knows that world which is real.
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He was the chief of all the horses; and when he snorted, it was a flash of lightning and his eyes were like the sunset star.
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Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people flourished.
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With visible breath I am walking. A voice I am sending as I walk. In a sacred manner I am walking. With visible tracks I am walking. In a sacred manner I walk.
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And as he spoke of understanding, I looked up and saw the rainbow leap with flames of many colors over me.
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I cured with the power that came through me.
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After the horse dance was over, it seemed that I was above the ground and did not touch it when I walked.
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But I think I have done right to save the vision in this way, even though I may die sooner because I did it; for I know the meaning of the vision is wise and beautiful and good; and you can see that I am only a pitiful old man after all.
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If you will read again what is written, you will see how it was.
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Of all the created things or beings in the universe, it is the two-legged men alone, who if they purify and humiliate themselves, may become one with - or may know - Wakan-Tanka.
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To use the power of the bison, I had to perform that part of my vision for the people to see.
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All around the circle, feeding on the green, green grass were fat and happy horses...
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I looked about me once again, and suddenly the dancing horses without number changed into animals of every kind and into all the fowls that are, and these fled back to the four quarters of the world from whence the horses came, and vanished.
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I had a vision with which I might have saved my people, but I had not the strength to do it.
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There can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of men.
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Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice.
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Also, as I lay there thinking of my vision, I could see it all again and feel the meaning with a part of me like a strange power glowing in my body; but when the part of me that talks would try to make words for the meaning, it would be like fog and get away from me.
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And if the great fear had not come upon me, as it did, and forced me to do my duty, I might have been less good to the people than some man who had never dreamed at all, even with the memory of so great a vision in me.
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'Behold' he said, 'all the wings of the air shall come to you, and they and the winds and the stars shall be like relatives.'
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A good nation I will make live.
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You see, I had been riding with the storm clouds, and had come to earth as rain, and it was drought that I had killed with the power that the Six Grandfathers gave me.
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The Sun Dancers also put rabbit skins on their arms and legs, for the rabbit represents humility, because he is quiet and soft and not self-asserting - a quality which we must all possess when we go to the center of the world.
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Now suddenly there was nothing but a world of cloud, and we three were there alone in the middle of a great white plain with snowy hills and mountains staring at us; and it was very still; but there were whispers.
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Flames were rising from the waters and in the flames a blue man lived.